Shaw Ferry Terminal

Find parking, directions, arrival guidance and terminal facilities.

PO Box 455 (Mailing)
12 Blind Bay Rd.
Shaw Island, WA 98286

Parking & getting here

There is limited parking available at the Shaw terminal with a 12-hour limit.

WSF terminal guidance. Parking rates, restrictions and transport services can change; confirm with the operator.

When should I arrive?

WSF arrival guidance is general advice, not a measured live queue wait or a boarding guarantee. Check your route’s schedule, wait reports and cameras before leaving.

  • Terminal cameras are not available at Shaw Island.

    WSF guidance updated

Accessibility & boarding assistance

For disabled passengers traveling without a vehicle, Anacortes does have an overhead ramp for loading and offloading the ferry. However, the San Juan Islands do not.All of the vessels on these routes do have elevator access. For passengers traveling in a vehicle who need access to an elevator, or who need extra space for a lift, please alert the ticket seller at the terminal prior to boarding the ferry so that we can meet your needs and make your trip as pleasurable as possible.

An elevator listing alone does not establish step-free access. Check WSF guidance for your terminal and sailing.

Facilities & food

  • Restrooms: available
  • Waiting room: available
  • Food service: available
  • Elevator: unavailable
  • Overhead passenger loading: unavailable
WSF food service & vessel galley details

Food guidance may include vessel galley hours. Confirm the route, season and current hours with WSF.

Anacortes Galley Operating Hours (Fall 2026) Vessel Operating Hours Special Notes Vessel #1 5:30 am – 8:00 pm Daily None Vessel #2 7:30 am – 7:30 pm Daily Closed 1:30 pm – 4:20 pm Mon–Wed Vessel #3 6:15 am – 8:45 pm Daily None

Facilities listed by WSF; availability can change.

Bicycle boarding

When traveling on the ferries, bicyclists may bypass the line of vehicle traffic to get onto the ferry dock. Bicyclists should arrive 20 minutes prior to departure time to be loaded at the beginning of loading. If a bicyclist arrives after vehicle loading has begun, they will be loaded at the end of the load. Riders should walk their bikes on and off the ferry to avoid injuring passengers. There is one rack which holds 8 bikes.

Motorcycle boarding

While motorcycles are not, by Washington Administrative Code (WAC 468-300-700), a preferential loading category of users, they are often loaded prior to automobiles for operational and staging purposes. Arrival at the dock after vehicle load has commenced requires motorcycles to wait until all cars have been loaded for the next motorcycle loading opportunity. Motorcycles should proceed, while on the dock, at no more than 10 mph. Use caution when car decks are wet. The following information details specific staging for this terminal: Motorcycle Fare Purchase/Redemption Tickets are required for traveling inter-island, heading westbound, from Shaw to Orcas and Friday Harbor. Motorcycle Entry/Staging There are separate lanes for Anacortes and Interisland traffic. Motorcyclists stage at the dock area opposite the passenger boarding area. To purchase tickets or receive further loading instructions, ask ticket seller. Motorcycle Loading Loading order: bicycles, motorcycles, vehicles, late arriving motorcycles as space permits. Motorcycle Special Communication Recommended arrival time is 20 minutes prior to scheduled sailing time. Inter-island tickets may be used between any two islands, they are not destination specific and fare payment is required traveling westbound only. Motorcyclists travel free eastbound.

Trucks and large vehicles

WSF requires trucks with a gross vehicle weight of over 80,000 lbs and/or over 8’6” wide to have “travel approval” before crossing any of our routes. Vessels on this route have a limited height clearance and trucks may be loaded out of sequence. Trucks that have a gross vehicle weight of over 80,000 lbs but are hauling less than 80,000 lbs will need to provide a weight slip. Please fill out our Oversized/Overweight Vehicle Travel [https://wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/rider-information/trucks] form and email it to [email protected]. Please allow three business days for completion and approval. You can contact us at anytime for status updates at (206)464-6400.

Security

WSF has implemented a U.S. Coast Guard approved security plan, for more information please visit our Safety and Security [https://wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/rider-information/safety] page.

Lost and found

Lost and found items on this route are turned into the Anacortes Ferry Terminal. Due to storage limitations, items are held for 30 days from the date they were found. To check if we have your item, please call (206) 515-3439 or email [email protected] [[email protected]] between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you contact us outside these hours, we'll try to respond the next business day. Our Information Agents can also assist you with lost and found inquiries at (206) 464-6400. Phones are open daily from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Terminal details checked

Service notices: no current public results; checked

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Route crossing times & vessel facilities
  • Anacortes / San Juan Islands · crossing time: 0 minutes.

    Average vehicle capacity: 167.7.

    Normal vehicle capacity: 167.7.

    Maximum normal vehicle capacity: 178.

    Galley, vessel position 1: 05:30–19:15, weekdays Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday.

    Galley, vessel position 1: 05:30–23:30, weekdays Friday.

    Galley, vessel position 2: 07:30–21:45, weekdays Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

    Galley, vessel position 3: 05:45–20:15, weekdays Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

    Galley, vessel position 3: 05:45–17:45, weekdays Tuesday, Wednesday.

Coordinates: 48.58469724838713, -122.92974800574768.

WSF vessel watch

Vehicle reservations for the winter sailing season open Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 10am

Vehicle reservations [https://secureapps.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/reservations/vehicle/default.aspx] for the winter sailing season (Dec. 27 through March 20, 2027) will be available at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27. To ensure a smooth and fair experience during this high-demand period, we will continue using a virtual waiting room during the reservations release.  Anacortes/San Juan Islands route:   * Some days in February and March 2027 will not be available to book reservations for Orcas and Lopez due to construction on the vehicle transfer span at several terminals [https://wsdot.wa.gov/construction-planning/search-projects/systemwide-vehicle-transfer-span-upgrade-project].   * The two-week and two-day reservation releases will remain at 7 a.m. Reservations are currently open for booking [https://secureapps.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/reservations/vehicle/SailingSchedule.aspx?cookieCheck=true] through December 26, 2026.

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Ana/SJs: Coming in 2027: Terminal closures during transfer span construction

In early 2027, we’ll replace the major mechanical and electrical systems of the vehicle transfer span at our Anacortes, Lopez, and Orcas terminals. The transfer span is the part of the terminal dock that raises and lowers to meet the ferry to allow vehicles to drive on and off.  What to expect in early 2027 during terminal construction  * Anacortes single slip operations, Monday–Friday, Feb. 22–26  * Orcas Island 48-hour closure, Tuesday and Wednesday, March 9–10  * Lopez Island 48-hour closure, Tuesday and Wednesday, March 16–17  Ferries will run on their regular schedules but will not stop at Orcas or Lopez during the closure dates. Vehicle reservations will not be available for Orcas and Lopez sailings on the days those terminals are closed. We do not expect Anacortes reservations to be impacted.  Please visit the project webpage [https://wsdot.wa.gov/construction-planning/search-projects/systemwide-vehicle-transfer-span-upgrade-project] for more information. We’ll also keep you updated on this project through additional rider alerts, the WSF Weekly email [https://wsdot.wa.gov/travel/washington-state-ferries/about-us/weekly-update], and social media [https://wsdot.wa.gov/travel/mobile-app-and-social-media]. 

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ADA Alert - Tillikum elevator temporarily unavailable

The elevator on #4 Tillikum is out of service. The vessel does not have a restroom on the car deck. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.  Updates will follow as more information is available.

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