Getting around · Seattle · United States
Getting around Seattle
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Jllm06, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Downtown, Pike Place, the waterfront and Pioneer Square are walkable, though hilly. Link light rail connects the airport, downtown, Capitol Hill and the University District, buses reach other neighbourhoods, and ferries cross Puget Sound. Not in the city, where parking is expensive and transit plus rideshare cover most needs.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Metro
- Airports
- SEA, PAE
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
- Travel pass
- ORCA card
Ways to get around
Metro
Sound Transit's Link light rail 1 Line runs from the airport through downtown, Capitol Hill and the University District to the northern suburbs, every few minutes for most of the day.
Tap your ORCA card or contactless payment when you board and again when you leave to pay the correct distance-based fare.
Bus
King County Metro buses cover the city, including frequent RapidRide lines to Ballard and West Seattle; they are the main option for Ballard and Fremont.
Ferry
Washington State Ferries leave Colman Dock downtown for Bainbridge Island (about 35 minutes) and Bremerton, and the King County Water Taxi runs to West Seattle and Alki Beach.
Walk-on passengers pay only on the outbound leg from Seattle, so the return to the city is free.
Tram
The Seattle Center Monorail links Westlake Center and Seattle Center in about two minutes, and two streetcar lines serve South Lake Union and First Hill.
Walking
Most downtown sights are within 20 minutes on foot, but streets climb steeply from the waterfront; public lifts and escalators in buildings help.
Ride-hailing
Uber and Lyft are widely used, especially for Ballard, Fremont and Discovery Park, which are less convenient by rail.
Tickets and passes
ORCA card
The region's reloadable fare card, valid on Link, buses, streetcars, the water taxi and Washington State Ferries passenger fares; contactless bank cards also work on Link.
Seattle CityPASS
A combined ticket for the Space Needle, Seattle Aquarium and several other attractions; worthwhile if you plan to visit most of them.
From the airport
Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) is about 20 km south of downtown. Link light rail runs from the airport station to downtown in about 40 minutes; taxis and rideshares take 25–45 minutes depending on traffic. Paine Field (PAE), north of the city, has a small passenger terminal with some domestic flights.
Do you need a car?
Not in the city, where parking is expensive and transit plus rideshare cover most needs. Rent a car only for Mount Rainier, the Olympic Peninsula or the Cascades.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Rainier National Park | About 2–2.5 hours each way by car to Paradise | Car, or an organised tour |
| Bainbridge Island | About 35 minutes by ferry | Washington State Ferries from Colman Dock |
| Snoqualmie Falls | About 40 minutes by car | Car via Interstate 90 |
| Woodinville wine country | About 35 minutes by car | Car or organised wine tour |
| Leavenworth | About 2.5 hours by car | Car via US Route 2 over Stevens Pass |
| San Juan Islands | About 4 hours including the ferry from Anacortes | Car to Anacortes, then Washington State Ferries; or seaplane |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Seattle?
Not in the city, where parking is expensive and transit plus rideshare cover most needs. Rent a car only for Mount Rainier, the Olympic Peninsula or the Cascades.
+How do you get from the airport to Seattle?
Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) is about 20 km south of downtown. Link light rail runs from the airport station to downtown in about 40 minutes; taxis and rideshares take 25–45 minutes depending on traffic. Paine Field (PAE), north of the city, has a small passenger terminal with some domestic flights.
+What is the best way to get around Seattle?
Metro: Sound Transit's Link light rail 1 Line runs from the airport through downtown, Capitol Hill and the University District to the northern suburbs, every few minutes for most of the day.