This stop is great! Right next to Chinatown!! My Fav food on this planet!! Its under the tunnel so you have to take stairs/elevator/escalator to get up/down this station, but its very accessible! You get let off at about 3rd and Jackson-ish and soon as you get to the surface you can walk to get food/drink/store all within 1-2 blocks! Also this stop is a good one if you want to get to the NORTH entrance of Qwest feild, instead of getting off at the "Stadium station", this is also a good alternative. I mainly use this station when leaving a game so that I can get on before the rest of the crowd does which most people get on at the stadium station. read more

I would like to apologize to any weary traveler who was riding the light rail a couple of Saturdays ago. I don't remember the exact date but my boyfriend and I decided to take the light rail to the airport just to see what it was all about. We weren't going anywhere but we also didn't have anything better to do and were downtown already and had ORCA passes burning holes in our pockets. The light rail was very clean and everything was working and nothing had been vandalized yet. We were a little confused about payment but we beeped our ORCA cards on the machine in the bus tunnel like the signs said to do. I guess if asked for proof of payment by a conductor you just show your card? I'm not sure how that proves that you actually paid - what if you have the kind of card where money is deducted every trip instead of just having a general pass? The light rail has a lot of rules, which are posted above the doors. Shoes are required and food and drink must be in closed containers. Service dogs only. You aren't allowed to yell, or hit other passengers, or distract the conductor. In short, you must conduct yourself with dignity. WELL WE WERE FAR FROM DIGNIFIED. There was a lot of yelling, jumping around and smacking each other. We got to the airport, wandered through baggage claim and then returned to the station where we boarded the Seattle-bound train. When no conductor was to be seen we flaunted our rebelliousness further by eating a chocolate bar. Take THAT Sound Transit! While I'm not sure that the Light Rail is faster than the 194 bus on a given day, I like that the ride time is guaranteed. (~34 minutes to the airport from downtown.) There's also more space to navigate with a suitcase than on a bus which I'm sure I would appreciate, were I a legitimate passenger as opposed to a loitering joy-rider. Also when you get to downtown, the Westlake stop is super convenient to pretty much every bus line in the city, making it really easy to get home. (...I would like to apologize to those weary travelers who got off the light rail with us and then boarded the #26 bus towards Fremont, never suspecting that we would board it too...) read more

My wish is that I had more reason to ride the light rail. I've loved my two trips to the airport - clean, smooth, fast - an overall pleasant ride where I could get my read on. Other than that, I tend to ride it back and forth across town from Convention Place to Othello for work and pleasure. I love that they come at fairly regular intervals. The seating is a bit cramped from my perspective but I'm willing to sacrifice that for a clean environment. Of all the times I've caught a ride, I only found a bit of a mess once. I can't blame them for that. I blame the rider that spilled coffee and didn't clean it up. We're lucky in Seattle; in D.C. you can't take coffee on the subway. The fare inspectors spend a fair amount of time stepping on board to check your transfer or Orca card. I think that's a bit much but it's their prerogative. Until I have a more consistent reason to ride the rail, I'll continue to make excuses to jump on here and there. read more

If you're landing at the Sea-tac airport in Seattle, this is the best and cheapest way to get to downtown Seattle. A one-way ticket costs $2.75...a steal compared to a taxi ride which would run you $40. The trip will take you around 45 minutes. I don't normally review things other than food, but this rail line deserves the props. read more

I am a big fan of public transportation because I have to drive to work everyday from Seattle to Everett. Public transportation really gives me time to relax and allows me to wander my mind around in my spare time. My first time taking light rail from Downtown Seattle to Rainier Beach, the experience was good. The light rail was really clean. The only thing I didn't like about the light rail was that it shares tunnel with buses. Therefore, it has some delay while the tunnel gets busy. I was from a city (Taipei) with great public transportation. So, this is a bit weaker than I have experienced. Their ticketing system is a bit weak as well. Even though they mentioned $174 penalty, there could be a chance that people can walk in without getting a ticket. (I think they randomly check tickets) P.S. I paid both way :-) with a Orca card. Orca Card is highly recommended if you take public transportation. So much more convenient and faster! read more

