Driving used to be fun but not anymore. I took Driver's Ed in high school. Studied the WA DOL manual. Got up at 5am on the weekends and mastered parking maneuvers in empty parking lots. Practiced driving on I-5 and steering control on E Mercer Way. Passed the written and driving tests. It was a milestone celebration unlocking freedom and independence at 16 years old. Learned how to use the stick shift and feared the red light at 15th & Spokane St. on rainy days. Drove to Dick's on Capitol Hill with friends. Never had to share the road with electric bikes and scooters because they didn't exist. Never saw distracted drivers with smartphones because these devices weren't available to the public yet. We only had to worry about cars with California plates, the occasional BC plate, or someone who said, "DMV." ;p Driving in Seattle is different now. Traffic is worse. Nobody gives the "Thank you" wave anymore. I know someone who's been driving well over 10 years and they slapped a yellow New Driver sticker on their car and uses it as an excuse to drive like a crazy person. On I-5 I saw a guy texting at the wheel, saw a girl playing a game on her phone at the wheel. Cars without license plates, cars with expired tabs. People driving in the Bus Only lane, people driving with high beams. Motorcycle lane splitting. Witnessed illegal left turns from the far right lane and people driving down the yellow center lane. A lot of these habits and behaviors didn't happen when I first started driving. Seems like the WA DOL manual doesn't apply anymore. Unwritten driving rules and etiquette taught and passed down by old school Seattleites are fizzling out. Those OGs have moved to Clark County near the WA/OR border, Eastern WA, out of state, and out of country. Gas is over $6+ a gallon and if theres an event near the stadiums parking can be between $70-$120. So if someone asks me why I take public transit, I have many reasons why. I take the light rail when my destination is near a station. I take it for peace of mind. I take it to save money. I've become mindful of my carbon footprint. The 2 Line trains from the Eastside are newer and cleaner than the workhorse 1 Line trains. There's the occasional smelly person, the sleeper, and the tweaker but I know have a choice to sit or stand away from them or get up and move. No fare gates or platform screen doors at the stations. Signage and announcements could be better too. As for the near future, I want to attend roll out celebrations for the Graham St. and Boeing Access Road infill stations. I'm also looking forward to the West Seattle and Tacoma expansions. read more

See all

Overall pretty good with my experiences with Link. On our trips to Seattle if we are planning to just go to neighborhoods where the train stops through then we definitely utilize that over driving. There are a lot of shortened operation times due to upgrades, maintenance and expansion. As large as the Seattle metro area is I'm surprised there wasn't public transit train installed and with good coverage of stops long ago. But it seems to be happening now. I think of Campbell Scott in the movie Singles and how his plan gets shot down for a broader commute expansion with trains for a plan he submitted. It almost feels like an inside joke and maybe it always was or has been for a long time living in the metro area. Recently we rode on the new expansion that goes to Federal Way. We rode the train up from the large transit center and garage there and it was nice and smooth. A bit long but so much less stress not having to drive. I have my Orca Card handy with me and it's easy on and easy off. Overall good experiences with this train system! read more

One way for only $3- sounds great! It did take us about 50 minutes to transit from downtown to the airport, but hey- it didn't cost a $50 taxi! And it was 6pm, rush hours, on a Thursday + all the people in town for the games and cruises! Locals and travelers alike ride- there are sections designated for luggage and/or bikes! I was lucky to find a seat & John finally got one about halfway. We will be looking into utilizing Link for future visits! read more

I had positive experiences both times I rode the train to and from the airport. All the passengers I encountered were respectful and helpful. read more

The light rail is down again. Its been hours. I just want to go home. If only that was the only thing to complain about. Get used to being surrounded by obvious drug addicts and the stench of urine. But there isn't any alternative because they canceled the bus routes that it would have had to compete with. AND its slower than the bus was. read more

I've taken NYC metro, SF Bart/Muni, and Mexico City Metro; those cities are much larger and have had their systems for decades, gotta say Link holds its own and is smaller but very mighty. I've taken the new 2-line and 1 Line to and from the airport. I really hope they build it out to completion! 100% Clean and safety officers on 90% of the rides I've taken so far. read more

