From our sister site The Waterland Blog:

Tickets are now available for the new Des Moines Passenger Ferry service to the downtown Seattle waterfront, which starts Wednesday morning, Aug. 10, 2022.

This is a two-month pilot project to test the viability of a passenger-only fast ferry between the Des Moines Marina and Downtown Seattle’s Bell Harbor Marina.

Service is scheduled to start Wednesday, Aug. 10, and run through Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022 aboard the Chilkat Express, chartered from and run by Puget Sound Express.

Initially the boat will make four trips a day, Wednesday through Sunday.

Transit time is 40 minutes each way.

Cost for tickets for the first week is FREE. After then, it’ll be $10 each way, Seniors (65+) and Military $5 each way, and children under 13 ride free.

DEPART DES MOINES MARINA:

    • 10 a.m.
    • Noon
    • 2 p.m.
    • 4 p.m.

DEPART BELL HARBOR MARINA:

    • 11 a.m.
    • 1 p.m.
    • 3 p.m.
    • 5 p.m.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

Availability of crew currently limits service to 10 hours a day, but if demand warrants and additional crew can be hired, an additional round trip may be added leaving Des Moines at 8 a.m. and leaving Seattle at 9 a.m.

The City of Des Moines is partnering with the Highline School District to provide deckhands to work alongside trained crew. The paid internships give students exposure to the maritime industry, and they will gain sea time credit which they can use to further their training.

Built in 2001 as a passenger ferry for the Alaska market, the Chilkat Express is an efficient, quiet and smooth-running hydrofoil powered by twin waterjets. She has a cruising speed of 40 knots.

The Chilkat Express is owned and operated by Puget Sound Express, which has been operating passenger ferries and tour boats on the Puget Sound since 1985. Puget Sound Express is a third-generation family-run business founded in 1985. They currently operate whale watching tours out of 3 locations, totaling 7 departures per day.

For more info, click here.

Read previous coverage on The Waterland Blog here.