livingbeyondseattle.com/commute-cost. James Bergstrom, Founder/Broker, Paramount Real Estate Group. (360) 777-7212
Your commute, per year
Change any number. The results update as you type, and nothing asks for your email.
| Way to work | Door to desk, minutes one way | Cash per year | Hours per year | Cash + time you can't use | Your number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State ferry, walk on | $3,045 | 440 | $14,045 | ||
| Fast ferry, monthly pass | $3,523 | 367 | $10,857 | ||
| State ferry, drive on | $16,424 | 587 | $34,757 | ||
| Drive the whole way | $21,910 | 770 | $60,410 |
Between your cheapest and priciest option: $18,865 a year, or $94,326 over five years.
Minutes are starting points based on James's door-to-desk tests: change them to your own test run. Fast ferries run from Bremerton, Kingston and Southworth. Boat time counts as usable, about 30 minutes each way, and driving doesn't. Cost per mile uses the IRS business rate, which counts wear and depreciation along with gas, so it runs well above fuel alone. It's a yardstick here, not a tax deduction: ordinary commuting isn't deductible. Remote days cost $0 in fares, so subtract them from your commute days.
Walk-on vs. drive-on fares
Walk-ons pay in one direction, so one fare covers the round trip. Drivers pay every crossing, both ways.
| State ferry route | Walk on, round trip | With a 10-ride card | Car under 14 ft + driver, each way | Standard vehicle + driver, each way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle / Bainbridge Island | $11.35 | $9.28 | $16.05 | $20.25 |
| Seattle / Bremerton | $11.35 | $9.28 | $16.05 | $20.25 |
| Edmonds / Kingston | $11.35 | $9.28 | $16.05 | $20.25 |
| Fauntleroy / Southworth | $9.00 | $7.40 | $12.55 | $15.80 |
Fast ferry
$2.00 to Seattle and $13.00 back, or $210 for a monthly pass. The pass also covers Kitsap Transit buses and local foot ferries.
Summer on the boat
Vehicle and driver fares carry a 35% peak surcharge from May 1 to September 30. Walk-on fares don't. The worksheet averages it across the year.
Paying by card
State ferries add a 3% fee on credit and debit purchases. Multi-ride vehicle cards can cut drive-on fares if you cross often.
Foot ferry and the bridge
The Port Orchard foot ferry is $2.00 each way. The Narrows Bridge is $4.50 with a Good To Go! pass, toward Tacoma only.
Fares for adults, checked November 2026, and they change. Confirm at WSDOT, Kitsap Transit and the Narrows Bridge toll page.
How far is each town from a boat?
James's rule: to be a true walk-on, live within about a 10-minute drive or a walk of a terminal. Farther out, your address starts choosing the car for you.
- Terminals
- 10 minutes or less: walk-on range
- 11 to 20 minutes: short drive, then walk on
- More than 20 minutes: likely driving on
| Town center | Nearest terminal | Minutes, no traffic | Where that boat goes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port Orchard | Port Orchard dock | 1 | Foot ferry to Bremerton |
| Kingston | Kingston | 1 | Fast ferry to Seattle, state ferry to Edmonds |
| Bremerton | Bremerton | 2 | State ferry and fast ferry to downtown Seattle |
| Bainbridge Island | Bainbridge Island | 4 | State ferry to downtown Seattle |
| Manchester | Southworth | 12 | Fast ferry to Seattle, state ferry to West Seattle |
| Olalla | Southworth | 17 | Fast ferry to Seattle, state ferry to West Seattle |
| Silverdale | Bremerton | 18 | State ferry and fast ferry to downtown Seattle |
| Belfair | Port Orchard dock | 20 | Foot ferry to Bremerton |
| Poulsbo | Kingston | 21 | Fast ferry to Seattle, state ferry to Edmonds |
| Gig Harbor | Port Orchard dock | 27 | Foot ferry to Bremerton |
| Seabeck | Bremerton | 29 | State ferry and fast ferry to downtown Seattle |
Enter an address to open that exact drive in Google Maps.
Times start at each town center. Homes in the same town can differ by 10 minutes or more, so check the actual address at the hour you'd leave.
Take it with you
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