Sound Transit - Link Light Rail - Capital Hill station art - Public Transportation Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Took the Link Rail from downtown Seattle by Pikes Place Market to the Sea-Tac Airport and it was a piece of cake. Very easy to navigate and get from one place to another. The stations and rail car themselves are very clean and well kept. Busy enough that you feel safe. Only took us about 35-45 minutes to get from Pikes Market to the airport, and it only cost us $3 per passenger one way! What a bargain. Can also go the other direction, from the airport to wherever you need to go. Highly recommend! read more

See all

I used Seattle's Light Rail for the first time after arriving at SeaTac on the morning of the 30th. There is ample signage to direct one to the terminal and purchasing a ticket is easy. Why didn't Honolulu use this system as a model for its Skyline system? The cars are fast, quiet and the line runs above ground, on the ground and underground as needed. I was impressed on my first ride and more so on my second. On September 3, my train malfunctioned heading into Sodo Station so we all had to get off and wait for a replacement. It didn't take long, and we were on our way in less than 10 minutes. Three dollars for a one-way ticket ... It's a steal. read more

See all

We utilized this transportation service to travel from SeaTac airport to near our hotel when we arrived in Seattle. Very convenient, affordable, fast, and user-friendly. Glad we didn't need to bother with a rental car or ride share service to easily accommodate our travel group of 5 people. Would be happy to repeat the experience. read more

Sound Transit - Link Light Rail - Prepare to board -- things happen fast! - Public Transportation Near Me - Seattle, Washington

There's a lot to unpack here! The Link is a convenient mode of transportation, and the prices for a round trip from Angle Lake to Lynnwood are reasonable. The trips and stops are quick, which can be both good and bad. However, I am concerned about its cleanliness. Its popularity is understandable, especially if you don't mind the presence of homeless individuals. There's also a very distinctive, unpleasant odor that pervades the area, so be cautious of that. Additionally, the schedule is often affected by mechanical issues, resulting in wait times that can range from 15 to 45 minutes. The fare ambassadors are very active, so make sure you've paid before boarding. Overall, using the Link gets you to your destination without the hassle of sitting in traffic, saving both time and money. read more

See all

+ Takes you by many iconic Seattle destinations, including T-Mobile Park and Uwajimaya. + Only $3 to ride the whole Light Rail line. + Interior is clean and spacious. + Only about 1/5 of the seats were filled (Sunday morning). + Felt safe. . Doesn't drop you off right by dt Seattle's top attractions (Space Needle or Fremont Troll, to name a few). But to reach the Space Needle, thankfully they have the Monorail, which is a separate $4 ride from Westlake Center Station (one of Link Light Rail's stops) to Seattle Center station. + Cheaper than Uber/Lyft-ing around Seattle, that's for sure. + Comes around often. read more

The Link Light Rail is super convenient. Took it from SeaTac to Lynwood, no issues. We will use it again!

We took a big family trip to Seattle last month, with eight adults and three small children in our crew. We stayed downtown, near Westlake Station, and made heavy use of the Link Light Rail. We all downloaded the Transit Go app for King City Metro, which made buying tickets quite easy, if not as easy as the tap to pay system I've seen in L.A. and New York. Fares were reasonable, and we ended up just buying $3 one-way tickets as needed throughout our trip. We took the 1 Line in from the airport, and to go back and forth from Beacon Hill and Roosevelt and Symphony, by Pike Place Market. The trains were clean and pretty, and the path was visually interesting, taking us above ground through a lot of neighborhoods. It did freak me out how level they were with some of the platforms. Seems way too easy for a kid to run onto the tracks. The Link worked great when it was working, but we did run into one big closure during our trip that made us horribly late to our Saturday brunch in Roosevelt. We had to get on a confusing free shuttle to Capitol Hill, and between that extra leg and train delays, we were set back something like 45 minutes, all of them spent in transit with three little kids. We were surprised by the closure, especially since we'd spent plenty of time in the prior two days walking through train stations. King County Metro should have posted more notices. In any case, we were grateful for the Link Light Rail, and no one enjoyed it more than my five-year-old Leo B., who spent most of his rides staring up at the stop lists displayed inside the trains. On our third day, we realized he'd silently memorized all but a couple stops on the 1 Line, reciting them in order from Angle Lake to Lynnwood City Center. Having train-loving boys has given me a renewed appreciation of public transit. I'd taken the Link Light Rail before this trip, but never with tiny enthusiasts. It was, for the most part, a cheap, convenient way to get around, with built-in entertainment value for the children. read more

