Seaplane Shift is WETA’s major restructuring of Alameda and Oakland commute ferry service to enhance capacity and reliability. There’s not yet a hard date when Seaplane Shift will occur as we wrestle with the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. But it will be coming soon.
Under Seaplane Shift, Alameda commute service is essentially shifted over from the current Main Street Alameda Ferry Terminal to the new Alameda Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal, which boasts much better access and a consistent 20-minute ride to San Francisco. This will allow commute service in the estuary – which currently serves both Alameda and Oakland – to refocus on Oakland, providing much better service for those riders.
Outside of the commute windows and once more robust off-peak service resumes, Alameda ferry riders will still be able to take the ferry from Main Street Alameda to San Francisco. Passengers bound for South San Francisco will also continue to board at Main Street Alameda. Parking for bikes and cars should be much less crowded than before.
You can sign up for email updates and see more information (including maps) at
seaplaneshift.com.