Port of Redwood City piloting ferry service

Thomas Hall, public information and marketing manager for WETA, said the pilot program will operate out of an existing dock of the port and will gauge logistics for the operations of established ferry services in the south Peninsula.

“It gives us enough trips where we can get some good data and learn about both the market for ferry service in Redwood City, in addition to the travel time and any operational issues that we run into in the southern portion of that route,” Hall said. 

Kristine Zortman, executive director of the Port of Redwood City, said she has long looked forward to establishing a permanent terminal to increase traffic toward the Bayfront.

“It’s another opportunity to show the community benefits of the waterfront and we’re excited to share with the community and educate the public that we have a jewel here,” Zortman said. “If you didn’t know that we have a port, you can come and see.”

The service is currently proposed to operate July 14, July 28, Aug. 11, Sept. 1 and Sept. 15. These ferry rides are estimated to take about an hour each way and the San Francisco Bay Ferry vessels can serve between 349 and 445 individuals. 

The proposed fare for the service is based on the already established ballpark fare for service operating out of Vallejo because of similar distance and estimated operating costs. The approved Vallejo ballpark fare for fiscal year 2025 is $18.75 each way for adults and $14 each way for discount-eligible passengers including youth, senior and disabled passengers. Tickets will be made available for reservation by June. 

The Port of Redwood City is currently conducting its environmental review of the project as the next step in the plan to establish the permanent terminal in 2026. The terminal looks to operate two routes, to San Francisco and the other to Oakland. 

“We definitely all sit in way too much traffic here in the Bay. The beautiful thing about ferries that the Bay is not an obstacle like it is for everyone else,” Hall said. “Everyone else, you have to go around the Bay. For us, you just cut right through it.”

The pilot program will also help the Port of Redwood City and WETA establish the presence of ferries in the South Bay alongside the waterfront’s many other users, from cargo vessels to individual paddleboarding residents. 

“We’re responsible members of the waterfront community,” Hall said. “We want to do all the outreach we can during this design and review phase to make sure that we are all coexisting peacefully in that area.” 

The terminal in Redwood City is part of the first tier of expansion outlined in the 2050 Service Vision, which also includes terminals in Berkeley and San Francisco, all currently at varying stages of development. The second tier looks to expand services to new cities including Foster City. 

“It’s an elegant solution that we need to do more to improve quality of life for everyone who has to travel, whether it be for work or for pleasure,” Hall said.