I rarely take mass transit when traveling by air to out of town cities. The only exception for me typically has been the Heathrow Express in London, which I find to be quite convenient and comfortable. Beyond that, I usually have a driver meet me at arrivals, or simply take a cab.
I had a quick 24-hour trip to Seattle earlier this month, and I decided I’d try their new light rail system to and from SeaTac Airport (IATA: SEA). It worked perfectly for me. Depending on your destination in Seattle, it could for you, too.
The train is very reasonably priced, and the one way fare for the full length of the line (airport to Westlake-Downtown) is $2.75. A comparable taxi ride would be about $40 one-way. The train runs daily from 5am until 1am, no less than every 15 minutes. (There are reduced hours on Sunday.)
It is a bit of a hike to get from the plane to the train – and though it is entirely covered from the rain, a big portion of the walk is outdoors. I arrived at gate A14, which was the farthest possible gate to get to the train terminal (note that because it is where the train tracks stop, it is a train terminal, not a train station!). It took about 12 minutes to do the walk from gate to train. The route takes you through the parking structure, and ultimately to the train terminal, which is adjacent to the parking structure. The walk is incredibly well signed, and every time I was the slightest bit concerned about which way to go, there was a sign directing me.
Follow the Link Light Rail signs...
Overhead signs were helpful
At the Airport Train Terminal
You buy your ticket before boarding the train – at 10pm (when I arrived), there were only kiosk machines available. They took cash or cards (Visa or Mastercard only, if I recall correctly). No one, however, checked my ticket, nor did I have to swipe it anywhere – in either direction.
My Ticket
The train was waiting at the terminal, so you could board at your leisure. The train sat for a few minutes, then pulled out. The passengers on my 10pm train were principally arriving airline passengers, though there were a few airline employees and perhaps other airport workers. The train itself was comfortable for an in-city light rail system.
Train Set
On Board the Train
Station Stops
The ride took about 35 minutes from start to end, making about a dozen stops along the way. To compare, a taxi would have taken about 15-20 minutes (at this off-peak time, longer during peak hours), and would have also knocked a few minutes off in walking time at SeaTac.
By the last stop, about two-thirds of the passengers had left the train at intermediate stops. I didn’t see anyone board at any stop in the evening on the way to downtown (people boarded and exited much more regularly during the day on my return trip). My hotel, the Seattle Sheraton, was literally one block from the entrance to the Westlake stop, where I got off the train. Even at the late hour I was there, cabs were waiting near the station’s exit.
The Westlake Station had a few ne’er-do-wells milling about. No one gave me a hard time, though wearing a suit and carrying a duffle bag, I got a few looks. Those who might be a bit more vulnerable should consider not taking the train much after 7pm alone going into Westlake.
Westlake Station was unique (to me, at least), in that the platform where you waited could serve both busses and the light-rail trains. The station was set up with tunnels at either side, and both busses and light rail trains shared them. I’d never seen such a setup before. Efficient I guess to keep as many busses off the main roads as possible downtown.
Westlake Station - Buses and Trains
Buses and Trains go into these tunnels
Don't cross!
My ride on the train back out to SeaTac the next afternoon was just as uneventful. I could see the traffic backing up on I-5 part of the way, so the cost in time between train and taxi probably was a bit less on the way back to the airport.
All in, I estimate I saved about $75 taking the train versus cabs. Not bad considering the limited inconvenience of the train.
While a bit off-topic for SitInFirst.com, this was one of the better mass transit experiences I’ve ever had in the US and I thought I’d share it with you. (Unlike Heathrow Express, there isn’t a First Class option on the Seattle Light Rail!) If my destination were downtown Seattle, I’d strongly consider taking the light rail train next time I’m there. It was clean, extremely inexpensive, and brings you right to the middle of downtown. If your travel takes you beyond downtown Seattle, however, you might not find the light rail to be the best. If you are keen to save some money, you might consider to take the light rail to downtown, catching a cab onward from there.