Pros: * Convenient and inexpensive * Just $3 got us to downtown Seattle, about 3 level blocks (no hills!) from our hotel, the Sheraton * Clean Cons: - cars are narrow, not geared for travelers with luggage - why are there steps on a train going to and from the airport? Area was useless for travelers arriving with luggage - luggage area, supposedly used to share with bikes, was miniscule and totally inadequate for the intended use. Totally useless since luggage couldn't be secured and kept slipping, sliding all over the slick floor. - rail station located a long walk away from the airport, you have to walk the length of the parking garage - ticket machine was hard to decipher, accidentally bought a dated paper ticket back to the airport when all I was really trying to do was add more $ to my Orca card read more

Can't say I didn't love this ride. $2.75 from the airport to downtown on a comfortable train ride. When I got there, only a 15 minute walk to my destination. More towns need to follow Seattle's lead! read more

Taking the Light Rail from SEA-TAC to downtown was really easy! It is a bit of a trek from the airport terminal to the station but it is a good way to stretch out your legs after sitting on a plane for a few hours. It is $2.75 one way and takes about 30 minutes to get from the airport to downtown and our hotel was a short walk away. It is also very clean and riders are polite. We came in on a Saturday and there was a Seahawks play-off game at home and it was neat seeing people wearing their Seahwaks gear. read more

It's important for a city to have a solid airport connection but this one is poorly executed: a) Why does it not stop at the airport but 1/2 mi before? It's tiring for me to carry my bags to the terminal, I can only imagine how it must be for older people or kids. b) The schedule sucks. The last train to Seattle is at 11p. Also the first train is too late to catch all the 6a flight. read more

Oh light rail, how I love you. The boy and I flew into Seatac on a Friday afternoon and jumped right on after a short walk through the parking structure. We just kept following the signs. SUPER easy - if you're thinking of taking a cab from the airport to Downtown...don't. This is super easy if you are staying in Downtown like we were. The Westlake stop (last stop) is practically in the Nordstrom on 5th and Pine. Super cheap $2.75...I said $2.75!!! It costs like $40 for a cab!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We jumped back on to go back to the airport Sunday night and it was super easy again. What can't we have this in LA???????????? read more

Why can't this be an option for traveling into the city every time?? I'd take this in to town and pay more for it. I'm a mass transit freak, so whenever it's an option, you'll find me on a train, subway, bus, donkey. But seriously, we took the train from Mukilteo down to Seattle to watch a Seachickens game during the 2011 season. The train starts out in Everett, stops in Mukilteo, then Edmonds, and then all the way downtown (atleast for the trip we took). My bro and I were able to nab seats, but by Edmonds, it was standing room only. Once we were set, we chilled with the fans, and soaked in the cool scenery of the Sound and downtown. The train takes you right downtown, and you can easily walk to the stadium in under five minutes. It's totally the way to go. For getting home, just leave the game a little early to nab a seat (it's not like they had a chance at winning, so you wouldn't miss anything--HA!). Then have a nice ride home. Simple as that. Slicker 'n snot. read more

Sunday - May 2nd. I bought a round trip ticket on the Seattle Light Rail train in order to get to a Mariners game on the same day. The transaction went through at the station, but when I walked down the stairs to the Light Rail stop, a security guard told me that the Light Rail was out of service. I waited for more than 20mins (they are supposed to run every 10mins on Sundays) before I decided to just walk to the baseball game instead. There was supposed to be a shuttle in place of the light rail, but the shuttle did not arrive within a reasonable time. There are supposed to be about 15 trains or so leaving every 10mins. I'm surprised every single one was not working that morning. Also, even if the "shuttle" had arrived, the bus is free within the transit tunnel anyway and the "shuttle" would have been a regular city bus, so there should not be a charge for that. If the train is not operational, then the payment terminal shouldn't allow any transactions to go through...what a scam. I have disputed the transaction with my bank. I will not pay for service that was not rendered. No wonder people in Seattle do not use public transit as much as in other cities...it's not friggin reliable. I will only use the light rail to go to the airport now, and even then I don't know if I can trust it. read more

