Black Ball Ferry Line Schedules 2026

Black Ball Ferry Line runs the international car ferry MV Coho across the Strait of Juan de Fuca between the United States and Canada. The company descends from the historic Black Ball Line of Puget Sound, and the Coho has worked this crossing since 1959.

Port Angeles to Victoria

The single route links Port Angeles, Washington with Victoria, British Columbia — a roughly 90-minute crossing carrying cars and foot passengers, with customs clearance on each side. There are between two and four round trips a day depending on the season.

The MV Coho

Built in Seattle in 1959, the MV Coho carries up to 1,000 passengers and 110 vehicles, with a cafeteria, gift shop, duty-free store, lounges and a solarium on board. Fares are in US dollars; a fuel surcharge currently applies.

Crossing the border with Black Ball

Because the Coho runs between the United States and Canada, every passenger clears customs. Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative you need one of: a passport or passport card, a NEXUS trusted-traveler card, or an Enhanced Driver's Licence issued by British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont or Washington State.

A REAL ID is not accepted — it satisfies domestic US requirements but is not a valid document for an international border crossing. Photocopies and phone photos are not accepted either; the physical document is required.

Parking at the terminals

In Port Angeles several privately run lots sit one or two blocks from the terminal, at roughly US$12-15 per calendar day. Most take cards, though some are cash-only; there is an ATM at the Chase Bank one block away on Front Street.

In Victoria, Robbins Parking at 203 Quebec Street — across from the Inn at Laurel Point — starts at about C$16 per day for overnight stays.

Travelling with pets

Pets travel with you on the main passenger deck rather than being left in a vehicle, and must be leashed at all times; carriers are recommended for smaller animals. Dogs entering the United States from Canada need a completed CDC Dog Import Form, which can be filled in on the day of travel and shown to the border officer.

Checking in

Reserved vehicles should be at the terminal 60 minutes before departure and foot passengers 30 minutes before. A vehicle reservation not claimed 60 minutes ahead may be forfeited, and the reservation fee is not refunded. Passengers may not remain on the vehicle deck during the crossing.

Border, parking and pet details from Black Ball Ferry Line (cohoferry.com), retrieved 1 August 2026. Entry requirements change — confirm with CBP/CBSA before travelling.

The only one of its kind

The M.V. Coho is the only daily, year-round vehicle and passenger ferry between downtown Victoria and Washington State. The crossing is 90 minutes over 22.59 nautical miles (42 km) of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, landing at Victoria's Inner Harbour — not an out-of-town terminal. Black Ball has run it for more than 60 years, marking its sixtieth anniversary in 2019, with administrative offices in Seattle and over 100 staff in peak season.

⚠ A REAL ID will not get you aboard

This is an international border crossing under the U.S. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, and the document rules catch people out. Accepted: a valid passport, a U.S. Passport Card, a NEXUS trusted-traveler card, or an Enhanced Driver's Licence — but only from British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont or Washington. A REAL ID is explicitly not valid for crossing the border, despite being sufficient for domestic U.S. flights. Permanent residents need their Green Card together with their original country's passport. And photocopies and phone photos are not accepted — the physical document only.

Arrive earlier if you are driving

Check-in deadlines differ by an entire half hour depending on how you travel: reserved vehicles must arrive 60 minutes before departure, foot passengers 30 minutes. On the 08:20 sailing that means 07:20 with a car and 07:50 on foot.

Fares, and the fees on top of them

One-way, in US dollars: adult $25, child (5–11) $12.50, under-fives free, and bicycles free. A vehicle with driver up to 18 feet is $88, with $6 per additional linear foot beyond that; a motorcycle and driver $50, $75 with a sidecar or trailer. Vehicle reservations carry a separate non-refundable fee — $12 online against $16 by phone or at the office, so booking yourself saves four dollars a leg. A fuel surcharge is already included in the published fares. Canadian funds are accepted at exchange.

The duty-free store opens mid-crossing

Because the sailing crosses an international boundary, the Coho carries a duty-free shop selling spirits and cigarettes. It opens roughly halfway through the voyage — the Purser announces opening and closing over the tannoy — so it is not available the moment you board. Allowances differ by which country you are entering. On board there is also a cafeteria, gift shop, interior lounges, a solarium and pet-friendly areas.