The easiest and cheapest way to get in and out of the airport. Truly a gem. Your life will be a lot easier with an ORCA card however so get one of those as transfers don't work from bus to train if you pay cash. (they might not work anyway but still, get a card) read more

I used the LINK to travel to and from SEA and downtown and it was a great experience. The ticket machines were easy to use and I found the trains to be clean - there were even areas to place your luggage. My only complaint is that the Westlake station did not have down escalators. It's quite a hike and if you have a bunch of luggage, you are pretty much forced to take the elevator. But seriously, for $2.50 each way (as opposed to a $35 cab ride), I will definitely use LINK again when I travel to Seattle. read more

We got on at Angle Lake to get to a Mariner game. We gave ourselves a little over an hour.......ooops. First mistake. Extended delays kept us from being at the game on time. When the game was over we had to take it back to our car. A kid vomited in our car and even though we followed the instructions to report it, nobody came on to clean up the vomit. Very unpleasant night overall. read more

Not a fan of the light rail. The lack of staff or written directions at each of the stops combined with the robo cops who police the train for "tickets" makes the system confusing and dysfunctional. There are no directions on how Orca works and instead of the "ticket cops" being helpful, giving direction or scanning your Orca once you are on the train so that you can pay (I must dream too big), they full on ask for ID, write you up and take a picture of your license without informing you they are going to be taking a picture. The bus drivers don't do this and it costs more to ride the bus than it does the train!!! All I wanted to do was pay my fee and I could not believe how rude, unhelpful and shady the "ticket cop" was. I will not be riding again. read more

So I came into town yesterday to visit friends, and for $2.50 to get from the airport to downtown who can complain ? Me thats who ! why no option for a visitors pass ? 3 day 4day ? and why the hell do I have to pay $5 for a Orca card I am gonna use for 4 days then not be able to find my next trip out here ? other than that the link light rail is great it got me downtown and I was able to switch to a bus with my Orca card and get up on Capitol Hill and see friends it has been about a year not that the Orca card has been working I did love the helpfulness of the security guys at Seatac that pointed me in the right direction to get on the Light Rail thank you read more

I've taken the Link Light Rail twice from Westlake to Seatac Airport and was very pleased both times. First off - Westlake is a great place to catch the light rail, because it's the first stop, and you have a much better chance at catching a seat (unless some big event is happening, I don't see why you couldn't grab one). The whole ride is about 45 minutes long, and only costs $2.75 for a one way ticket! Plus, you don't have to deal with rush hour traffic, if you're traveling at heavy travel times. YOU MUST PURCHASE YOUR TICKET BEFORE BORDING!!!! Many people who ride this think it's similar to riding the bus, where you pay before you get off. Unfortunately, if one of the link employees catches you, you'll be in trouble! Actually, you probably won't -- you might just have to pay them the $2.75 in cash or something. But still! I haven't seen any of the employees checking tickets yet, but I'm pretty sure they do. Luckily, there are several places on the Mezannine level of Westlake station to purchase tickets, and I'm sure they are not difficult to find at the other stops. This is a very convenient way to get to the airport (or Tukwila, or several of the other outlaying areas between Seatac and downtown Seattle), the only thing is that I wish the light rail would go a little faster -- similar to the one they have in San Francisco! But, beggars can't be choosers. It's convenient, and reasonably fast, and you don't have to drive in downtown Seattle! read more

Hell to the *YES*! It's about friggin' time, right!?! One star off because it doesn't always stick to that 7.5-15min schedule, and stops in tunnel & on tracks too often to be super quick to compete with similar bus service in the Valley. I ride it almost every day & am in love most days. ** To people bitching about parking, try to think if rail stations were in your neighborhood and all the A*holes traveling to DT parked in front of your home everyday so they could take light rail....and there is your answer. Parking abounds at Tukwila if you do need to drive, and it looks like some might be put in at Mt. Baker station. Ride your Effin bike, walk your ass, or take the bus...and shuttie your mouth. read more

Travelling from Sea-Tac airport to downtown costs you only $2.75 versus $30/$40 on Lyft of Uber and you get off right in downtown Seattle. If heading to points north of downtown there's commuter bus service and always ride share for like $15/$20 and saves you a few bucks then from getting a ride share at Sea-Tac Airport. The station often feels cramped because if the amount of people using the light rail system. They could've chosen or planned for more open spaces and less congestion during peak commute times during the week but it is what it is. Think about it $2.75 to go anywhere the light rail can take you! read more

