Changes made to fast ferry’s winter schedule

BREMERTON — Kitsap Transit’s passenger-only fast ferry switched to its winter weather schedule Nov. 1 for its Bremerton-downtown Seattle run.

The biggest change: Saturday sailings will not operate until the winter schedule ends in April.

However, there is an increase in fast ferry sailings during weekdays. Starting Nov. 13, two weekday round trips will be added to the schedule. The fast ferry will depart Bremerton Monday through Friday at 11:50 a.m. and 1:25 p.m. It then will depart from Seattle at 12:30 p.m. and 2:05 p.m.

Kitsap Transit spokesman Sanjay Bhatt said reservations will not be taken for the two new midday sailings. He said those trips will be filled on a walk-up basis.

Bhatt reported that Kitsap Transit will begin opening the reservation window on the first business day (Monday through Friday) of the month, not the first calendar day of the month. The change is being made to provide more consistency in operations and to observe official holidays, he reported.

Reservations are taken on sailings other than for the two added midday trips. Here is the 2018 reservation calendar, with the first day reservations can be made:

December 2017: Nov. 1.

January 2018: Dec. 1.

February 2018: Jan. 2.

March 2018: Feb. 1.

April 2018: March 1.

May 2018: April 2.

June 2018: May 1.

July 2018: June 1.

August 2018: July 2.

September 2018: Aug. 1.

October 2018: Sept. 4.

November 2018: Oct. 1.