as a huge fan of the bay area metro, BART, discovery of the Seattle Light Rail was damn near close to an early christmas present for me. and as a half jew...a late hanukkah present with the TINY price tag of $2.75 each way, hehe -- even from the airport?!? you got the bay area beat on that one. shows how long its been since I was in Seattle; the last visit we had to take the good ol' city bus from the airport into the city. with direct connection between the SEA/TAC airport and the heart of pikes place where I booked a hotel, my last minute forced Seattle vacation (flight canceled) was branded "meant to be." sure, this metro route is limited to a single back and forth course, but connection to the airport and city is HUGE considering the distance (i think its 30-40 mins?). and as far as i remember, the Seattle city bus is pretty efficient and reliable to get you around once you are in the city. clean, straight-forward, and runs every 10 minutes. and for those curious about the ticket honor system: i road the light rail twice. on my trip from airport to city, someone came around and checked tickets. on my ride back, no one checked. for such a small fair its worth just purchases and not taking the gamble...plus hopefully the revenue generated will provide funds for further expansion. kudos for seattle being added to my list of cities above san diego for public transit. every major city should have efficient public trans from their airport to the city. read more

Trains were definitely on time but the rails going down the escalator were absolutely disgusting! read more

Sound Transit - Link Light Rail - Dirty hands after using handrails on escalator. - Public Transportation Near Me - Seattle, Washington

So I started a new commute and was excited to be able to use the light rail and not add to the traffic congestion heading for downtown Seattle. My excitement quickly faded when on multiple attempts there was not a single parking space available at the Tukwila Int'l station. Yeah yeah yeah we're supposed to walk, bike, or bus to the station, but that is just not an option for me as I live in Des Moines. Might be nice if you are able to get there early enough to snag a spot... I'm now taking the Metro 150 bus which is much faster and there are other people that ride it that have been burned by the light rail system. Great idea, horrible execution on Sound Transit's part. read more

Awful. There is not a single day there is not a problem with this train. I don't understand why they even carry schedule if the are never able to follow it. the train is currently used more like a shelter than a means of transportation read more

The Light Rail Service is safe with good presence of security. It is clean and a very pleasant ride. It is a great way to get from Sea Tac Airport to downtown Seattle and only takes 30 minutes and $3.50! There are several communities in between and is also a good way to get to UDub (Univ. of Washington). The Light Rail runs very often which makes it very convenient and there are elevators, escalators and stairs for accessibility. I love riding the light rail and taking guest on it! Prices are good and the best thing is that you can get an all day pass if you will use it for several rides during one day otherwise you might want to ride it to your primary location then walk or take the free shuttle that is new since this summer and goes to and from several spots around downtown Seattle (the bus shuttle bus). See the blue signs posted like bus stops at the waterfront, Pike Place Market, etc. Oh, back to the Light Rail, you should pay whenever you ride or you very likely will get a first time warning from the agents who get on and off the light rail randomly throughout trips; they check your ticket or Orca card for validity. I understand that after the first warning, you will receive a citation for payment. It's such a cheap ride that it's better to pay than to chance it! Also, you might want to pay for a blue Orca Card which costs $5 at the kiosk (same place you purchase your ticket) and it can be loaded with $ for multiple trips in case you don't want to keep buying tickets for more than one day of travel. There is no discount by using the Orca card vs. daily tickets though. The Light Rail is quiet and can be crowded during peak hours. It's also just fine to bring whatever luggage you have which fits well under the seats or in the couple available luggage racks. Kiosks are located before you get on the Light Rail so be sure to look for them and buy your ticket before boarding. Oh, also, you should tap your card at the turn style on and off area if you have an Orca card, which completes your trip and may save you from paying for the entire route if you are only going a shortways. Tapping on and off also keeps your Orca card working properly or else if you don't tap on and off it may not record that you have a valid trip if checked by the agents. There is no extra cost to tap on or off. Lastly, public transportation is great in Seattle and the Light Rail is a big part...you can also use your Orca card on the bus, ferries, or street car. They each will deduct their respective costs and you won't have to buy separate tickets. You can walk many of the places as well, though! Enjoy the Light Rail! read more

