Why can't BART be more like SeaTac? The trains are clean, quiet, smooth, and run about every 10 minutes. The ride from the airport to downtown Seattle is only $2.50. One of the stops (Beacon Hill) has a "Aztec" design motif worked into its structure to reflect the historical significance of the nearby Centro de la Raza. read more

I admit it I do use the Light Rail often to get to places. Bike friendly too! Honestly, Light Rail isn't making money. Lots of money wasted for this too. My taxes are paying for this? Now the monorail is too? read more

I love light rail to get to the neighborhoods close by easy and quick yet they need to have more signs explaining the orca card payment process.. you scan before you get on AND after you get off... twice.. i saw a sign in the train today about this but still wasn't too clear. more signs by where you scan your card read more

Ahh... nothing like getting home from the airport for just $2.50 on the Link Light Rail (LLR). You can use your bus pass for LLR, or also your purchased ticket as bus fair which is nice. There is room for improvement though: 1) I don't care if it comes every 7 minutes or if you have a fancy pamphlet to bedazzle... Link Light Rail needs a printed SCHEDULE or at least a time table to tell you how long it takes to get to the airport! It would be nice to have something other than the fluffy pamphlet that gives raw facts: first/last train and how long it takes from the airport to the last stop (and vice versa). If you are planning to take it to the airport, you need to know how long it takes to get you there. 2) The transfers to get home weren't that hot, but the price can't be beat so I obliged. I took a shuttle to get to the LLR station, took LLR to downtown, then took a bus from downtown to Ballard. All in all the total ride time was about 1 hr and 20 minutes. I think it will be better once they complete the leg from the Tukwila station to the airport, and ditch the shuttle. 3) I am not familiar with Seattle's bus tunnels, but it would be nice if there was some handout or something that showed what buses you could transfer to at each stop--you know, kinda like big city metros have. I guess just do your homework for now. Those are my biggest complaints, but I would still recommend it. It was a comfortable ride at a great price and once the link is completed to extend to the airport (scheduled for December 2009) it will be pretty sweet. I can't wait til this thing gets extended throughout more of the city. Woot! Happy Link Lighting! read more

The average household spends 18 cents of every dollar on transportation, and 94% of this goes to buying, maintaining, and operating cars, the largest expenditure after housing. Access to bus and rail lines reduces driving by 4,400 miles per household annually. These facts and many more point to the conclusion that in our ever increasingly urbanized North American society, public transit will be a driving force. It is especially essentially for growing metropolitan cities such as Seattle to invest as early as possible into sustainable, cost effect, and environmentally modes of transportation. I am really very please by the system which has been proposed for Seattle. Even in it's very young phases the system provides a good way to get from Seattle city proper to the airport and back (SeaTac international is actually in the town of SeaTac, between Seattle and Tacoma). Hopefully they actually complete the building project and build a lasting system which will address the rampant traffic issues which have been becoming worse and worse in Seattle by the year. read more

I know some people complain about how this is too slow, not often enough, etc, etc. They should go live someplace where there either is no public transport, or the transport they have takes two hours to get someplace you could drive to in twenty minutes and where you have to share the buses with meth addicts and pervert old men. Coming at this from just such a background I have to say I love this light rail. I'm in downtown Seattle from where I live by the airport in half an hour. I don't have to try and park downtown. It's very clean, you don't feel like you're going to pick up something contagious from sitting down. I also like the fact that there is security both on the train and in the station, it keeps the creepers under control. I know I'll be using it again in the future! read more

My fiance and I took the light rail from the airport to downtown LA for our cruise. This was the cheapest transportation available. Can't get any cheaper than about $2.50 per person! We had 2 big luggages but that wasn't much of a problem since our luggages had wheels. However walk from the main airport to the light rail station was pretty far. I wouldn't recommend if you're by yourself and have multiple big luggages. read more

