Mukilteo WSF Ferry Terminal

Ferry signage is confusing if you are not a local coming from the Mukilteo side. There are what seems like 50 signs saying to stay out of the right lane unless there is a back up. Then I guess as you approach the exit for the tool booth there must be a sign (I did not see it) and there was no traffic in the right lane so I signaled and moved over. Then as I approached the booth there was a ferry employee who looked at me rather nastily and I figured he was having a bad day. I had correct change ready and he proceeded to tell me «anywhere in WA state it’s illegal to cross a double white line» I asked him what he was referring to no he said «you should have entered where the sign was» I explained it was my first time there and that I did not see the sign and in fact the 50 signs before stated to stay out of the right lane unless backed up. He said something to the tune of «that’s what F*ucking people get for looking at the hillside» I was appalled at his language and it was a simple mistake on my part. He is a state ferries employee and should conduct himself as such. From reading other Unilocal reviews I am not the only person this has happened to, maybe the signage needs to be fixed.

Unless you know the people you are talking to, the workers here are extremely rude. Even when it is unnecessary for them to be so strict and rude. For instance, my e brake does not work and hasn’t for a few years. We’ve tried to fix it but it went out again. We’re not sure what’s wrong with it so it’s not fixable at this point. The ferry workers never respect the fact that my e brake does not work and expect me to park on the hill. The hill on the ferry is so steep that it’s dangerous for me to be on it without the e-​brake. Today while getting on the ferry, I was told to park on the hill. I was told by the ferry worker said if my e-​brake didn’t work I didn’t belong on the boat. Well how else am I supposed to get to work? The people who are supposed to direct traffic are rude to the drivers even when the drivers cooperate. Some of the workers don’t even hardly do anything. I’ve seen workers sitting around and texting on their phones and being short with you when you ask them questions because you are interrupting them. But as I stated, if you know the ferry worker that you’re talking to, they’re very nice and informative. It’s just very difficult to find somebody who will give you the time of day if you don’t know the person. Even though the Washington State Ferries are government-​funded, I still expect to be treated like a customer.
The upstairs café and even the vending system is very expensive. Definitely not worth the price on such a short trip as this ferry is only about 20 minutes. But you can get beer food and coffee in the café. There’s some great room to sit and eat upstairs. And generally it’s very clean.
I’ve seen the line in the summer get up to a 3 hour wait which is beyond any ones control but keep out in mind while traveling.

This is the most uneventful part of my day. Nothing crazy. Normal wait times. All perfect. Then… the old douche bag who hates life decided to be a smart ass. There was clearly TWO VISIBLE people in the car. The old douche bag in his smart ass tone asked… «Just you?» Me thinking… Alright. Just you meaning… Just the two visible people in the car. So i say… Yes. :) Then the aging smart ass was… «But there’s two of you in the car.» Then I said… «Yes there is.» Then he said… «So… its not just you.» Then he proceeded to flip me off slyly like a perkin 13 year old bitter child. Yes, turd. It wasn’t just me in the car that rolled up on your booth and said good evening to you. My passenger did not had some Harry Potter cloak on that makes him invincinble. What you are trying to get out of it. I dont know. Please be professional at your job and dont be a douchr to anyonr again. Ever. Thanks. :)

10 mins to get to whidbey island, wow didn’t even want to leave the car on the ride back with screaming kids short cheap ride

Took the ferry over to Whidbey Island. Outside of having to wait for the ferry to arrive, the crew was very efficient in getting all the cars loaded and the boat moving ASAP. The ride itself over to Whidbey was surprisingly (for a non-​commuter like myself) short. Unloading was just as easy onto the island. It can get a little pricey depending on how many people you have on the way over. However, on the way back to Mulkilteo you only had to pay the car fee of $ 8.50.
Also, they have an Ivar’s across the street from where the cars line up to wait for the ferry. The Ivar’s dishes out its regular menu items (fish + chips, yummm) and even has soft serve ice cream cones! A nice bonus while you’re waiting at the terminal.