CONVENIENT $3 TICKET (4.25 stars) Seattle... not bad! For their first light rail built up I do feel local tax dollars have gone to good use. Although not as developed and comparable as other major cities public transportation, it will do! Instead of paying $30+ to get from downtown to the airport, everyone and their mama suggested taking "the link" to the airport for $3... YES, $3!!! :: DOWNTOWN TO SEATAC AIRPORT :: - Take the "Angle Lake" line (south) - Frequent departures and arrivals - $3 ticket to the airport - 12 stops - Drop off at the airport but on the other side of parking structure and only a few minute walk What I've learned... 1) You cannot buy tickets in advance at the machine as those tickets are ONLY GOOD FOR 2HRS. 2) There are websites and apps to find schedules but Google Maps had everything. I selected the route via light rail and it gave me all the details 3) Westlake Stop didn't have escalators doing down, only up in the morning hours. Only way down was by steps or elevator. Mind you, elevator smells horrific. Urine, poop, what have you. Not much choice if you have luggage. 4) it's about a 40 minute ride BUT why did it only feel like 15 minutes. Time on the lightrail goes by quick and you enjoy the view through downtown, Chinatown, sodo, and south Seattle areas. 5) Nobody checked my ticket. There was no gate that reads your ticket entering the station or exiting. It wasn't very well regulated. It was pointless to buy a ticket - might as well ride for free. Hope they expand with more lines. I think this is a great addition to Seattle especially that Seattle blew up from what I remember this city to be. read more

See all

It's newer on the trains are mostly clean. They have bathrooms that are actually clean transit police so it's very kept together and I do recommend. read more

Sound Transit - Link Light Rail - Public Transportation Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

Need to open the rail between Eastside and Seattle like 6 months ago I am really disappointed that it is delayed this was my year to use this between cole Creek and Sodo still waiting read more

Some trains are clean, while some look like a trash bin. No knock on the folks that ride, but they don't pick up after themselves. The newer trains are better. However, the new stations are opening up at a rate that is disappointing. Clean, clean, clean up your stations. read more

We just finished a trial run from Everett to SeaTac using Community Transit and the Link Light Rail system to check it out before our flight from SeaTac in a couple weeks. It was terrific! We caught a bus a short walking distance from our home in Everett to the Lynnwood City Center Station, then boarded the Link Light Rail 1 Line to SeaTac. The train was clean, comfortable, and swift, with plenty of riders. Quite a few people had luggage with them, headed for the airport. We arrived at the SeaTac station after about an hour and ten minutes, then walked a few minutes to check out part of the route to the Alaska terminal. The entire walk to the Alaska gate is 10 minutes or so. We noticed several free, self-driving shuttles that we could take if we didn't want to walk the whole way. We went back to the SeaTac station and got on the 1 Line heading north. At Westlake, we got off and walked down Westlake Avenue to south Lake Union for a picnic near the MOHI, enjoying the views of the lake and watching the float planes come in. Then we caught the street car back to the Link Light Rail station at Westlake. The Westlake station itself is worth a look, with its classic tilework, stone, and impressive hanging lights. We continued our journey on the 1 Line back to the Lynnwood station, where we caught a bus back to Everett. The entire trip from Everett to SeaTac and back, including the bus between Everett and Lynnwood and the side trip on the Westlake street car, cost just $6 on my Orca card. Six dollars! I'm hoping I'll always be able to plan my flights so I can take the Link Light Rail to SeaTac, and I won't hesitate to take the rail anytime I want to go into Seattle. Bravo Sound Transit! read more

Let's see: a ride from the airport to downtown (or from downtown to the airport) cost me $3 one way. Not $30. 3 dollars. The train was clean, quiet, and fairly quick. I think the ride to Pioneer Square, just south of downtown, took about 35 to 40 minutes. For 3 whole dollars. It's a fairly scenic ride, too. I didn't need to take an Uber. I didn't need to rent a car. Purchasing a ticket was simple. In most cities, you must drive to the airport and then pay ridiculous prices for parking. Or you take an Uber or taxi for a hefty fee. You don't know how good you have it if you have luggage and can train it to and from the airport. For 3 bucks. read more

Sound Transit - Link Light Rail - The map. Pretty hard to get lost. - Public Transportation Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Unreliable transportation too much unproductive light rails not working from the same station.