I was happy to hear that Seattle finally jumped on board with better public transportation. The few times that I've had the pleasure of visiting beautiful Seattle, I always rented cars to get around. It was really nice to have a stress-free ride on a clean, cheap, rail system that gets you into downtown Seattle in a about 30 minutes or so. I think that it only cost me around $2.50 to get from SEATAC International Airport to Westlake Shopping Center. That is a bargain. The only thing that I thought that could be better is if they had more information as to what attractions would be close to what stop posted on signs on the train. For example, we were not sure what stop would place us close to Pike's Marketplace. We did not see any signs posted anywhere. For other traveler's information, the University or Westlake Stations would probably be the best for getting you closest to Pike's Marketplace. In addition to this, the walk to the SEATAC Link Light Rail Train Station was a little bit of a walk. The walk from the airport to where you catch the train was fine for me. However, if you consider someone who with a walking handicap or is a bit older, it would be difficult for them to get from the airport terminal to train station. I did not see any electric carts available for shuttling the handicap and elderly back and forth between the train station and the airport. All in all though, the Seattle Link Light Rail is a nice environmentally friendly and cheap form of transportation that is an added bonus to visiting Seattle. read more

This review is mostly for their lost and found. After the Seahawks game I took the light rail home and in a drunken stupor happened to leave my beloved iphone on one of the trains. Upon realization (the next morning) I frantically e-mailed them hoping somebody had found it and turned it in. Sure enough 3 days later my iphone and I were once again reunited! As for the light rail itself, it is not too shabby, my only complaint is there arent enough stops. Nothing like the subway's or metro's of NY and Europe. Seattle still has a long ways to go to catch up to the rest of the world in the public transportation department, but this is a step in the right direction. read more

Great system! Convinient to get from airport to downtown in less than 30min only 2.50$! Clean trains! read more

This is the best way from downtown to Seatac. The fairs are extremely low and if you have a pass like I do, I get to ride it all the fine :). My only complaint is that you have to tap your card even if you have a pass but I understand that they need to make sure people have paid. The trains are clean and there is plenty of space in each light rail car. Fun fact: link is actually heavier than heavy rail. It really is a shame that more people don't know about link. Sound transit needs to do a better job of telling visitors to seattle about link read more

i just got back from SeaTac, back to my apt. in Capitol HIll. i think the light rail is awesome. i think it was $3.00, where as an Uber ride would be $50-$60. the train was clean and comfortale. it seemed pretty quick also. i give the light rain to the airport two thumbs up. oh yeah, the track was being repaired between rainier beach and tukwilla so everyone had to switch to a shuttle bus, then back to the train. this seemed like it was going to be hassle, but it was quick and easy. the shuttle came right away, no muss no fuss. read more

First time using the service. I was surprised how convenience it is. Wish I had discovered this sooner I wouldn't have had to use Uber. It's cheap, yet clean, and fast. You would avoid all the traffic. In and out the air port in no time. read more

I have lived in Seattle since 1984. and now for the first time, I no longer dread a trip to Sea-Tac Airport. I have ridden it to the airport and back. I have ridden it to Beacon Hill for lunch. I have ridden it to King Street Station for a train ride to Portland. This thing is smooth and easy and convenient and priced right. Yes, I love it. read more

Cheap, relatively fast, and clean. Who could ask for moe? I'm not a commuter so I can't comment on how great Sound Transit is for daily commutes but I've used the train a few times to get to the airport and loved it. The stations are clean and well-marked as well as conveniently located. The only thing I wish is that the final station, Seatac, was closer to the airport. On cold or rainy days you're subjected to the elements because you have a good 5 min walk outside before you get to the first gate at the airport where you can get indoors. If you're at a far away gate it ends up being quite a long (cold) walk! read more

Always fast, comfortable, and reliable -- especially on the segment from downtown to the UW. We need more of this in Seattle!