Got to give Link Light Rail a try for a recent trip out of town; took it the full length of the line from Westlake Center to Seatac both ways. PROS: 1. Can't beat the price, $2.75 each way per person. 2. Clean cars 3. Generally adequate seating, I don't think any trains were full enough for folks to have to stand at least at the start of the line in Westlake and Sea-tac. CONS: 1. The westlake station is very large and clean once you're underground. However if you need to use the elevators to access this station, have your guard up. At the start of our trip it was obvious that the elevator entrance off of 3rd avenue had been used as a toilet. Totally filthy and it flat-out reeked. I was expecting more of the same within the actual station but that was actually nice and clean. Upon returning to Seattle, this same area at the top of the elevator on 3rd ave was cleaned up -- however there was an man in a wheelchair slumped over, apparently taking a nap, nearly blocking the exit from the elevator to the street. 2. You'll see some "characters" on the train. The most memorable was a guy drinking scotch out of a paper bag, harassing a woman traveling alone who was trying desperately to ignore his advances (she ultimately got off of the front car and re-boarded to the rear -- only problem is this fellow noticed several minutes later and proceeded to follow her into the next car), periodically giving the "finger" and saying threatening paranoid things to the security cameras in the trains ceiling, etc. Bottom line: not a bad way to get to he airport, but hey, it IS public transit, and some folks like to ride the trains because they have nothing better to do than get drunk and harass women while the voices in their head tell them to outwardly threaten the folks watching the security cameras, etc. Security looks like a joke on these trains. No one is apparently watching the security cameras. Wheelchair access exists but you're in for an adventure with the elevator access -- not sure why they can't keep these areas clear and relatively clean. I guess it's just not a priority and the city figures elevator access points can be used as a urinal / place to pass out by those less fortunate. It's sad, really. I won't be surprised when a stabbing or sexual assault on one of these trains makes the news. read more

Seattle is lucky to have this-- I love it when cities have a light rail that quickly and seamlessly links the airport to downtown. Fares are ridiculously cheap, trains are frequent and everything feels clean, all things considered. Half an hour to the airport from International District is nothing compared to how much time you could spend on I-5 or 99 if anything happened. On our last trip to the Pacific Northwest, we returned to Seattle from Amtrak, and then only had to walk about three minutes and wait about two minutes to get to lightrail. As easy as it gets. Denver is getting airport to the light rail in a couple of years, but in the meantime I'll just have to be jealous of my other favorite city. read more

This light rail system is excellent. Starts and Stops at the Seattle International Airport and for 2.50 per adult, I could go all the way past Downtown Seattle and it seems quicker than driving. Most Washington folks don't speed past 65 mph. Sure, if we were in cali where most folks go 70 to 90mph on the freeway then this slower however I arrived from Seattle airport to International District (china town) in 30 mins. The next few stops go to Downtown Seattle and the end point is Westlake. its pretty nuts to pay only 2.50 to get into the airport as well. I know caltrains charges an extra 4.00 just to get into San Francisco Airport even if we're passing through. Clean light rail, quiet and fast. 5 stars to you buddy read more

