# Canadian Dopers: Why are the ferries so expensive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 8, 2013, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674 "2013-10-08T13:09:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/1 "2013-10-08T13:09:38Z")
Unless I’m misreading the fare schedule, it looks like to get from Vancouver to Victoria and back (or to Port Angeles) will end up cost close to $200 for a car and 3 people. That seems like a huge chunk of money for traveling on what is in effect a water highway. Any reason for why it is so expensive? ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/2 "2013-10-08T13:46:53Z")
Ships ain’t cheap to buy, maintain and run. Googling says it’s 24 miles; $100 each way for a car and three people seems reasonable. For comparison, the ferry from Woods Hole to Marthas Vineyard (MA) covers around 8 miles and charges $92.50 each way for a car and 3 adults. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/3 "2013-10-08T14:13:14Z")
A trip across Lake Michigan on their car ferry will set you back more than that…it’s not something you do to be economical, I don’t think. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/4 "2013-10-08T14:28:30Z")
This doesn’t really answer your question but; taking the train from Seattle to Vancouver BC is pretty cheap. Vancouver’s mass transit is good and an all-day pass is like $7.00 and I think you can rent a car in Victoria for like $45.00 ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/5 "2013-10-08T16:01:50Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Ships ain’t cheap to buy, maintain and run. > > Googling says it’s 24 miles; $100 each way for a car and three people seems reasonable. For comparison, the ferry from Woods Hole to Marthas Vineyard (MA) covers around 8 miles and charges $92.50 each way for a car and 3 adults. The [Cape May/Lewes Ferry](http://www.capemaylewesferry.com/SchedulesandFares/tabid/88/Default.aspx) between the Delmarva Peninsula (Ocean City, MD, Rehoboth, Chincoteague) and the Jersey Shore is less than $50 one way. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/6 "2013-10-08T16:30:08Z")
Maybe I’m just spoiled growing up in Seattle where the ferry system is part of the highway system and run by the state. As a comparison, one-way from Bremerton to Seattle for the 3 of us is less than $30 ---
**Author:** ![AHarris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@AHarris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHarris)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/7 "2013-10-08T16:56:42Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Maybe I’m just spoiled growing up in Seattle where the ferry system is part of the highway system and run by the state. As a comparison, one-way from Bremerton to Seattle for the 3 of us is less than $30 It’s pretty much this. The provincial government mandates that the ferries provide a certain level of service and does not provide funding for the Vancouver - Vancouver Island runs as they are ‘self supporting’. About BC Ferries: [http://www.bcferrycommission.com/faqs/about-bc-ferries/](http://www.bcferrycommission.com/faqs/about-bc-ferries/) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/8 "2013-10-08T17:08:16Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Maybe I’m just spoiled growing up in Seattle where the ferry system is part of the highway system and run by the state. As a comparison, one-way from Bremerton to Seattle for the 3 of us is less than $30 It’s been almost a decade since I took a trip to Vancouver Island. IIRC it took a couple of hours, so it was a longer trip than the ones in Seattle. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/9 "2013-10-08T17:22:00Z")
You think that’s expensive? The ferry over the English Channel, shortest crossing, is upwards of £100 for 20 miles. There are plenty of bargains, so long as you go off peak, but that’s the full fare for a car and two passengers. ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/10 "2013-10-08T17:26:26Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Ships ain’t cheap to buy, maintain and run. Xema’s hit it on the nose. Seawater is a rather harsh environment (for materials) and anything designed to withstand a marine environment typically costs 2-3 times as much as a land-only version. Also, these vessels are carrying passengers for a fare, which invokes a ton of additional regulations (mostly for keeping those passengers safe in all but the rarest of corner-case emergencies). Finally, they include a number of amenities to make your trip more comfortable: (relatively spacious padded seats, bathrooms, drinking fountains, sundecks, hvac, and the like) ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/11 "2013-10-08T18:03:30Z")
