WA Ferry Tracker › Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal
🔔 Free ferry alerts on WhatsApp| Address | 270 Olympic Drive SE, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 (Winslow, at the south end of SR 305) |
|---|---|
| Ferry | Bainbridge ⇄ Seattle (Colman Dock), about 35 minutes |
| Reservations | None. Vehicles load first come, first served |
| Walk-on boarding | Overhead passenger loading from the terminal building. WSDOT lists no elevator at this terminal |
| Facilities | Waiting room, restrooms, a café inside the terminal, two large bike racks (32 bikes). Galley and espresso stand on board |
| Parking | WSF terminal lot run by U-Park System right outside the entrance, plus other lots within two blocks |
| Transit | Kitsap Transit buses connect at the terminal |
About the terminal
Bainbridge Island is the busiest stop on the west side of Puget Sound for Seattle commuters, and the terminal sits right at the edge of Winslow, the island's walkable downtown. It serves one route only: the run across Elliott Bay to Colman Dock at Seattle's Pier 52. Two boats usually share the route, so in daytime there's typically a sailing about every hour or less in each direction. WSF changes the schedule each season, so check the current one before you plan around a specific boat.
Because the route takes no vehicle reservations, the line at the tollbooth is the wait. WSDOT's page for this terminal shows live camera views and an approximate count of drive-up spaces left in the holding area for the next sailings. That count only includes cars already through the tollbooth, so cars still queued on Olympic Drive come off the top. If the cameras show a line out onto SR 305, the count is optimistic.
Getting there by car
Almost everyone arrives on SR 305, which runs the length of the island from the Agate Pass Bridge to the ferry dock. WSDOT's directions:
- Northbound on SR 3 (from Bremerton or Silverdale): take the "Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island" exit, turn right at the end of the ramp, and stay on that road about 13 miles. It ends at the ferry dock.
- Southbound from the Hood Canal Bridge: turn right off the bridge, drive about 6 miles to the "Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island" exit, then follow the road about 13 miles.
- From Kingston: follow the road about 5 miles to the stoplight (Valley Nursery and a Kitsap Transit lot on the left), turn left, and drive about 12.5 miles to the terminal.
Once you cross the Agate Pass Bridge, the drive down SR 305 through the island takes roughly 15 minutes without traffic, but the highway narrows and slows near Winslow at commute times. If you need to be on a particular boat, leave buffer for the bridge and the last mile.
Dropping someone off or picking up? WSDOT's pick-up and drop-off spot is up front by the terminal building, so you don't need to park or join the car line.
Parking for walk-ons
This is one of the easier WSF terminals to park at and walk on. WSDOT says there are three large lots within two blocks of the terminal, with prices and time options posted at each. The closest is the WSF terminal lot directly outside the main entrance, run by U-Park System. WSDOT's terminal page lists these rates for that lot:
| U-Park terminal lot (WSDOT listing) | Rate |
|---|---|
| All day (0–10 hours) | $11 |
| 24 hours | $15 |
| Evenings (from 7 p.m.) | $7 |
| Motorcycles (24 hours) | $5 |
Parking rates change more often than WSDOT's page is updated, so treat these as a guide and go by the sign at the lot. All the lots offer weekend and longer-stay options. For monthly, carpool or vanpool parking, WSDOT says to call the U-Park System office on weekdays, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., at (206) 284-9797.
On weekday mornings the closest spaces go early to commuters. On a summer Saturday, day-trippers from the Kitsap side fill the lots too. If you're cutting it fine, the drop-off zone and a quick walk beat circling for a space.
Walking on and off
Walk-on passengers board from the terminal building over an overhead walkway straight onto the boat's passenger deck, separate from the cars. On the way home, it helps to know that WSF collects passenger fares in Seattle for this route. WSDOT's Bainbridge page says there's no payment for passengers or bicycles going from Bainbridge to Seattle, so walk-ons just head to the boat. Drivers buy or redeem tickets at the auto tollbooths, and tickets are also sold at the kiosk in the waiting room and online. WSDOT notes that buying a ticket in advance doesn't guarantee a space on a particular boat.
Arriving from Seattle on foot, you leave the terminal onto Olympic Drive. Downtown Winslow starts about two blocks north at Winslow Way, a walk of a few minutes. Children and youth under 19 ride WSF free, which makes this a popular family day trip with no car at all.
For the walk-on basics that apply on every route, see our walk-on passenger guide.
Bikes, motorcycles and carpools
- Bikes: you can ride past the line of cars onto the dock to the bike staging area at the east end. WSDOT asks cyclists to arrive 20 minutes before departure to board at the start of loading. If you arrive after car loading has started, you'll go on at the end. During the weekday commute (6–8:45 a.m.), staff may also load bikes mid-load. The two big racks at the terminal hold 32 bikes if you're leaving yours on the island.
- Motorcycles: buy tickets at the tollbooth, the waiting-room kiosk or online. If the holding area is full and traffic has stopped at the tollbooth, WSDOT says motorcycles can go around the cars to the seller's window. Loading order here is bikes, then motorcycles, then cars, then late motorcycles if there's room. Keep to 10 mph on the dock and watch for wet car decks.
- Carpools and vanpools: registered HOVs get preferential loading only if they're ticketed and in line at least 10 minutes before the sailing.
- Trucks: vessels on this route have limited height clearance, so oversize vehicles may be loaded out of sequence. Anything over 80,000 lbs or wider than 8'6" needs WSF travel approval in advance.