I am a pretty big fan of the Light Rail. I've used it to get to and from the airport on multiple occasions. Unlike the SLUT (http://www.yelp.com/biz/south-lake-union-streetcar-seattle#hrid:3nLKHolL9Kv9aEfV2c4Q4A/src:self) this was indeed worth the multi-million $$$ investment. Yay: -- The Light Rail is usually on time and it runs more frequently than many buses (every 7, 10, or 15 minutes, depending on time of day). -- Taking the Link is a vast improvement over the old 174/194 bus routes, and costs under $3, whereas a cab will run you closer to $50 with tip. It takes about 45 minutes -- not the speediest trip but I think a great value compared to the other options. -- The cars are clean and it's a mostly smooth ride. The stations are nice too (well, seems like it looking out the window -- I've only ever boarded in the bus tunnel and at the airport). -- There are designated spots for luggage and even hooks to hang bikes on in the cars. I've never seen it super crowded or witnessed much scariness or nonsense among the riders. -- The stops are clearly posted on route maps in the cars, and I think there are automated announcements and/or reader boards as well. -- If you live along the route it's a convenient alternative to taking the bus or driving. It also takes you to the stadiums. -- Unlike the SLUT, there is visible evidence that the route is expanding and will prove to be even more valuable and expansive with time. Apparently the Tacoma Link is already operating. Beware: -- Unlike the vaguely on-your-honor system for riding the SLUT, the Light Rail is patrolled regularly. I know people that have been fined and kicked off. Pay your fare!!! Nay: -- The Link only runs from 5am - 1am during the week and from 6am - midnight on Sundays and holidays. Since the Light Rail's raison d'etre is bringing people to and from the airport -- which is open 24/7 -- I wish they would extend the hours to meet this need. Also, the very first trip to the airport of the day starts at the SODO station instead of downtown. That's fairly inconvenient, not as safe as the bus tunnel, and basically outdoors. Because of these factors I've had to take a cab a couple times when I needed to be at the airport before 6am. -- As mentioned in many other reviews, the walk from the station to the airport is ridiculously long. At least the bus dropped you off right in front of the terminal! I'm relatively young and robust, but I've found it extremely annoying when carrying luggage (which is every time) and/or when it's cold and drizzly (which is frequently). I can't imagine trekking all the way to and from the station if I was in poor health or had kids with me or something like that. -- In spite of strict enforcement, the payment system is not very clear. Unlike most of the other forms of public transit in these parts, if you have an Orca card you must pay BEFORE you board the Light Rail. There are numerous Orca readers around, but they are kinda small and it's not super obvious what you need to do if you're not familiar with the system. You CANNOT pay with cash and a bus transfer is NOT a valid form of payment. But again, I don't think there are prominent signs warning you of this. I believe you can purchase Link tickets but the booths are not open 24/7 so if you need a very early or late train, be sure you've arranged for your fare IN ADVANCE. Considering the penalty for not having your fare is pretty steep (the ticket is at least $100 and they boot you off the train to purchase the proper fare if you want to continue your ride), the fare system should be more clearly spelled out and the ticket booths should expand their hours. Riding the Link Light Rail kinda makes me feel like I'm in a larger, fancier metropolis than Seattle. Unless I need to be at the airport at 5am. But it's done me well, and unlike the SLUT, it meets a demand of the general public. read more

Smells horrible all the time from POT smell. I hate that it allowed on the train. Today alone I have enjoyed a drunk drinking beer from a pop bottle and laying against me and practically got high myself from the people smoking in the upper area read more

Thanks to Yelp, my friend and I used this form of transportation from the airport to Downtown Seattle. Instead of paying $45 for a cab ride where traffic may be a possibility, we took this light link trail for only $2.75 one way!!! Of course there would be traffic with its own dedicated route. The endpoints of this light link rail are the airport and Westlake, where the station is at the shopping center smack dab in the middle of downtown. In between these two points are about 15 stops, and each stop goes fairly quick... so make sure you move quickly when the train arrives! From the airport to Downtown takes about 40 minutes. I loved riding this train because I really enjoyed watching the view (especially since I'm from Los Angeles where we don't see much green), it wasn't crowded (plenty of seats!), and also the train itself was very clean, well maintained, and the ride was smooth (unlike LA where it is so dirty and scary! omg). Overall, this was a great way for us to travel from the airport to downtown and vice versa, especially for the price and overall experience! I definitely would recommend using this rail! read more

We were staying at the airport and found out about getting a daypass for $6, hop on and off. This made our stay so easy to just hop on and go to downtown and back. We were even able to connect to the monorail at Westlake station, which takes you right to the space needle complex, which also has the Chihuly garden, Pop culture museum, science museum, and children's museum. The monorail was $4.50 round trip and got you there in about 2 minutes. On the way to town, there are several buildings that have great wall art to see from the train window. They announce every stop, so you don't have to guess. It can get pretty crowded during earlier morning and late afternoon. You can even bring a bike with you, as it has a bike rack inside. read more