My daughter and I recently vacationed in the naturally beautiful city of Seattle. Our first positive experience there was the "Light Tail". This is a great and money-saving train ride (above ground) from the Seattle Airport to more than a dozen stops in the city. For $3 for an adult and $1 for a Senior, we rode from the airport to the Westlake Station, which was 2 blocks from our downtown hotel (Grand Hyatt) and Nordstrom's. An Uber fare for that ride might range from $70-$100. There is a path painted yellow to help find the train, outside the baggage claim at the Airport. There are machines where you can quickly and easily buy a ticket. There were attendants to help, if needed. We thought it was a really great service! read more

Generally an inexpensive way to get from SeaTac (SEA) to downtown Seattle. If you visit Seattle often, consider getting the Orca card ahead of time (via their website and U.S. Mail). Just be sure to order it 3 - 4 weeks ahead of your first visit to Seattle. There was track repairs going on in mid-October 2022 that really delayed my trips into and out of Seattle last weekend. Best to avoid this system when you have to take shuttles between stations--it's a mess. read more

Sound Transit - Link Light Rail - Sound Transit Light Rail from the SeaTac station. - Public Transportation Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I sometimes work in downtown Seattle and parking is such a nightmare having a viable public transit option would be wonderful. Despite the parking nightmare I usually drive because 1) the light rail takes 2 to 3 times the time it takes to drive 2) the light rail is not reliable, I was late to work during my first week because a trail was delayed almost 30 minutes and that's unacceptable. Part of the reason why I say the light rail takes 2 to 3 times as long as you have to leave insanely early so even if the light rail has one of its common service delays you still make it to work on time. 3) there is often a smelly homeless person on the train. I don't have a problem with homeless people but I don't think you should be in a crowded train car if you haven't showered in weeks/months. 4) Most of the train stations do not have parking so if you don't live within walking distance of a train station you're out of luck. 5) They frown on taking electric scooters in the light rail but the light rail stations are far enough apart that you kind of need a scooter to not spend a long time walking. read more

Slow and unreliable. Takes over an hour and a half to get from West Seattle to the airport on a big day. Most of the time is late for some reason either meet me so broken down. Not something to rely on in Seattle. Works if you're a tourist and your not in a hurry read more

I hope you Seattleites know how good you have it with Link! Maybe I just got lucky, but I found it clean, safe, timely, and oh-so-cheap! I discovered Link after learning it was going to be $70 for an Uber from Seatac to my hotel downtown. Yeah, screw that! Ended up taking Link for $3. Also took it back to the airport at the end of my trip. Each time there was plenty of seating and room for my luggage. (Note: my trips were midday, so not during rush hour and also not during a Mariners game.) Speaking of the Mariners, it was also nice and easy to get to/from T-Mobile Park to see some baseball. I'm from the SF Bay Area and have taken Bart, Caltrain, and Muni a lot. It definitely felt cleaner and safer than Bart and Muni. It would be nice if the seats were all plastic, instead of having the cloth insets, but oh well. (In my head, plastic seems cleaner than fabric.) On three of my four rides, I saw pairs of safety officers on the trains, as well as officers monitoring the platforms of several stations. One gripe: The platform level at the Westgate station needs better signage. There are signs for exits "A," "B," and "C," but you don't know exactly where those lead to until you're up the escalators/stairs and almost at the exits already. (Only on the higher levels do the signs actually tell you which street(s) the exits lead to.) For example, when I arrived from Seatac, I ended up leaving through exit A or B, which dumped me on 5th Ave (I ultimately wanted to be at Stewart and 2nd). Later, I found out that C puts you on 3rd, which would have saved me from dragging my luggage around for two extra blocks. read more