When the car line is worst
WSF's fall 2026 "best times to travel" chart for Seattle/Bainbridge shows a clear pattern for vehicles:
- Leaving Bainbridge on weekday mornings: the commute boats into Seattle are "sometimes full" and, on some days, "often full."
- Leaving Bainbridge on weekends: late morning through late afternoon is the crunch, with several sailings marked "often full" on Saturday and Sunday.
- Coming back from Seattle: weekday afternoons and the evening commute are "often" or "likely" full, and Saturday late morning and midday westbound can be "likely full."
- Evenings and early mornings are generally "unlikely to fill" in both directions.
Holiday weekends, summer Sundays and big Seattle events push these patterns harder. WSDOT notes the charts are for vehicles only: there's almost always room for walk-ons and bikes. If the camera shows a multi-boat wait, the realistic options are to go much earlier or later, park and walk on, or drive around via the Agate Pass and Tacoma Narrows bridges. The drive is long, but sometimes it beats a three-boat wait.
What's nearby while you wait
If you have time before your boat, Winslow is a short walk from the terminal:
- Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA), at Winslow Way and SR 305, is about five minutes on foot. General admission is free, according to the museum.
- Kids Discovery Museum (KiDiMu) is next to BIMA on Ravine Lane, aimed at young children (admission charged).
- Winslow Way has cafés, bakeries, restaurants, a bookstore and an ice-cream stop or two, all within a few blocks.
- Waterfront Park on Eagle Harbor has a playground and shoreline paths. It's a nice spot to watch boats come and go.
- Bainbridge History Museum, on Ericksen Avenue, is about ten minutes on foot.
- The Japanese American Exclusion Memorial (Pritchard Park, across Eagle Harbor) marks the old Eagledale ferry dock. In March 1942, Bainbridge Island's Japanese American residents were the first forced from their homes under Executive Order 9066 there. It's a short drive or bike ride, not a quick walk.
Inside the terminal, WSDOT lists a café (Commuter Comforts) open early morning to early evening. Each boat has a galley, and fall 2026 hours start before 5 a.m. on weekdays on one of the two boats. Times vary by vessel and day, and some on-board espresso stands are closed early in the week.
Accessibility
WSDOT lists 11 ADA parking spaces in the terminal lot. If those are all taken, WSDOT says customers with a disability placard can park free in any empty space in the WSF/U-Park lot right outside the terminal doors, except spaces reserved for carpools or WSF staff. That rule applies only to that lot.
WSDOT lists overhead passenger loading but no elevator at this terminal. If stairs or long slopes are a concern, call WSF at (206) 464-6400 before you travel. Walk-ons can ask staff for help boarding, a WSF wheelchair if one is available, or notice when boarding starts. If you're driving and need to park near the boat's elevator or need extra room for a lift, arrive 30 minutes early and tell the ticket seller. WSF will try to help but can't guarantee a spot. Riders with a disability, seniors 65+ and Medicare card holders pay half the regular passenger fare with eligible ID.
Lost something?
Items found on this route go to the customer information booth at Colman Dock in Seattle, not Bainbridge, and are held for 30 days. Call (206) 515-3439 or email WSFLost_Found@wsdot.wa.gov, weekdays 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
The other end of the trip
Our Seattle ferry terminal (Colman Dock) guide covers the car entrance at Yesler Way, the Marion Street footbridge, the Bainbridge bike entrance and parking around Pioneer Square. The Seattle–Bainbridge route has no reservations, but if your trip continues to the San Juans or Port Townsend, WA Ferry Tracker watches reservation space on those routes and sends a WhatsApp alert when a spot opens.
FAQ
Where is the Bainbridge Island ferry terminal?
At 270 Olympic Drive SE in Winslow, at the south end of SR 305. Downtown Winslow (Winslow Way) is about two blocks north, a few minutes on foot.
Where do I park for the Bainbridge ferry?
WSDOT lists three large lots within two blocks of the terminal. The closest is the WSF terminal lot outside the main entrance, run by U-Park System, with all-day, 24-hour, evening and motorcycle rates posted at the lot.
Do walk-on passengers pay from Bainbridge to Seattle?
No. WSF collects passenger and bicycle fares on this route in Seattle, so there is no payment going from Bainbridge to Seattle. Drivers pay at the Bainbridge tollbooth.
Do I need a reservation for the Bainbridge ferry?
No. Seattle–Bainbridge is first come, first served for cars, and walk-ons and cyclists just board. Check WSDOT cameras and the drive-up space count before you leave.
When is the Bainbridge ferry busiest?
For cars, weekday morning boats to Seattle, weekend late mornings through afternoons leaving Bainbridge, and weekday afternoons and evenings coming back from Seattle. Evenings and early mornings are usually quiet.
Is there an elevator at the Bainbridge ferry terminal?
WSDOT lists overhead passenger loading but no elevator at Bainbridge. If you need help, call WSF at (206) 464-6400 before travelling or ask terminal staff, and drivers needing special onboard parking should arrive 30 minutes early.
How early should cyclists arrive at the Bainbridge ferry?
WSDOT asks cyclists to arrive 20 minutes before departure to board first. Bikes can skip the car line and wait at the east end of the dock.
Sources
- WSDOT: Bainbridge Island terminal (directions, parking, bikes, ADA, galley, lost and found)
- WSDOT: Best times to travel on ferries (Seattle/Bainbridge, fall 2026)
- WSDOT: Riders with disabilities
- WSDOT ferry schedules
- Bainbridge Island Museum of Art: Visit
Independent guide, not affiliated with Washington State Ferries or WSDOT. Schedules, fares and rules change by season, so confirm on wsdot.wa.gov before you travel. Last updated November 5, 2026.