I finally tried out the Link Light Rail and am so pleased with its efficiency, convenience, and price that I just fiercely wish that it would expand already to fill all the nooks and crannies of all Seattle, its surrounding cities and beyond! How wonderful is it to take the light rail from Westlake all the way to SeaTac in about 40 minutes without having to drive in traffic or fork over $30+ for a taxi or shuttle? I especially like how clean everything is, from the trains to the stations, and it's so easy to use. My best experience was talking to one of the fare enforcer officers about how to use my ORCA card (I was a newbie on my first trip!), and he patiently explained to me when to tap my card..and he didn't make me feel like an idiot. I'm certainly looking forward to the addition of more stops and routes, in which case I would gladly give up my car and join the public transportation revolution. read more

Forget about cabs, towncars and airport shuttles. As a downtowner, Link light rail is the ONLY way to go to Sea-Tac airport. Link reminds me a lot of the Tube line from Heathrow to Central London (minus the warnings to "mind the gap"). Clean, cheap and... well, clean and cheap. The only thing better would be if the station were just a weeee bit closer to the terminal. read more

Live in a city without decent public transit for a while, and you will come to regale your wearied relations and friends about the relative joys of Seattle's light rail system. Imagine a world where trains pull up regularly and convey you to your destination with minimal fuss! Where parking is a matter largely irrelevant because you are flowing ahead of the gridlocked traffic between downtown and SeaTac, knowing full well you will make your destination on time and those poor souls may arrive home just in time to leave for work again. The Link light rail system is a long time coming, especially for those of us experienced with the BART system in San Francisco or SkyTrain in Vancouver. Periodic updates have made breezing around those cities' metro areas seemingly effortless and finally Seattle caught up. With Link, Sound Transit made some great strides in navigating the downtown to Tukwila corridor. Pop off the train twenty minutes after getting on at SeaTac, and you can be noshing on food in Pike Place Market. Stops in between are well serviced by buses and other transit hubs, as well as park and ride. The fees are fair, and the stations are very well-labeled, leaving little doubt about which direction trains arrive from or where you need to go. Once aboard, the trains are tidy and well-lit, with plenty of maps of the system. I don't commute through Seattle but I can attest to the generally outstanding layout that a newbie to the system and someone familiar with Seattle both understood. Call me a hell of a happy girl to be able to avoid congestion and rental cars when I just want to pop into the city for a weekend visit. Know that SeaTac station isn't built *into* SeaTac, like the Blue Line in Chicago O'Hare is. You'll have to dash your way up the corridors and walk hauling your luggage. read more

PROS: -if you're visiting Seattle and need to get from the airport to your hotel downtown, you can take the Link (faster than a bus and cheaper than a cab) -efficient and clean -designated area on each car for luggage -affordable CONS: -it would be awesome if they would expand where the Link runs instead of ending in downtown -the stop at the airport is still quite a walk to the terminals so be prepared in case you have a lot of luggage (if you are able to pull what you have then you'll be fine) -if you need to take the elevator at the downtown station, be prepared/forewarned: the elevators smell awful read more

Wow. Light rail is awesome! During peak hours the trains run every 7 minutes, so you never have to wait long. The downtown tunnel station is really cool too. The best part? The curvy tiles on the wall fits perfectly with your butt to make a comfy seat? Intentional, I'm not sure but I'l take it! The trains are clean, but it seems like they should have more seats. They are the size of a bus, but only fit half a bus. Weird. The journey to SeaTac was an interesting one. Let's just say it takes you through the interesting parts of town. Overall its cheap, quick and easy and who doesn't like that? PS. I agree that the SeaTac station is a bit far from the actual terminal, BUT it's not that bad if you aren't in a hurry. read more

Yet another waste of time by king county. This thing serves no fucking purpose, at all. it's 30 years too late and it literally goes around and away from all high traffic south end areas defeating it's purpose. They still don't have a north end or east side connection which would actually benefit seattle a lot more. They could have easily built a route to west seattle which would obviously be the most popular based on the hellish morning commute with L.A. tier traffic. But those things wont happen for another decade most likely, based on this is the same retarded town that begged tax payers to pay for a 90 million dollar roof repair, only to tear the whole thing down 3 years later and build 2 new stadiums for 2 of the shittiest teams ever. but I digress, back to the subject... You have to go up stairs to pay and I'm sure most people don't, they really need to ditch those stupid cards and switch to tokens or something, sound transit has been a dumb idea since inception and doesn't dissapoint in being inefficient, ineffective and unavailing. read more