Pretty easy to figure out and very easy to use. This saves me so much money and so much time! I will take public transportation as much as possible, especially here. I mainly love taking it to the games. I just walk a couple blocks from my timeshare, walk down some steps, use the machine to buy my tickets, hop on, hop off. It's really that easy. Overall they are clean. The underground one has security so you feel safe. I just wish parents would watch their children and keep them behind the line (security can only do so much). I recommend trying the Sound Transit when you are in town. ........ .............................. .. . read more

Great value and has been reliable in the past but is now experiencing delay after delay...just took us 1:45hrs to get from Shoreline to the Airport when it normally takes 1 hr. People will stop taking it to the airport if it is unreliable/sporadic. No issues were reported, we just waited about 5 min longer at every stop! read more

I am so happy that Seattle now has a light rail that extends from the airport to downtown. This bumps the city way up in my list of places to visit because I don't have to deal with the hassles of a rental car - parking, gassing up, remember where I parked it. Done. Just get on the light rail and be done with it. The system is clean and easy. I bought an ORCA card at the airport and charged it each day with the $8.00 unlimited rides. Works great and considering it's a more than 15 mile ride from the airport to downtown? Worth it! The trains are clean and well lit, as are the stations. It's new but I noticed no graffiti and no litter. Even the underground stations are easy. Everything is completely handicap-accessible. You just have to remember to swipe the card at the ORCA kiosk to activate for your ride. read more

See all

For more than 30 years, I -- along with countless millions in the greater Seattle area -- had to slog our way around the I-5 corridor on log-jammed roads on day after rainy day. And getting to the airport? Pay out of the you-know-what for parking or pay a little less on some airporter that takes hours. Well, those days died about 10 years ago with the opening of Link Light Rail. I'm here to praise one of their lines in particular: The Central Line ... or the Red Line ... or whatever they're gonna call it in the near future after protests on the negativity of the name that will lead to ANOTHER name change. The line skirts the I-5 corridor with a north terminal at the University of Washington (near Husky Stadium) and Angle Lake (SeaTac). In between, the line stops at Capitol Hill, Westlake (best stop for the Monorail and the South Lake Union Streetcar), University Street, Pioneer Square, Chinatown/The International District, Stadium (the football and baseball stadiums), SODO, Beacon Hill, Mount Baker, Columbia City, Othello, Rainier Beach, Tukwila International Boulevard, and then the airport. Oh yeah, it costs $3 to go from downtown to the airport. THREE. BUCKS. It cost more than that to go from downtown from the airport when I was in short pants. A great ride on a clean, smooth light rail line, with a great view of the city on the way in and out. Ditch the car ... ride the rail! read more

See all

If I lived here, I'd bike to the lt rail bc it's so convenient. The only thing is it's not priced right. Even just one stop costs $2.50! So, if u add all the individual stops I did in a day, it adds up. Finally bought an Orca card instead of constantly buying a ticket. read more

I like public transportation anytime I don't have to drive. The light rail is easy to understand while purchasing your fare. It's a very simple system and route. Nice extra side trip if you've got some time at the airport. Hop on and off right into the city. It's pretty safe and there's always security in sight. It's affordable. Also easier for family and friends to meet or pick you up during traffic hours at a place near a station then have them fight their way through airport traffic if that's where you are coming from. Easy to get to University, Capitol Hill or Pike's. Mel M Yelp 17:11 read more

Sound Transit - Link Light Rail - Follow the Link - Public Transportation Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

I almost always take the SoundTransit / Link Light Rail when traveling out (towards Downtown, any stops somewhat close to Cap Hill, Lower Queen Anne, etc) after arriving at the airport... and sometimes to the airport, depending on the time of day (i.e. how much of a nightmare is traffic going to be by comparison, though let's be honest... it's usually a nightmare). As a woman who often travels on her own, my priorities are safety (including security being accessible), cleanliness, and timeliness (when in Seattle, I'm often there to visit a friend... and so I want to feel confident in texting him when I'll arrive, etc). I've never had any moment of feeling unsafe while on the Link Light Rail, and I'm usually arriving or leaving late at night. Definitely a positive aspect of the travel experience. The Link Light Rail is also an inexpensive and convenient way to get around. The light rail runs often, on a timely schedule, and doesn't cost much at all to get to/from Downtown or a variety of other stops. Plus? It saves the sanity of myself, my colleagues (we often have meetings in Seattle), or my best friend (who would otherwise probably be talked into driving me to the airport). ;) TL;DR A+. Will continue to use the Link Light Rail when visiting Seattle. So convenient! read more