I rarely use the ferry system unless i’m taking a trip somewhere. In this instance my second visit was to attend the oyster run and twice it’s been a pleasant experience with the Whidbey Island/​Mukiteo staff.
I’m sure it helps that motorcycles get priority on these days, we get our own lane and priority boarding and unloading which is nice. The ferry is always on schedule, very fast and efficient at loading and unloading and the staff on hand always has a smile on their face and helpful with any questions that we have.

After finishing my daylong journey exploring Whidbey Island, I took the ferry from Clinton to Mukilteo. I went in April in early spring, but as I bought my ferry ticket and waited a short 10 minutes to board, I did notice lots of signs on the way saying how long the wait times were from different points from the ferry. It made me think that during peak summer times, most vacationers take this ferry back to the mainland and it can get extremely crowded. So it was good to see warning signs as a heads up. But for me there was no problem getting a ticket and boarding.
The trip is about a half hour. Once you get onboard the ferry, you can take great photos of the water and mainland in the distance. Being outside on the ferry, the air is refreshing and pleasant. There’s enough room onboard inside to sit down and relax also. Once I departed from the ferry, I did stop at Mukilteo Lighthouse Park to walk around and explore and take pictures.
My whole journey of Whidbey Island starting at Deception Pass and finally ending at Mukilteo was a wonderful way to explore the coast of Washington. This was just a portion of my entire 5 day North Cascades Loop journey of great little towns, parks and scenic countryside! I’m appreciative to have been able to do this.

Workers were super efficient — even when people forgot to get to their cars the staff helped people get around them. The line was long (about 2 hr wait) but we were across the water in 90 minutes. The line kept continuously rolling the entire time.
Only downside were the religious believers screaming their faith at you while you’re held hostage.

This was our first experience with the Washington State Ferries at the Mukilteo location and like the other ferry ports, this one was five-​star! The workers were friendly, the ferry was clean, fast and efficient and ON TIME. WSDOT​.WA​.GOV also has a webpage where you can check the wait times, complete with traffic cams, so you know what to expect. Washington state DOT has got their act together!
We traveled in Mid July 2015.
I did a ton of research online before I caught the ferry because it was my first time and I was worried (I worry about everything). It turns out I didn’t have to worry at all.
Here are a list of my then-​worries:
1) will I get lost?
(answer: GPS and lots of signs on the road)
2) how do I pay for it?
(answer: just drive up to the booth, which is the only way in, and they charge you per car plus driver and any additional riders. In our case, one adult driver and one child = $ 11.00 one way)
3) how do I drive onto the ferry?
(answer: the toll operator tells you which numbered lane to drive into and you just follow the rest of the cars, or if you are first, watch for the ferry guide to wave you forward)
4) do I have to wait?
(answer: we missed the ferry by one minute so we had to wait for another one to come by. We traveled in mid-​July on a weekday and only waited about a half hour).
TIPS:
Toilet — Mukilteo has porta potties in the parking lot so be prepared. The ferry itself has a nice clean bathroom on it so if you can hold it, do so.
The Mukilteo/​Clinton ferry ride was very short. It surprised us. I’d say no more than 15 minutes, so remember where you parked your car or you’ll be trying to scramble back and start your engine when people are offloading, and you don’t want that. They announce it over speaker when to go back to your car but if you are on the sun deck and wind is screaming in your ear, you may not hear them.
Mukilteo/​Clinton ferry does not take reservations and there was no need to, unlike the Coupeville/​Port Townsend ferry, which I highly recommend if you are traveling during peak tourist season.
Beer and Wine on board. Drink on deck only. People complain about the price but I say shut up! They have it handy for any and all booze lovers and alcoholics so be quiet or don’t buy it. Sheesh!
How the heck do you pronounce MUKILTEO anyway? Official way via Mukilteo Chamber of Commerce is MUCKEL-​TEO not MUCK-​KIL-​TEO.
Go to the WSDOT website for complete updated ferry schedules and wait times.

