Next Ferry
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Next Ferry
About / how this works
Made for the
terminal lineup.
Next Ferry answers one question: which ferry can you actually get on, and when. It turns BC Ferries’ current conditions into something you can read in two seconds.
It’s not here to compete with or replace BC Ferries’ own tools. It’s one simple snapshot for busy people, and reservations stay with BC Ferries. I believe every design has a 20% opportunity to make things better for the average person. This is mine.
Independent
Not affiliated with BC Ferries.
Next Ferry is an independent project. It is not made, endorsed or operated by British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. “BC Ferries” and terminal names belong to their owners and are used only to describe routes.
Where the numbers come from
A community feed, refreshed every minute.
Deck-space figures and sailing times come from bcferriesapi.ca, an open-source feed that reads bcferries.com. The app fetches it every 60 seconds and shows the time of the last successful update in the top corner. When the feed is late or a route is missing, the app says so rather than guess.
The feed is built and maintained by independent developer Samuel Pratt. I’m grateful for his work. Next Ferry wouldn’t exist without it.
Conditions change fast at the terminal. Always confirm with bcferries.com before you leave, and book ahead on routes that require it. Next Ferry is provided as-is, with no guarantee of accuracy, and cannot be responsible for a missed sailing.
Typical week
Learned, not guessed.
The Plan screen starts from a seeded pattern and replaces it with real history as the app records what it sees, day by day. Each route says how many days it is based on.
Good to know
When are BC Ferries busiest on a long weekend?
Usually the Friday afternoon and evening sailings leaving the city, and the Monday afternoon sailings coming home. Open Plan and pick your route to see the typical pattern by day and hour.
How early should I get to the terminal?
Arrive early, and earlier on busy days. Space is first come, first served, and Next Ferry can’t see the line-up at the terminal. BC Ferries sets its own check-in times, so check bcferries.com before you go.
Do I need a reservation?
Not on most major routes, but on a long weekend it’s the surest way on. Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay currently takes vehicles by reservation only. Plan and every route page link straight to BC Ferries to book.
What does deck space used mean?
How much of a sailing’s car deck is already taken, from BC Ferries' own current conditions. At 100% the sailing is full and drive-up traffic waits for the next one.
Can Next Ferry tell me when my sailing is filling up?
Yes. Tap Alert me on any upcoming sailing and pick 80%, 90% or full. It buzzes while there is still room, not after it sells out. On iPhone, add Next Ferry to your Home Screen first.
Is Next Ferry part of BC Ferries?
No. It’s independent and free, built on the open feed at bcferriesapi.ca. Always confirm at bcferries.com before you travel.
Privacy
No accounts. Light, anonymous stats.
No accounts, nothing about who you are. Anonymous visit counts through Google Analytics with ad features off, and alerts that delete themselves once they fire. The full detail is on the privacy page.
Sponsors
Clearly marked, never mixed in.
A sponsor may appear once per screen, always labelled and always below the ferry information. Sponsorship never changes what the data says. To sponsor a screen, write to ClientCare@leapxd.com.
Why I made this
“Reservation or not, I still get nervous about making the boat.”
I love travelling on BC Ferries. Crossing the Strait and winding through the Gulf Islands is one of the best ways to see where we live, and it never gets old.
The worry before the trip is something so many of us share. So I made a different view: a quick snapshot of how busy each sailing is, so you can plan a little less and enjoy the ride a little more. I hope it’s useful to you.
I’d love your feedback, or any ideas to make it better. Write to me at Neil@LeapXD.com.
Neil Tran
Artist at neiltran.ca, and the person behind Leap, a design and tech studio in Victoria.