I took the rail for the first time. I'm glad the police are at the rail watching over as there are a lot of homeless or derelict people walking around. The rail is fast and I would definitely use the rail as transportation around Seattle. read more

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

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Absolutely amazing. While I've not yet been to the airport station, I already prefer taking the train and connector bus to get to Sea-Tac. The ride is smooth, the stations (and the art!) are beautiful, and the new ORCA card system makes it easy to use. The old bus service to the airport often gets stuck in traffic - this does not. The bus was always packed, and very very slow to load. Ridership reports put this at three to four times as many riders as the old 194, but it's quick to load - eight doors speeds things up! Oh, and another thing - I've been on it when it's pretty empty at night, and totally packed after a game, and the climate control is great - buses end up like stinky saunas, but the train stays nice. I can't wait until the airport station opens in December! read more

What a cool and easy way to get to the airport from downtown Seattle! Very quiet, clean--lots to look at from the windows---can hardly wait for 100 more of these in our area.... read more

Pros: - Cheap - Clean - Clear map Cons: - SO SLOW!!! I don't know where all these other reviewers have travelled in the past but light rails suck. I'm use to going at LEAST as fast as the cars when coming from the airport. Not so. It will take you an hour, at least, to get from the airport to the city. This is a BIG con to me because it's the only reason I ever use the light rail. - It barely goes anywhere. I know they're expanding but for now it seems so dumb. read more

Second time using it to get to Seatac. I usually have my Orca card with me, but in rushing to catch the bus to Westlake, I mistakenly left it at home and then assumed a bus transfer was valid (it only used to cost the one fare when only taking the bus). I got pinched by the transit po-po at Othello station, another $2.25. The security guards were actually very professional. I just think it's odd I now need to pay for both the bus and rail to make the same trip to the airport. Make sure you pay for the ride, they seem pretty serious on verifying that you did. Took pictures of my passport and logged me in their system (for a warning). The train is clean, but slower than taking the old 194(?) express bus since you can't skip the south Seattle stops. It does seem a little sketch later at night as a couple of drunks may wander on and the southern stops can pretty much be empty. We are in Seattle, though, so there's really not much to be worried about. I think it's ok, but you've got to give the city props for finally getting some sort of metro system going. read more

First time on it from Seatac to ID. It was delay because of MLK road accident. Who design the rail map? Delay almost does not happen in Asia's rail. All in all, the train is clean and I feel safe traveling with it. read more

EXCELLENT way to get around Seattle without the need of renting a car. I loved taking the Light Link and I felt like a native. It got a little crowded during the busy hours but everyone was nice and polite. The Light Link was very clean and well kept. Definitely the best way to get around!!! read more

Love it!!! It's clean, safe, fast enough, and pretty cool! I hope to see Light Rail expend its route to all over the greater Seattle area. Oh wait! Now I live here, so does it mean that I need to pay tax for it and suffer bad traffic around construction zones?? So be it! I think it's worth taking some hit for it. I mean, lets face that Seattle is not the most convenient city to drive around not alone find parking. I try to take Light Rail if all possible when I go to downtown. It's only $ 5 around trip, and I get to just chill listening music. Hassle Free! read more

Thanks for your new Northgate Station that stopped all trains this afternoon and made us miss our flight as a slew of angry riders were panic hailing Lyfts and Ubers. Even after paying another $80 dollars for an Uber, we barely made it with 15 minutes before boarding. Keep your $7. Waste of goddamn time. Don't rely on this to get you anywhere on time.... read more