Awesome.. you can complete a review for the light rail. =) I don't really take the light rail often, usually when I take it its because I have to go to the airport and I hate to hassle friends and family during work hours to drive me to the airport. Plus, I'm already paying about 75 dollars a quarter included in my tuition cost. Might as well make good use of it =) After being in Taipei, HK, and NY's transportation system, this system seems a little pathetic. When you think about the community dwellings of these cities, people live in high rises and don't have cars. It is pretty apparent that these cities have grown on public transportation. I don't think that Seattle's transportation will every be as good as these places, but its good enough for Seattle. Bear in mind, we do live in houses spread apart and grew up on driving cars. It is not an ideal set up for a light rail unless we tear down all houses and put in high rises everywhere. read more

Perfect for a quick, clean and cheap ride to the airport. Which is usually what I use it for so that's as exciting as it gets for me.

When I flew into Sea-Tac (January 2012) I exited to the parking garage, followed the signs to the light rail, went through the turn-stile, purchased my ticket for $2.75 (machines take credit card and cash), went up an escalator to and got on one that was already waiting just before it closed its doors and whisked me off to the Bus Tunnel in Pioneer Square. From there I was able to catch the public transit to my accommodations in Northgate. I will certainly be utilizing this in the future if going into downtown Seattle rather than paying cab fare or car service. Even local cab fare to take you somewhere from the bus tunnel will beat paying all the way from the airport! The train was not packed full. In fact there was plenty of room to sit. No crazy experiences, no delays, it was very easy. read more

Good public transportation. For $5.00 you can purchase a day pass and hop on and off. Takes you right into downtown.

$3 person from SeaTac Airport to Pioneer Square. Approximately a 35 minute trip. Easy, clean, and safe!

The Light Rail at Seatac is easily found by following the well-marked & frequently placed signs out to the 4th floor of the parking garage. Purchase a ticket at the self-help machines before taking the escalators up to the boarding deck & keep your ticket handy once you board as ticket patrol does frequent the trains to check tickets. The Light Rail is a great way to travel to & from the airport & at $3 a ticket from Seatac to the final stop downtown, it's quite easy on the pocketbook. read more

We're from the Bay Area and we were very impressed with the light rail in Seattle. It's clean, easy to use and made it very easy and convenient for us to get to and from the airport to our hotel. read more

I started using the light rail the very first day I arrived in Seattle, and as a newbie, it was deceptively tough to figure out. I moved here from a city that didn't have a light rail that operates like this, and Seattle's LR system takes it for granted that you already know how it works. It seems simple enough at a glance; buy a ticket and hop on, and go. But the ticket machine is inconveniently far from the train, there's very little explanation as to what an ORCA card is, very little signage that shows the actual route clearly, very little explanation as to what trains and buses are actually arriving and departing from the station (since there are several that stop at each one), and almost no explanation about the "tap your card" machine; most passengers I saw did not even use this machine at all! The 'enforcement' of who paid, or who did not, is incredibly easy to slip through, and even though we paid our way, we could've easily ridden it for free without ever being stopped or questioned. On top of that, now that I live here, I happen to live in an area that's not serviced by the rail. I know they're working to expand the route into more neighborhoods, but that cannot happen soon enough. Because even though this system is fast, convenient and functional, I have almost no need for it. It's really only useful if you're going from Downtown to the SeaTac in general, since the route is surprisingly short. However, if you're visiting or living in the areas within its map, I do recommend it. Once I managed to get on the train and figure it out, the trip itself was a breeze. read more

Sorry to burst the bubbling flow of 'gushing' over this system, but to be honest I think it is lacking in many ways. The biggest problem that i expereinced as a traveler from Bainbridge Island going to and from the airport is that the light rail doesn't link up to the Ferry System. the walk to the Ferry system is a very steep hill. I arrived from Denver very late at night last December and took the light rail to the stop nearest the Ferries. I then had to walk down a very steep hill several blocks, through what I was told is an 'unsafe' area of Seattle and then cross through the incredible traffic maze that is near the ferries. This traffic maze is very dark, and confusing for drivers , so a pedestrian crossing it in order to get to the Ferry Terminal really takes their life in their hands. I can't imagine using this 'system' as an elderly person, a disabled person or as someone traveling with young children. read more

