{{Short description|Ferry route in the U.S. state of Washington}} {{Infobox ferry route |name = Edmonds–Kingston ferry |nativename = |logo = |logosize = |image = Walla Walla WSF ferry.jpg |imagesize = 240px |caption = ''Walla Walla'' approaching Edmonds ferry terminal |crosses = [[Puget Sound]] |route = [[Edmonds, Washington|Edmonds]] – [[Kingston, Washington]] |line = |carries = [[File:WA-104.svg|20px|link=Washington State Route 104]] [[Washington State Route 104]] |locale = |quays = |operator = |authority = [[Washington State Ferries]] (1951-present). |vessels = |ferrytype = |duration = approx. 30 minutes (2018) |headway = |frequency = |ridershipyear = |ridershipday = |vehiclesyear = |daily_vehicles = |length = |opened = |closed = |predecessor = |successor = |connection1 = Edmonds |train1 = {{rail-interchange|us|amtrak}}{{rail-interchange|seattle|sounder}} [[Edmonds (Amtrak station)|Edmonds Station]] |bus1 = [[Community Transit]] |road1 = {{jct|state=WA|SR|104|SR|524}} |connection2 = Kingston |bus2 = [[Kitsap Transit]] |road2 = {{jct|state=WA|SR|104}} }}
The '''Edmonds–Kingston ferry''' is a ferry route across [[Puget Sound]] between [[Edmonds, Washington|Edmonds]] and [[Kingston, Washington]]. Since 1951 the only ferries employed on the route have belonged to the [[Washington State Ferries|Washington state ferry system]], currently the largest ferry system in the United States. The last regularly operated steam ferry on the West Coast of the United States made its final run on this route in 1969.
==Description== The route crosses the Puget Sound with [[Edmonds, Washington|Edmonds]], Washington as the eastern terminus and [[Kingston, Washington|Kingston]], Washington as the western terminus. The crossing is generally 30 minutes from either terminal.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sailing Schedule for Edmonds / Kingston |url=http://www.wsdot.com/Ferries/Schedule/ScheduleDetailByRoute.aspx?route=ed-king |publisher=[[Washington State Ferries]] |access-date=September 27, 2015}}</ref>
==History== After 1951, the main ferry on the route was the {{MV|Nisqually}} (capacity: 616 passengers; 59 automobiles), with the steam ferry [[Shasta (steam ferry)|''Shasta'']] operating as a reserve boat. Other ferries used on the route were the [[Klahanie (ferry)|''Klahanie'']], the steam ferry [[San Mateo (steam ferry)|''San Mateo'']], and the Evergreen-class motor ferry {{MV|Evergreen State}} (capacity: 981 passengers, 87 autos).<ref name = Demoro/>
In 1968 the Evergreen-class ferry {{MV|Tillikum}} (capacity: 1,200 passengers, 87 autos) was assigned as the regular boat on the route. On [[Labor Day]] 1969, the ''San Mateo'' became the last steam ferry on the West Coast of the United States to run a regular route.<ref name = Demoro/>
By the early 1970s, the relief vessels on the run included {{MV|Illahee}} and {{MV|Quinault}}. Another vessel sometimes used on extra summer runs in the early 1970s was the {{MV|Kehloken}}.<ref name = Demoro/>
==Terminals== [[File:Ferry arriving at Kingston.jpg|thumb|Ferry arriving at the Kingston terminal]] [[File:Ferry loading at Edmonds.jpg|thumb|Loading vehicles at the Edmonds ferry terminal]]
Both terminals at [[Edmonds, Washington|Edmonds]] and [[Kingston, Washington|Kingston]] are equipped with overhead passenger loading. Edmonds is equipped with one vehicle slip, while Kingston is equipped with two. There is also a passenger-only dock at Kingston. It was previously used for the Soundrunner, a passenger only fast-ferry service to [[Seattle, Washington|Seattle]] that the Port of Kingston operated between Fall 2010 and Fall 2012.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Friedrich|first1=Ed|title=Kingston Port retires SoundRunner ferry service|url=http://archive.kitsapsun.com/news/local/kingston-port-retires-soundrunner-ferry-service-ep-417114398-356497571.html|publisher=[[Kitsap Sun]]|access-date=June 7, 2017|language=en|date=September 28, 2012}}</ref> The dock was utilized again starting in November 2018 when [[Kitsap Transit]] resumed passenger only fast-ferry service to Seattle with {{MV|Finest}}.<ref>{{citation|title=Kitsap Transit launches Fast Ferry service from Kingston to Seattle |publisher=[[KCPQ]] television news|location=Tacoma|url=https://q13fox.com/2018/11/19/kitsap-transit-launches-fast-ferry-service-from-kingston-to-seattle/|access-date=2018-11-19}}</ref>
The Kingston terminal has an extra slip for a spare boat, which was regularly used for a third vessel until the 1970s.<ref name = Demoro>{{cite book |last=Demoro |first=Harre W. |author-link=Harre W. Demoro |year=1971 |title=The Evergreen Fleet: A Pictorial History of Washington State Ferries |pages=57–63 |publisher=[[Golden West Books]] |location=San Marino, California |isbn=9780870950377 |oclc=141974}}</ref> In recent years, the spare slip has been used when three vessel service is in place on the Edmonds-Kingston route, usually due to reduced vessel capacity or the suspension of an adjacent run. The spare slip has also been used for storage of vessels when all the slips at the Eagle Harbor maintenance facility are full.
==Current status== Beginning in 1999, the vessels normally assigned to the route are the [[Jumbo Class ferry|Jumbo class]] ferry {{MV|Spokane}} and the [[Jumbo Mark II Class ferry|Jumbo Mark II class]] ferry {{MV|Puyallup}}. The [[Jumbo Class ferry|Jumbo class]] ferry {{MV|Walla Walla}} is frequently assigned when either of the regular boats is out of service or required elsewhere.
As of August 2025, the vessels operating the route included the [[Jumbo-class ferry|Jumbo class]] ferries [[MV Walla Walla|MV ''Walla Walla'']] and [[MV Spokane|MV ''Spokane'']].<ref>{{Cite web |title=WSDOT - Ferries - Schedule: Summer 2025 Sailing Schedule for Edmonds / Kingston |url=https://wsdot.com/ferries/schedule/scheduledetailbyroute.aspx?route=ed-king |access-date=2025-08-04 |website=wsdot.com}}</ref>
==See also== * [[Washington State Ferries]] * [[Ferries in Washington State]]
==Notes== {{Reflist}}
==References== * {{cite book |last=Demoro |first=Harre W. |author-link=Harre W. Demoro |year=1971 |title=The Evergreen Fleet: A Pictorial History of Washington State Ferries |publisher=[[Golden West Books]] |location=San Marino, California |isbn=9780870950377 |oclc=141974}} * Kline, Mary S., and Bayless, G.A., ''Ferryboats -- A Legend on Puget Sound'', Bayless Books, Seattle, WA (1983) {{ISBN|0-914515-00-4}} * Newell, Gordon, R., ed., ''H.W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest'', Superior Publishing, Seattle, WA (1966)
{{Washington State Ferries|state=uncollapsed|selected=routes}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Edmonds-Kingston Ferry}} [[Category:Ferry routes in western Washington (state)]] [[Category:Transportation in Snohomish County, Washington]] [[Category:History of Snohomish County, Washington]] [[Category:Transportation in Kitsap County, Washington]] [[Category:History of Kitsap County, Washington]] [[Category:Edmonds, Washington]]