The Link Light Rail was probably the MVP of my trip to Seattle. It's about as uncomplicated as it gets - one train line that runs all the way from Angle Lake (south of the airport, not far from Tacoma) north to the University of Washington. You can get to many of the major areas of Seattle (SeaTac, Tukwila, Rainier Beach, Beacon Hill, the stadiums, Chinatown, Pioneer Square, etc.), all within about a 30-45 minute ride, give or take 5-10 minutes depending on where you're stopping and starting. The fare is $3 one-way. I never once felt unsafe on the train. Just about everyone observes the unwritten rules of public trans - don't engage other riders unless there's a reason to, don't block seats when the train is crowded, don't sit in the disabled person seats, don't block the doors, don't talk loud or play loud music, etc. The trains run every 10-15 minutes, which makes them ultra convenient. They're quick. My nearly daily commute between Rainier Beach and most of the stops in Seattle proper took about 35 minutes. One heads up about the stadiums. First, there is a stadium stop (appropriately called Stadium). It's really best used for T-Mobile Park, the baseball field. The next stop, International District/Chinatown, is closer to CenturyLink Field, the football stadium. You can get to the Seahawks game from the Stadium stop, but it's a pretty good distance away. Second, the Stadium stop still involves some walking to the baseball park, and the stop can be hard to find in the dark after the game. Not much is marked in terms of signage (one of my big pet peeves). Best thing to do is stay inside the stadium after the game and walk to the center field gate. It lets out onto Royal Brougham Way, and you want to take that east. You'll follow it down some steps and a curved ramp, and you'll end up at the intersection of Royal Brougham and 4th Avenue. You'll see some bus stops that say Stadium on them. Unless you really want to take the bus, ignore them, cross 4th and you'll get to the light rail platform. The Metro will sometimes run extra shuttles to and from the stadium during games so you rarely have to wait very long, although if the game was very well attended (not a problem lately, as the Mariners are not very good), it can be very crowded. So take your time and let a couple super crowded trains go so you don't have to be packed into one like a sardine in a tin can. read more

A clumsy innovation. The Good: There is a great convenience in a constantly running transport between downtown and the Sea-Tac airport. Far more reliable and eco-friendly than buses and much cheaper than taxi. The Bad: Ridiculously overcrowded about 90% of the time (I've ridden at all hours). Be prepared to stand most of the time. A lot of creepy characters will join you for your ride, and they usually don't pay (fare enforcement is lax). Still extremely expensive compared to commuting by car, so really not economical ($4 to round trip and 1 mile stretch). A monument to inefficient waste of tax dollars. Shares tunnels with buses which adds delays, exhaust, and creepy bus people to your commute experience. read more

If you haven't used the light rail yet, you're missing out! Tons of stops, and trains run like every ten minutes during the day. A great alternative to paying for parking in Seattle. Just be sure you buy a ticket. Saw a few people trying to free ride without getting caught and fare enforcement caught them. $124 ticket. Was that really worth trying to save $2.75? read more

I cannot claim impartiality as a reviewer here. I was thrilled when the Link light rail system was proposed and approved, and I bought a house near one of the stations with the idea that I would train to work as often as possible. That said, I am as big a fan in practice as I was in theory. Sound Transit seems to have hit its stride with Central Link after a few initial hiccups. Things they are doing right: * Trains come frequently, from every 7 minutes during commute hours to 15 off hours. Even late in the evening, you never wait long for a train. * Trains are clean and safe. ST spends a good bit of effort to keep the train cars clean, and security patrols on the trains and at stations deter crime. * Airport! Once the SeaTac leg opened up, getting to and from the airport from downtown has become a snap. Now, they could improve a few things. Notifications of delays via SMS are cool, but it would be great to offer more features like the ability to set times when you don't want alerts (I am usually sleeping, not commuting, at 11pm on a Wednesday). The alerts could also be more timely. It would also be nice to have status boards at the stations with train info. On the whole, though, ST is doing a great job. Keep it up - and I can't wait for the UW line! read more

If you need to be late for your next outing, link light rail is for you! They show up whenever.