Ok, for anyone saying anything negative about this, you clearly have never ridden San Francisco's version of this, called BART. That's where we are from, and when I told my bf that during our trip we would get out of the airport and onto a "BART-like train" to go to downtown Seattle, he cringed and we both dreaded it. I was very impressed. We got on at about 9am on a Sat morn, it was clean, practically empty, QUIET (BART is so loud your head starts hurting after a few minutes) and bum free (unlike BART being the cheap housing answer to all the homeless in SF). VERY cheap (we did pay, and I got a receipt, since it wasn't very clear how we were supposed to show we paid). This was probably the only confusion we had since you pretty much just walk on (is the ticket the same as an "Orca card" they want you to 'tap'?) Oh well, just used to the barracades we have at home. Totally worth it, cheap way to get into the city (cab ride is about $40 one way) from airport. God, BART sucks. read more

The train is really efficient but one fare officer was really rude... i had my card and it was paid but she said she could fine me because I didn't have my ID since it was a youth pass... people forget their ID at time, so we have to be fined even though we already bought a monthly pass? that's so wack... read more

I have used the light rail to get from downtown to the airport many times and it has always been a good service and I know it takes about 40 minutes. So when I got on the light link from the airport I thought I would have enough time but halfway through my ride the train ended 20 minutes before it was supposed to close. So I would advise everyone to not use the light link within an hour of closing time or risk being thrown out in the middle of the night with all your luggage. read more

It was real safe and It was comfortable. What I like about it is that they have security check for tickets every time you get aboard. You don't have to go thank about some one trying to get over on you. Sound Transit Link Light Rail is a rapid transit project in the Greater Seattle region, originally approved by a ballot measure in November 1996. Two lines are currently operating as of 2009: Tacoma Link, which uses 3 vehicles built by Škoda, and Central Link, which uses 35 vehicles built by Kinki Sharyo.[3] The University Link Extension, extending Central Link northward from downtown Seattle to the University of Washington, began preliminary construction work in late 2008 with service slated to start in 2016. In addition, voters approved a November 2008 ballot measure to extend Link light rail north via Northgate to Lynnwood (with planning and property acquisition to support later extension to Everett), south to Redondo Heights Park & Ride in Federal Way (with route planning to support later extension to Tacoma and extensions of Tacoma Link to the east and west), and east via Mercer Island and Bellevue to Microsoft's main campus in Redmond (with route planning and right-of-way acquisition to support later extension to downtown Redmond). History Main article: History of Link Light Rail In November 1996, voters in King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties approved increases in sales taxes and vehicle excise taxes to pay for a US$3.9 billion transit package that included $1.7 billion for a light rail system, including Central Link and Tacoma Link.[4] Over the next several years, debates raged over various issues surrounding the Central Link line. In the late nineties and early 2000s, Sound Transit underwent a series of financial and political difficulties. The cost of the line rose significantly,[5] and the federal government threatened to withhold necessary grants.[6] In 2001, Sound Transit was forced to shorten the line from the original proposal, and growing enthusiasm for the proposed monorail brought rising opposition to the light rail from Seattle-area residents. But by the end of 2002, Sound Transit decided on a route and became more financially stable. On August 22, 2003, the Tacoma Link light rail line in Downtown Tacoma opened and quickly reached its forecast ridership.[7] On November 8, 2003, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Central Link light rail line. Central Link opened between Westlake Station and Tukwila on July 18, 2009 and was extended to SeaTac/Airport on December 19, 2009. Currently, it takes 10 minutes to traverse the entire length of the Tacoma Link light rail,[10] whereas it takes about 38 minutes to traverse the entire length from Sea-Tac Airport to Westlake Station in Downtown Seattle along the Central Link.[11] Connecting transit A King County Metro Electric Trolley Bus (ETB) in Downtown Seattle Tacoma Link is located entirely within Pierce County, and most of the connecting transit is provided by Pierce Transit. Sound Transit also runs express buses that provide connections from Tacoma Link to places around the region, and Intercity Transit runs an Olympia express bus from the Tacoma Dome Station. Central Link is located entirely within King County, and therefore most of the connecting transit consists of buses provided by King County Metro. Metro buses and Link Light Rail share the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, making bus-train transfers easy. At Westlake Station, one may transfer to the South Lake Union Streetcar or to the Seattle Monorail. Commuter buses to Snohomish County are provided by Community Transit, and Sound Transit runs several express buses from Downtown Seattle and the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to points in King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties, as well as the Sounder commuter rail service to all three counties. Three Amtrak intercity rail routes run from Seattle's King Street Station to points around the country, and the intercity bus depot is located a block east of Stadium Station. Finally, ferry services are provided from Colman Dock on the waterfront in Downtown Seattle by Washington State Ferries and by the King County Ferry District. Fares Main article: Central Link § Fares Central Link fares are distance-based, with a flat rate starting at $2.25 plus 5 cents per mile, rounded to the nearest quarter. This results in a maximum cost of $3.00 for a one-way trip from Downtown Seattle to Sea-Tac Airport. The ORCA card enables contact-less fare payment and automatically calculates transfer credit between Link Light Rail and Sound Transit, King County Metro, Community Transit, Pierce Transit, Everett Transit, Washington State Ferries, and Kitsap Transit.[12] Tacoma Link is fare-free throughout its entire route in Downtown Tacoma. read more