This was a fast and cheap commute from sea tac Airport to your west Seattle. Only cost us maybe 10 bucks. Just be careful when commuting at night and alone. But otherwise, it is much cleaner and faster than NY city transit read more

Living in a city without much of a public transit system, I was excited to take the Link Light Rail when visiting Seattle. We were only in town for a few days, but travelled on the Light Rail multiple times per day for a reasonable price of $2.50-3 each way. You really can't beat those prices, especially if you're going to and from the airport. I don't want to think about the logistics of getting a taxi, Uber, or Lyft, let alone what it would cost. We got on and off at several different stations- Westlake, International District, and the SeaTac airport. Each station had security personnel to answer questions and watch out for any suspicious behavior. The security guards were nice and even gave us tips for the train- we had no clue that the International District/Chinatown stop was closer to the CenturyLink Field stadium. We were about to stay on for the stadium stop until he told us. It's nice that the guards will talk and help out the tourists or those who don't ride often. The train was packed on game night, but trains come every 5-10 minutes so you never have to wait long. Kiosks were very easy to use and take both cash or Visa/Mastercard. The light rail also has fun signs with animals on them to display the rules- like a cartoon octopus that says "Keep your tentacles to yourselves". It's corny, but it's good for a chuckle during an otherwise boring ride. I feel like the LInk Light Rail is a great example of what public transit should be. I doubt my city will ever implement something like a link rail, but if we did, the security guards and easy access to the airport seem like a great model to follow. read more

Sound Transit - Link Light Rail - I loved the animal signs in the train. - Public Transportation Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

I'm a big fan of the Link Light Rail! We landed at SeaTac and were able to take the Link directly to the Westlake Station, which is right in the heart of downtown near Pike Place. Tickets were very easy to buy and just $2.50, compared to a $40+ Uber ride. The interior of the Link was very clean and had AC. I wish LA could have an efficient transportation system from LAX to Downtown! read more

Really this is the best transportation to Sea-Tac if this works for you. Our hotel was only a block away and, for only a few dollars, it gets you straight to the airport. It's clean, you get to see nice views, and even stop at a few different locations on the way to the airport. Very convenient and seamless! Love it!! Until then, Cheers! ~ :p read more

See all

Able to travel from Airport SEA to Downtown Seattle for under $3! A word of warning though, it is not design as a route exclusively for travelling to and from airport so if you have a lot of luggage, this might not be the best option. Especially during rush hour, it was a huge inconvenient to yourself and your fellow passengers. If you just have a carry one, this will be the best option to get to the airport. With anything more than that, it might not be the way to go. read more

Sound Transit - Link Light Rail - Public Transportation Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Finally. For a city that is so high tech, it sure took a long time to get Light Rail here. Almost to the point of embarrassment as Portland and Vancouver has had theirs up and running for a while. After driving over to Seattle, I headed for the Westlake station. As there are many entrances, it was difficult at first to figure out which one to go to. Alas, I found it being the one across from Macy's. The wait at Westlake was not long and the crowd waiting to get on was not that bad there. Stepping into the train car, it looks pretty similar to light rail systems elsewhere that I have used. The ride was very leisurely on opening day. Travelling from Westlake to Columbia City, the highlights of the ride was the close proximity of the Stadium Station to Qwest and Safeco and the underground station on Beacon Hill. The art at each station was also visually appealing. The trip also allowed me to venture to areas that I have not previously visited like Columbia City. This is something I like about light rail when I visit a new locale. I can stop at one station and if I don't like the surrounding area, I can get out of there quickly. All in all, I liked the light rail and am looking forward to light rail reaching UW, Bellevue and Redmond. Hurry up with that! read more

Great way to get around town without breaking the bank. Lots of space. To to where you need to go at an affordable rate.

Sound Transit seems to be keeping car interiors clean and free trash. they have a serious problem with drug users and individuals with behavioral health problems camping out. Their unpredictable behavior is unsettling read more