Finally! Seattle has come into the 21st century with its transportation options! The Light Rail is fast, clean, and cheap. It's the only way I ever get to the airport. Yes, it's a bit of a walk to the actual terminal from the stop, but imagine if you had paid $40 for a cab ride instead. read more

Thank you to your security team. We set a carry on bag down at the University station while waiting the train. We realized as we approached the next stop that we didn't have the bag. We panicked. My husband went to get on the northbound train to go back, what are the chances it will be there?!? He saw security on his way to get on that train. Security radioed to the other station. They had the bag. What a relief. Thank you so much for watching over your stations the way you do. Except for some construction, everything is clean, easy to use. We felt safe. We will definitely use the link next time we are in Seattle. read more

Well, the little lady finally made me try it - started from Tukwila and went all the way to Westlake. Ok, here is the positive - I didn't have to stress about driving downtown or parking. It was cheaper than parking/valet. I didn't worry about monitoring my alcohol intake because I had to drive home. And now, the SUCK- No bathrooms at the Westlake station - I didn't search around Tukwila, but I didnt notice any as I came and went. How can you have a station where there are so many people gathering, and have no restrooms? Great thinking!! Absolutely no restrictive measures taken to ensure only PAID riders have access - NOTHING! oh, except that worrysome SIGN. REALLY? No need to pay, there is nothing that will stop you from riding the rail - don't worry, the honest and the working taxpayer will cover it. For those of you who can't afford a car, and just don't want to pay, this is a great way to get to and from anywhere along the line. Who knows if I will use it again - but I will try to remember to use the latrine before I ride! And I am riding for free next time!! WHOOO HOOOO!! read more

An awesome way to get around and not expensive, a Day pass cost me about $2.50 and I was able to go back and forth between all the stops. I started at SeaTac Station and went as far as Westlake which is the end of the road, although it's expanding and has since my last trip. It's a smooth ride and doesn't go too fast, takes about 45 minutes from SeaTac to Westlake with all the stops. To stay focused on the Light link rail itself, the one thing I did notice and this was on every use of the train, no one once ever checked tickets. I feel like I could have walked on and rode for free though why risk it? also I want to support the Seattle Transit systems. Other than that, I really enjoyed riding the train and enjoying the sights. Hoping to see it continue to expand! read more

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

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We tried to take a bus to the St. Patrick's Day parade. The bus was full at our stop. We had to drive and park downtown. We realized that we saved time and money by parking downtown. Ironic. Seems weird that with all the events happening downtown today there was no plan for more bus service. read more

$2.75 for a one-way ticket from Sea-Tac to Westlake Center? Sound Transit - Link Light Rail was clean, comfortable, quiet and safe (two transit cops were in my car on my trip). It's faster than the bus, much cheaper than a taxi, and no traffic jams. I'm sold! read more

Absolutely love how cheap this is. Located conveniently next to the airport, you pay $2.75 one way to get from SEATAC to downtown Seattle.

Great system need I say more. Clean and secure environment. Several trips from SeaTec to Space Needle for leisure and was so easy to get around. read more

The driver re-opened the doors for us when he saw us racing to the pad. A security guard let my 3 year old son pee in the bushes at the Mount Baker Station. (c'mon he's potty training... it's not gross or something) It comes like every 5 minutes it seems. We've never waited longer Mon-Sun 7a to 7p. It's totally clean (for now). I can say... "oh, don't drive over, just take the train!" I feel so East Coast. read more

Fair prices, clean cars, quick and frequent service. What's not to love? We took the train to and from the airport to downtown on our trip to Seattle. We rode each way for only $2.75 each which is a steal compared to both other options (taxi, renting a car) and public transportation costs I've seen in other cities. The ride was comfortable and at each stop there was an announcement of what stop it was so we knew where we were. The stops were convenient for where we were staying in downtown Seattle. Plus the train runs frequently enough that there is no need to worry about catching a very early one to catch a flight! There is a bit of a walk to the security/ticketing area from the train stop but as long as you aren't carrying too many things you will be fine. Edited to add: At both of the stations we used, there were machines to purchase your tickets and you could pay with a credit card. Much easier than carrying cash. read more

Riding the light rail after enduring three years of Bay Area public transit was like coming home to find out your younger sister is engaged to a billionaire doctor who cares for orphans and has a side business as a master chef...while you're married to a forty-five-year-old manchild who hasn't showered in three years and is, you know, really looking for a job. Really. It's just so hard to leave the house when Married With Children is on. $2.50 from Sea-Tac to downtown. Sparkling clean. On time. No crackheads, bums, obnoxious teenagers, taggers, or otherwise crazy folk. BART and MUNI need to figure out what it is that Sound Transit is doing and take a hint. read more