It was my first time taking the Light Rail from downtown to the airport and I was nervous that I would have a hard time getting off the right stop and knowing where I am. Fortunately, they made the system very easy to use and they have a voice that speaks out during each stop, including when to get off! The coach is very clean with no weird people, and there was plenty of room for me to set my luggage down during the ride. Once you get off at the airport, be aware that you will have to walk for a bit until you find the skybridge that directs you to your airline ticketing counter. For just $2.75 one way that takes about 40 minutes, that can't be beat. Just grab your Orca card or other form of bus pass and come ride the train! read more

I was very impressed with Seattle's Sound Transit. It was exceptionally clean. The SEA station is literally steps away from the airport. There is a covered walkway connecting the station to the airport - there is no way you can get lost. Several hotels are located just a block or two away from the SEA station. The ride from the SEA station to downtown is about 45 minutes. Round-trip fares for my family of 4 from SEA airport to downtown was $16. You are able to purchase multiple individual tickets with one transaction. 5+ stars. read more

This is one of the best transportation systems I've ever been on. Better than the New York subway and the Japanese trains. Clean, comfortable and CHEAP. I rode from downtown to the airport (both ways) and to T-Mobile park from downtown. It is easy to understand how and then buy a ticket for one way, round trip, or to fill your Orca card. The trains ran on time every time I used them and while crowded going from the airport and to/from the ballpark, were OK and we got on the first train every time. It seems very safe, is a good bargain, comfortable, and should be emulated by other cities (see San Jose who stupidly put their light rail above ground so it has to stop at all the lights downtown) read more

Not as flexible as LA Metro with all its stops and divergences, but still very useful. The staff is incredibly insulting bc I'm not a local and not an expert on all of the underground stations and the buses on the surface. Then the bus driver insulted my ability to do math bc I didn't have coin change and the machine doesn't issue change. Yeah I overpaid by a quarter, so that's my donation to the city, no big deal lol. Very glad I'm not a bitter bus driver for the city. read more

Nicer starter system. Great airport to downtown. Will be much more useful in a couple of years. To the user complaining about fare enforcement - if you buy a ticket, or tap in next time, you won't have any issue with the enforcement staff. They are there for a reason, the ride is NOT free, you need to have a ticket. They won't let you into disneyland either without a ticket, so did you rate them no stars? read more

Light rail isn't even running yet, and already MLK is looking cleaner and artsier. Just imagine how great it will be when we can actually ride it downtown and go out to dinner without even once thinking about where we'll park! read more

Faster at night to take a taxi, but light rail is cheap, goes to downtown now, and relatively immune to traffic. A great way to get from SEATAC to Seattle. read more