Ridership has greatly increased in the past year on the Washington State Ferries route between Port Townsend and Coupeville.

“Ridership on the Washington State Ferries is up over previous years system-wide, with the Port Townsend-Coupeville route experiencing the biggest increase over last year,” said Dana Warr, deputy communications director for the state ferry system.

“Compared to other Wednesday-through-Sunday travel days in November in the past, the PT/Coupeville route is up 67 percent this year,” he said. “This route consistently sees the biggest increases in ridership over weekends compared with all the other routes.”

Those taking the ferry during the holiday season could experience long lines and delays.

By checking at www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries, potential riders can check schedules, make reservations and see how many vehicle spaces are available in real time, Warr said.

“There is also a real-time vessel watch that shows where on the route a ferry is located to assist in your planning.”

The state ferry system also updates Facebook and Twitter. Another way to stay informed is to sign up for specific ferry route alerts — available on the website — for cellphones or email.

“If there are any delays, a message will be sent to subscribers. We want to help people monitor the ferries a little bit better,” Warr said.