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME.. soooooooo easy to get form sea-tac airport to downtown seattle.. i thought i'd have a hard time finding it.. it's soooo easy.. just hop on the bus that says link.... drops you off at tukwila station (they don't have it completed yet to the airport)... and then you just get on and wait till the last stop which is the westlake center.. in seattle downtown... it was super easy.. super cheap $2.50.. and quiet and squeaky clean... i love it sooo much.. i wish there were more lines going everywhere.... read more

In comparison to the San Francisco Bart system, the Seattle Light Rail is probably not as convenient. What they need is good parking lots at every stop so that people can do the park and ride thing. They have parking at the Tukwila stop and that is about it. I'm still giving it 5 starts because Seattle still badly needed this light rail for the convenience to getting to the airport from Downtown and vice versa. We are a world class city now! read more

4 Stars Instead of taking a cab from the airport to my hotel downtown, paying $40, and risk getting stuck in Friday traffic, I jumped on the light rail. It took about 25 minutes max to get to the downtown exit (University St.) and only cost me $2.50. Took it back to the airport when my trip was over and it was just as convenient. read more

This light rail is so convenient if it passes by where you need to go. I took this to/from Westlake and the SeaTac airport, and Stadium. It's a bit of a hike from the airport terminal to the train station though, as you have to walk through/around the parking garage. LINK lets you off pretty close to Safeco Field and CenturyLink field; it's about two blocks away from what I remember. Very convenient if you're heading to a game like I was. The last stop is Downtown, at Westlake. My hotel was right by there, so going to/from the airport was a piece of cake. The fare is $3 from end to end, and a little bit less if you're not traveling as far. It sure beats taking a taxi or a shuttle bus from the airport. It runs every 10 minutes too. The only thing is I wish it had a little bit more room for luggage storage, but that's a very minor complaint. read more

My girlfriend and I are here visiting from out of town, and didnt want to drive into the city at all so weve been taking the train in and out of Seattle for the last few days, so happy that we. Easy, affordable, convenient to say the least. for $6 each person for an all day pass, way worth it. youd spend more in gas just to get to Seattle downtown area, let alone the parking cost lol. the only issue is parking for the transit, the parking lots and parking structures fill up pretty fast, so you may not find parking and might have to drive around to look for some. It is a bummer to have to deal with, but i wont knock down the transit because of that, even if they are the same business lol. The transit was and has been great, definitely would recommend. read more

what is there to say , public transportation . if you want to make it to the airport from westlake staion in about 40 min and dont have alot of money here you go. now if you drive to catch this thing be warned there is almost no park at the light rail station . you may even get to see peopel tring to ride for free. read more

Well, the Sound Transit definitely had my adrenaline pumping faster than when I went skydiving (see that review). My flight was changed to two hours earlier, my job had kept me at work, and best of all the light rail was stuck! I cursed the train transit and I cursed myself. Why was it so important to save $30, when it meant that I could very well miss the graduate school graduation of my sister Rachel J (Yelper extraordinare from San Francisco)? Riding the transit in this city is incredibly frustrating especially when I compare it to the cash poor, but transit rich city 150 miles to the South. Simple fixes could really help. The trains should not become stuck for no good reason. If they do become stuck, all passengers should be notified of the extent of the delay. If the delay is greater than 25 minutes they should be offered a bus. I also can't figure out for the life of me why I need to walk, or in this case sprint, over a quarter of a mile (yes I mapped it) to the terminal? Oh well. A step, albeit a mediocre and very late one, in the right direction, hence the 4 stars. read more

New, clean, efficient, easy peasy. Fantastic for tourists staying downtown. Good price! $2.50 for a ride downtown from the airport. Honor system to ride it, but there are random inspections. read more

I'm from Boston and, like the song says, I grew up riding the subway. (Yes, I know the song is about NYC, but let's not quibble about it, k?) Anyhow, I am very much pro-public transportation and so am very happy the light rail has finally opened in Seattle. I live relatively close to one of the stations and have been taking it on a pretty regular basis over the past few weeks. Though it is a 25 minute walk from my house, it gives me an alternative to having to wait an hour for a bus should I happen to downtown after rush hour OR it gives me a good excuse to take a walk on a cool summer morning. There is never a long wait for a train. Even though (as I am very happy to see) they are getting a decent amount of people riding, I only once could not get a seat. It is MUCH faster to get from my end of town by light rail than by bus. It is clean. It is safe. I am really rooting for the light rail's success and look forward to watching it expand to other parts of the city. read more

