Most Victoria residents take the odd trip to Seattle every now and then and must decide – should I take the Coho or BC Ferries for getting to Seattle? \u00a0The simple answer is: \u00a0it depends. \u00a0There are many factors you will need to consider if you’re travelling to Seattle. \u00a0Here’s a look at the pros and cons of each.<\/p>\n
It was not too long ago when BC Ferries was the undisputed cheaper option. \u00a0Thanks to increasing ferry rates and a stronger Canadian dollar, rates are negligible with the Coho Ferry being slightly more affordable when factoring in reservations. \u00a0Here is an overview of current rates (at the time of writing):<\/p>\n
For my family (2 adults, 3 children), a round trip on the Coho in a standard vehicle with reservations will cost $222 USD. \u00a0If you are comparing apples to apples, this works out to around $236 CAD when you factor in the exchange rate (which varies) and the typical 2.5% exchange rate fee that most credit cards charge. \u00a0BC Ferries will cost me $246 CAD + 5% GST = $258. \u00a0Overall, the Coho Ferry is the cheaper option by around 10%.<\/p>\n
Travelers heading to anywhere north of Seattle will definitely save time taking the BC Ferries from Victoria to the mainland and then heading south on the I-5, even at the worst of border congestion… except, of course, in a few rare extreme cases. \u00a0For purposes of comparing the Coho Ferry to BC Ferries, I’m using Seattle as a destination point and seeing which method takes longer. \u00a0I’m also assuming that the traveller is leaving from a central point that is equidistant between Swartz Bay and the downtown inner harbour of Victoria.<\/p>\n
Victoria to Seattle via the Coho: \u00a0Except for the earliest sailing, the Coho requires passengers to arrive 90 minutes early. \u00a0The trip takes 90 minutes, and I’m assuming an extra 15 minutes for offloading and customs. \u00a0From Port Angeles to Seattle, the drive is about 2.5 hours (according to Google maps). \u00a0Total travel time from Victoria to Seattle via the Coho is about 6 hours.<\/p>\n
Victoria to Seattle via BC Ferries: \u00a0A reservation on the BC Ferries requires arrival 30 minutes prior to departure. \u00a0Unlike the Coho, there is a strict cut-off time, so I’m adding 10 minutes for safe measure. \u00a0Off-loading takes an extra 15 minutes, and the border wait time can vary from 5 minutes to 90 minutes. \u00a0For purposes of this example, I’m using a 30 minute border wait time which, based on my experiences, is typical. \u00a0From Victoria to Seattle, the total travel duration is around 5 hours.<\/p>\n
For travel time, it looks like you can shave off a bit of time taking the BC Ferries. \u00a0However, it is worth noting a couple of things. \u00a0First, the border wait time can very significantly at the Peace Arch. \u00a0Chances are you will save time but it could be eaten up by a lengthy delay at the border.<\/p>\n
Travelers heading anywhere south of Seattle (say Portland, the Great Bear Lodge, etc), will likely save a bit of time going the Port Angeles route since you can avoid most of the congestion through Seattle and Tacoma, which can get pretty bad at peak hours. \u00a0The SeaTac airport seems to be about equidistant, taking about 5.5 hours whichever way you go.<\/p>\n
A slight edge goes to BC Ferries for their regular sailings every hour during peak season and every other hour during their non-peak season. \u00a0If you plan on arriving without a reservation, BC Ferries is a good choice since you can show up and usually only have to wait a maximum of 1 sailing. \u00a0The Coho is great during peak season with their early 6:10 a.m. departure, but during the off season, their limited number of sails per day can be difficult to plan around. \u00a0Due to their schedule, I strongly recommend reservations whenever you are using the Coho<\/p>\n
In determining how to get to Seattle from Victoria, we looked at 3 factors: \u00a0cost, travel time, and schedule \/ convenience. \u00a0Like most things, there is no clear winner here. \u00a0It really depends on your situation:<\/p>\n