The ferries themselves are in good condition, provide a lot of different seating options and have decent sized snack bar. Try to avoid traveling during peak hours and if you can’t avoid it, bring a book or something to do to pass the 1 – 2 hours that you might have to wait.
I don’t really like taking the ferries because of the waiting but the ferry themselves are great.

… I always try to use at least once the ferry service when being in SEA during a business trip. Ferry will bring you to beautiful places around SEA-​/​sound area. Trip from Mukilteo to Whidbey Island-​/​Clinton is just 4.80 $.
On board you will find a small canteen, offering finger food and drinks.
You will have one of the best views from ferry to the city.

In town and decided to ride the ferry just because. It’s always a nice little ride to take. It’s been years for me! Finally took my kid! ;)

Always have a good ride when we take the ferry. Really clean and the views are great.

I had this ferry mixed up with another one. I may just be partial to the process but this one is as fun and faster than the others. It’s not really fancy, but the view was just as nice and you can still meet some of your other basic needs, like buying a snack or using the restroom :)

Whoa, what the heck happened? Both ways yesterday we were treated to a new ferry that averaged 11 minutes to make the crossing. And it was sooo smooth. I know some of that was the quiet waters, but still. The staff worked hard to get us on one of the soon to depart ferries and I for one really appreciate that.

I love this ferry ride to Whidbey Island. It’s short and fast! The best thing is that you don’t even need to leave your car. And, the view is great!
I didn’t really eat on the ferry! But, there’s a little tiny cafeteria on the ferry. It’s very interesting.

Mostly efficient; however, just a parking lot. At least this waiting area is proximal to Ivar’s.
As always, try to time your commute or travel with non-​peak hours (i.e. not rush hour morning or evening, or Sunday evening).
My favorite WA Ferry – as, when appropriate, I challenge myself to drinking a draft beer before arriving in Clinton (about 10 minutes). Not difficult, but certainly not casual sipping. Look for seasonal beers on tap.

LOVE the ferries.
1) ALWAYS on time — Love transportation you can really depend on
2) Beautiful views– Rain or shine there’s always beautiful views on either side of the boat
3) Clean bathrooms– when traveling who doesn’t need a decent bathroom to use?
4) Smooth operation– Whether walking on or driving, things always go smoothly. The pay stations are easy to use and the conductors provide clear directions whether its your first time or you’re a regular.
5) Technology– With their app you can see how long the lines are before you get there.
This is the best way to get around.

I love ferries!!! :) We came RIGHT ON TIME. We were on a motorcycle, so we got to ride up to the front of the line. We boarded the second we got into the line, which was nice timing on our part. Ha. The lady at the pay station was super friendly! They usually are in my experiences… I’ve never come during peak times and had to wait in a long ferry line (knock on wood), so no issues here.
The trip from Mukilteo to Clinton is pretty quick. Enough to get up on deck and hang out for a bit, don’t take a nap ;) I’ve sailed out of Mukilteo a couple times, so problems. Glad I wasn’t driving cause there are a couple of lanes when you approach the pay stations that look confusing.

Always on time, always efficient.
Be CAREFUL getting in the ferry line. If it’s not backed up, you still have to enter the lane a few blocks before the ferry lot, and your window of opportunity is TINY TINY TINY. You’ll see nothing but signs saying you are NOT allowed to use the lane unless there’s backup, then glance in your rearview mirror at the wrong millisecond you’ll miss the sign telling you that you MUST get in that lane right now if you intend to go on the ferry.
I did exactly that and had only enough time to get confused over seeing the car behind me move into what I thought was an «only for backup» lane, try to move over as well only to have said car blare their horn at me, swerve back into my lane because their reaction made me think I was about to run another car off the road… kind of a mess. This also gave rise to dirty looks in the ferry lot.
It’s majorly stressful for first-​time ferry drivers like me. Just be careful.