I took the light rail for the first time to a Seahawks game. Let me tell you that it was so so easy to park and just jump on. You do have to pay first before you can jump on. But it was quick and easy. Lots of people where on it as well. Beats paying for parking down at the Stadium and sitting in the traffic to get out of that area after a game. read more

Doesn't serve that many places, but very convienent if it runs where you need to go. P.S. I was grossed out by someone throwing up on the train after a Seahawks game. There was no staff to be found that day or any other day that I rode. But, hey, how about not throwing up like that or if you do, clean it up? read more

Its nice to finally have some real transit in Seattle and a convenient way to get tourists to/from the airport. BUT! 1. It doesnt run late enough. You can't use Link to go out on the weekends since it only runs until around 11:30pm and you will be STRANDED. 2. Its SLOW! The drivers are brake-happy and it just CRAWLS through the tunnel. Its kind of embarassing when I have friends from other big cities along with me. 3. "Train is stopped due to traffic ahead" Are you KIDDING ME? I will try to get over the inherent irony of that announcement. If you hear this announcement northbound after University St, just bust out your Ipod and get comfortable because you'll be in there a while. read more

The city had started construction on the rail lines before I moved away and finished them right as I left. Prior to my move, I had knocked light rail without trying it, saying what a lot of others were saying...it doesn't really go anywhere besides the airport and downtown...this is Seattle trying to compete with Portland's MAX light rail system and failing immensely, etc etc. This week I finally submitted and took light rail downtown to meet up with some friends. I gotta say...I am impressed. Way more reliable than the Metro bus system, little to no wait time, so much cleaner, don't have to wait for traffic, warm (I think all the seats are located next to heating vents), easy to understand maps and arrival time tables. Not much of a view when you're riding, but hey, what're ya gonna do? If anything, you get to see the heart of southeast Seattle, I think that's pretty rad. I'm excited for expansion of the line, because as nice as it is now, having east-west access will be a dream. Of course, this will lead to a traffic/construction nightmare to some, myself included. A little anxious to see how this does when Seattle gets some significant snowfall. My only gripe is the lack of the number of rail cars there are. As the city continues to grow and change, and movements towards being car-less in the city become more and more common place, the city will need to expand this system a little bit more to accommodate for those who want to take advantage of the light rail option. Right now, rail cars can get a little crowded (by a little, I mean a lot...butts to nuts here, people) as people get off of work or out of school. Otherwise, thumbs up, Light Rail. read more

OK. This was my first time riding the light rail and we did so for the Mariners Game. I feel like I have some common sense so forgive me if I don't get it. We decided to leave from the Tukwila station since we live a little south of there. I really don't understand the parking lot situation. You would think they would have built a garage to accommodate the cars. We left a couple of hours early and got the last spot. I have also had a friend in the past just decide to drive since he could not find a spot in the past. The goal of getting the damn cars off the freeway and onto light rail.... duh put MORE PARKING areas that are close to all stops. Where are the bathrooms? We needed help to find the one bathroom stall which was by the bus station hidden and was warned to be careful and told to wash up 5 times. I guess there are some fishing things that happen in the bathroom which is buried in the back with one stall, not even a urinal. I was told once, if you want thing to be notice and safe don't hide the damn thing. I would figure they would have had it in open display where it could be safe and to accommodate the mass crowd that gets back from the M's game or working hours. Believe me, I am sure there were folks that need to use the restroom after that game. And I feel that folks should not have to run out of the transit station because of being afraid. That is sad. The pay structure was laughable and they want me to pick up the tab for the light rail through taxes. How about have some structured points with some real monitoring like NY, SF and Atlanta does which I have riding all of those. Maybe they will get some revenue from it instead of doing the honor system. We could have ridden the damn thing for free. Yes I am aware of the so called checker that may check for tickets but don't ask me to pay for something you are more then likely giving it for free or not making a serious effort to help pay for it. I hope they have other large parking areas for the other stops but did not see so. That is probably the reason why everybody from the Mariners game all got on and exited at the last stop. Honestly I saw maybe 5 people get off all stops from the stadium to the Tukwila station since I was sitting in the back. Overall I believe there needs to be a mass light rail and it needs to eventual go through Federal Way, Downtown Tacoma, Fort Lewis area and then Olympia with small stops for park and rides. I hope they figure it out but overall very Disappointed. read more