> [@dstarfire](#): > > Xema’s hit it on the nose. Seawater is a rather harsh environment (for materials) and anything designed to withstand a marine environment typically costs 2-3 times as much as a land-only version. > > Also, these vessels are carrying passengers for a fare, which invokes a ton of additional regulations (mostly for keeping those passengers safe in all but the rarest of corner-case emergencies). > > Finally, they include a number of amenities to make your trip more comfortable: (relatively spacious padded seats, bathrooms, drinking fountains, sundecks, hvac, and the like) Like I said, I can get all that for $30 for 3 people and a car in Seattle as opposed to $100 in Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/12 "2013-10-08T18:08:34Z")
I just did a quick comparison for a one way trip for a standard vehicle and three adult passengers. PA-Victoria (23.5 miles): $94.50 Seattle to Bremerton (16 miles): $29.25 So, yes, the ferry to Victoria is definitely a lot more expensive for the same distance. I don’t think it can just be chalked up to “boats are expense.” However, there may be other things in play here. 1. Maybe the PA-Vic ferry’s amenities are nicer. 2. The Seattle ferries are part of the state (WSDOT). They may be subsidized. 3. The Seattle ferries may carry more people, this brings a discount due to volume. 4. Maybe there are extra charges for the PA-Vic ferry due to international travel. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/13 "2013-10-08T20:31:40Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > The Seattle ferries are part of the state (WSDOT). They may be subsidized. Various Googling revealed that in 2007 the total budget for WSDOT ferries was $620.1 million, of which 61% was operating costs and 39% capital costs. Fares totaled around $285.7 million, which is 76% of operating costs and 46% of all costs. The rest (i.e. subsidy) came from various sources, including gasoline taxes, vehicle license fees, federal appropriations, bonds, etc. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/14 "2013-10-08T20:37:48Z")
Meh, the ferry from Wellington, NZ to Picton will set you back $300, one-way for three adults and a (normal sized) car. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/15 "2013-10-08T20:42:37Z")
It’s a good question - I don’t know the answer. Like **Hermitian** , I am curious about the comparative volume of traffic between the Washington ferries and the BC ones. There does also seem to be a major subsidy on the Washington side. If there’s no similar subsidy on the BC side, because they have to operate on a stand-alone basis, that may well be the answer. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/16 "2013-10-08T20:50:15Z")
Just to throw in some numbers, a round-trip ferry ride from Marblehead, OH to Kelly’s Island for a car with three people and a bike rack will run you around $88. The distance between the mainland and the Island is only 5 miles. ---
**Author:** ![Rain\_Soaked](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19adc/32.png) [@Rain\_Soaked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rain_Soaked)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/17 "2013-10-08T21:29:57Z")
It is not just that one route. While the Vancouver-Victoria ferry route is profitable for the ferry corp., there are a multitude of other smaller routes along the BC coast that BC Ferries are required to run that are money losers. So it is not a one to one comparison with the Seattle ferry crossing. ---
**Author:** ![This\_Just\_In\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@This\_Just\_In\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/This_Just_In_2)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/18 "2013-10-08T22:04:51Z")
Seattle ferries are run by WSDOT and are subsidized. The equivalent agency, BC Ministry of Transportation doesn’t run the coastal ferries but does run the inland ferries - including the [longest FREE ferry in the world (5 miles/8 km)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kootenay_Lake_Ferry). I’ve ridden on this free vehicle ferry - it was very scenic and comfortable ride. If ferry fees are holding you back from visiting BC I suggest you readjust your destination. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/19 "2013-10-08T22:35:36Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > This doesn’t really answer your question but; taking the train from Seattle to Vancouver BC is pretty cheap. Vancouver’s mass transit is good and an all-day pass is like $7.00 and I think you can rent a car in Victoria for like $45.00 …you do realize that Vancouver is on the mainland and Victoria is on the Island, right? And you can’t drive from one to the other, you need to take a ferry. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674/20 "2013-10-09T03:01:08Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > …you do realize that Vancouver is on the mainland and Victoria is on the Island, right? And you can’t drive from one to the other, you need to take a ferry. Yes, that’s why I recommended a different option for each city. Vancouver has really good mass transit. Victoria has cheap rental cars. The round trip ferry ride for a car is $100, a rental is $45 for the weekend. Depending on how many days you will be spending in Victoria that may be cost effective. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-why-are-the-ferries-so-expensive/670674.md?page=2)