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The Victoria Clipper high-speed passenger catamaran crossing the Salish Sea with mountains in the distance

Seattle to Victoria BC: Ferry, Floatplane and Car

Ride the Victoria Clipper passenger ferry from Pier 69 straight into Victoria's Inner Harbour, fly a Kenmore Air floatplane in about 45 minutes, or drive to Port Angeles for the Coho car ferry. Here is how each route works and what ID to bring.

Part ofSeattle Travel Guide

Frequently asked questions

The Victoria Clipper passenger ferry from Pier 69 takes about two hours and 45 minutes to reach Victoria's Inner Harbour. The Coho car ferry from Port Angeles takes about 90 minutes.

Not on the Victoria Clipper, which carries foot passengers only. Drive to Port Angeles and take Black Ball Ferry Line's Coho, which runs daily year round and carries vehicles.

No. Washington State Ferries suspended the Anacortes to Sidney, BC route in 2020, and WSDOT says it does not expect to restore service until 2030.

You need a document accepted at the border. For the Clipper, US and Canadian citizens can use a passport, passport card, enhanced driver's license or enhanced ID card; for floatplane flights you need a passport book.

It leaves from Pier 69 on Alaskan Way on the downtown Seattle waterfront and arrives at 254 Belleville Street in Victoria's Inner Harbour.

Kenmore Air's direct seaplane flight from Seattle to the Victoria Inner Harbour takes about 45 minutes and runs year round.

The full guide

The simplest way from Seattle to Victoria, BC is the Victoria Clipper, a passenger-only high-speed ferry from Pier 69 on the downtown waterfront to Victoria's Inner Harbour, a trip of roughly two and three-quarter hours. If you want your car, drive to Port Angeles and take Black Ball Ferry Line's Coho, a crossing of about 90 minutes; if you want speed, Kenmore Air's floatplanes fly from Lake Union to the Inner Harbour in about 45 minutes. Whichever you choose, you are crossing an international border, so bring a passport or another accepted travel document.

One route you may still see on maps is not running: Washington State Ferries' Anacortes to Sidney, BC service has been suspended since 2020, and WSDOT's own Sidney terminal page says it does not expect to restore it until 2030.

Victoria Clipper from Pier 69

Start with the classic. FRS Clipper runs the Victoria Clipper, a high-speed catamaran that carries foot passengers between downtown Seattle and downtown Victoria, so you step off the boat within walking distance of the Inner Harbour's hotels, restaurants and the BC Parliament Buildings. The Clipper has run between the two cities since 1986, and the crossing takes about two hours and 45 minutes, according to the operator's history.

Read the full guide
  • Seattle terminal: Pier 69 on Alaskan Way, on the downtown waterfront.
  • Victoria terminal: 254 Belleville Street on the Inner Harbour, about a block from the Hotel Grand Pacific.
  • Check-in: the Clipper FAQ asks you to arrive at least an hour early; boarding in Seattle starts 45 minutes before departure, and final boarding is 15 minutes before, after which your seat is forfeited. You can check in online up to seven days ahead.
  • Luggage: checked bags are allowed within size and weight limits, plus one small carry-on.
  • Parking: the Clipper points drivers to the nearby Bell Street Pier garage, with validation available from agents.
  • Schedule: sailings vary by season, and the Clipper has reduced its weekly round trips at times, so check the current schedule on the FRS Clipper site before planning a day trip.

Tip: plan a day trip only if the morning departure and evening return line up on your date; an overnight stay gives you time to enjoy Victoria without watching the clock. Before you go, explore the rest of the waterfront with our Seattle waterfront guide.

Coho Car Ferry from Port Angeles

If you want your own car in Victoria, head to Port Angeles on the north shore of the Olympic Peninsula. Black Ball Ferry Line's M.V. Coho runs daily, year round, on what it calls the most direct ferry crossing between Victoria and the United States, about 90 minutes across the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

  • Terminals: 101 E. Railroad Avenue in Port Angeles and 430 Belleville Street in Victoria, on the same harborfront street as the Clipper dock.
  • Arrival times: drivers should arrive 90 minutes before departure in Port Angeles (60 minutes in Victoria); walk-on passengers need 30 minutes.
  • Time zones: sailing times are posted in each port's local time, and the Coho notes that during part of the winter Victoria runs an hour ahead of Port Angeles, so read the schedule carefully.

Port Angeles is also a gateway to the mountains and coast, so you can pair the crossing with a stop from our Olympic National Park planning guide.

Kenmore Air Floatplanes

For the fastest trip and a view you will not forget, fly. Kenmore Air runs year-round seaplane flights to Victoria from Lake Union in Seattle or from Kenmore Air Harbor on Lake Washington, landing at the Victoria Inner Harbour Seaplane Terminal at 1000 Wharf Street. The direct flight takes about 45 minutes, and you clear Canadian customs right at the terminal. Note that for flights you need a passport book; passport cards and enhanced licenses do not work for air travel.

Other Ways to Reach Victoria

  • Through the San Juan Islands: Kenmore Air also flies a seasonal 30-minute hop from Friday Harbor to Victoria, a fun way to combine the islands with Victoria. See our San Juan Islands guide.
  • Via Vancouver: some travelers take Amtrak Cascades from King Street Station to Vancouver, then continue to Vancouver Island by ferry; start with our Seattle to Vancouver guide.
  • Anacortes to Sidney: suspended, as noted above; WSDOT does not expect it back until 2030.

Passports and Border Rules

On the Clipper, US and Canadian citizens need a passport, passport card, enhanced driver's license or enhanced ID card to cross the border, according to the Clipper FAQ. Children under 16 need proof of citizenship, and if both parents are not traveling, written authorization or proof of custody may be required. Citizens of other countries should check what Canada and the United States require for their passport, and floatplane passengers need a passport book, plus a visa or eTA for Canada if they hold a foreign passport, per Kenmore Air.

Which Route Should You Take?

  • No car, simplest trip: the Victoria Clipper from Pier 69.
  • Bringing a car: drive to Port Angeles for the Coho.
  • Short on time: a Kenmore Air floatplane from Lake Union.
  • Combining with the islands or Vancouver: fly from Friday Harbor in season, or go by train to Vancouver first.

Leaving from the waterfront? Pick up a gift from an independent Seattle maker before you sail; our guide to shopping local in Seattle lists where. For more getaways, browse our day trips from Seattle.

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