Link Light Rail
In December 2009 the Link Light Rail was completed. If you do not have a lot of luggage to juggle, the Link is by far the cheapest transportation option and sometimes the fastest. The Link Light Rail travels between Sea-Tac Airport, downtown Seattle and Westlake, making a total of 11 stops. This section runs every 7.5, 10 to 15 minutes depending on the daily schedule. The Link hours of operation are Monday thru Saturday 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Sunday as well as holidays 6 a.m. to midnight.
The Link Light Rail can be accessed on the fourth floor of Sea-Tac Airport Parking Garage. The walkway is covered all the way from the airport to the Light Rail Platform. The cost of your ticket will depend on your destination. The most expensive adult fare is $2.75 and the least expensive is $2.00. Be sure to purchase your one-way or round-trip ticket before you board the rail, as they are not available on the Link itself. Keep your ticket handy as sometimes they have Link Rail Guards that check to validate paid passenger tickets.
I’ve ridden the Link several times and found it easy to use and an enjoyable ride.
King County Metro Transit
King County Metro Bus route 124 to downtown Seattle stops on International Boulevard and South 176th St,, which can be accessed by following the walkway to the Link Light Rail station and walking down the stairs to International Boulevard. At the bus stop departure times are noted, but you can also pick up a time table at the Information Booth across from baggage carousel 12 in Baggage Claim.
Fares are based peak riding times and zones. The most expensive adult two zone peak ticket is $3.00 and the least expensive off-peak, all-zone ticket is $2.25. Please have exact change as the bus drivers do not carry any monies. If you’d rather not mess with change, another option is the Orca Card which can be purchased before exiting the station at the airport.
I've found this is a good option if your destination is off the Link Light Rail route and you are not in a hurry to get to your destination, as bus routes make a lot of stops.
Airporter Shuttle
The Downtown Airporter shuttle is more expensive than the Link Rail, but usually less expensive than a taxi. Passengers can be picked up or dropped off at Sea-Tac Airport on the third floor of the Airport Parking Garage. The shuttle hours of operation are every 30 minutes from 4 a.m to 8:30 p.m. If your travel times are outside of those hours, they offer call-on-demand service. This shuttle service serves eight major downtown hotels: Crowne Plaza, Renaissance Seattle, Fairmont Olympic, Hilton, Seattle Sheraton, Grand Hyatt, Westin and the Warwick.
With promotional deals adult fares can be as low as $12.50 one way, making a total round trip ticket $25. Another bonus is that children 12 and under ride for free with the purchase of an adult ticket. In addition, they also offer transportation to the cruise terminals for $18.00. Tickets can be purchased online, at the ticket booth in the Airport Parking Garage on the third level or from the hotels listed above.
What makes this option nice is that shuttle prices are set and the curb side hotel service. It's perfect for travelers who might have more than one piece of luggage and/or children.
Taxi
There are plenty of taxis for hire at Sea-Tac Airport. In my experience, they can be pricey. Round trip from downtown to Seattle can cost up to $40 one way. That price does not include traffic jams or accidents. To me, this option only makes sense if you are traveling with 3 or more people and can split the fare.
Whether you're traveling to the Emerald City or returning home, Sea-Tac Airport offers plenty of options for travelers to get to their destination at the price they can afford.
Lara Dunning - Lara Adrienne Dunning currently lives on Fidalgo Island in the Pacific Northwest where she devotes her time to her family, her work as a ...
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