As a public transportation enthusiast, I was very excited to experience the Light Link rail. The train came very quickly and the price was cheap. The train took no wrong turns. However, I do have a few observations: I was slightly confused about the way doors opened on the right sometimes and left other times. The audio would say "doors to my right," for example, which could be the train's right, the engineer, or one of the passengers. There was no specification on whose right it was. If it was the train, it was a woman's voice and I find it sexist to assume the train is female. Also, I found the escalators were a bit faulty and slow. Although this might've been because at SeaTac station, I tried to ascend the downward moving escalator. Quite an awkward experience, I was laughed at. I feel like some people are kind of rude! read more

Seattle's all grow-ed up and has a big city subway system. All joking aside, the link itself is quite nice - fast, clean and runs frequently. Only once have I been forced off the train for a system malfunction (blockage in the tunnel) and then was able to quickly transfer to a local bus and continue my trip into downtown. Otherwise the Link has been exceptionally reliable. I wish I could say the same for Metro Transit... Unfortunately, with all the changes to the South Seattle buses (beginning this month) it has been a nightmare get to and from the light rail station to my home. The 107 (replacing the once-fabulous 42) has proven so overcrowded and generally unreliable that I simply take the 106 bus from downtown to Rainier Beach (bypassing the link entirely) and walk an extra 3/4 of a mile to my house. Since there is no parking at the station, it wouldn't even help if I owned a car. Overall: good concept and reasonable implementation but local bus service MUST be improved before this becomes a reliable service for South Seattle commuters. read more

Just moved in a short walk away from the Mt.Baker rail stop. It's a lovely stop that reminds me of riding the S-Bahn in Munich, unfortunately not all the light rail stops are so nice. The light rail will get infinitely more awesome when they finish the U-Dub connection, and I certainly hope they decide to run a couple trains after bars close to cut down on dunk driving (what, running a 2:15am train isn't worth saving a life?). The light rail is good now, but in 5-10 years it will be great. It's just too bad we didn't start building it 20 years ago. read more

When the machine displayed our total as $5.50 the other morning - the two of us were on our way to SeaTac, to fly to LONDON! WOO HOOOOOO! - I darned near had an infarction. "Stupid low rent piece of crap Seattle bullsh** broken machines crappy podunk stupid piss-ant small-time penny ante I hate Seat... wait. What?!?! It's NOT broken?! The fare is really TWO dollars and a measly SEVENTY FIVE cents per ADULT? To the airport!? Wow!" So, yeah. It is an Honestly Truly Really Good Thing. In this two-bit, penny ante, small-time town. I love this train! read more

As a tourist I am *loving* this light rail. Cheap as hell, quick, drama-free and CLEAN. Keep in mind my frame of reference is NYC's MTA system so this is heaven sent HA! read more

Every time I walk on Broadway, I always see the construction of the Capitol Hill station. Thoughts: I get to go from school[[Seattle University]] to home [[Beacon Hill station]] whenever I need to? All in a matter of 10 minutes or so? YEEEEE The downside, I have to wait =( But patience makes the heart grow fonder. eh? read more

Though still wet behind the ears and limited to the Downtown-SeaTac starter line, Link Light Rail is a smooth, easy, and inexpensive way to travel between the neighborhoods/communities of Downtown, International District, Beacon Hill, Rainier Valley, and SeaTac. Yes, it is a pretty slow ride from Westlake Center to the Airport, but unlike I-5 or buses, it can be relied upon to take about that amount of time in 9 out of 10 cases. You also don't have to worry about what the hundreds of other cars surrounding you are doing when riding Link. You can think about other things and reduce daily stress without putting your life in danger. Though not as fast as SF's BART, for a city the density of Seattle, Link is appropriately designed (significant subway and elevated stretches). Elevating the whole Rainier Valley stretch would have been nice, but certainly more expensive. From what I've seen, people from most walks of life can be seen riding Link. It is closer to the feel of BART than Los Angeles' Metro Rail. Cost-wise it is inexpensive at $2.75 for the Westlake-SeaTac ride compared to $40 for a taxi. For visitors it's a super easy way to get from the airport to the key tourist and business areas of Downtown/waterfont/Seattle Center. There are hotels on both ends of the line, the less expensive ones being near the airport. In the coming years, with extensions to UW-Northgate-Lynwood, Bellevue-Redmond, and Kent, its usefulness will grow accordingly. I eagerly await Link becoming a truly regional system, making commute by rail accessible for tens of thousands of new potential riders. read more