Transportation in Seattle

OVERVIEW

Seattle has one of the better transportation systems in the United States and you’ll find a menagerie of public transit services to get your around, including trains, ferries, buses, streetcars, and monorails. For those who live and work in the core of the city, this means that public transit is sufficient for commuting and errands. The farther way you get, however, the more likely it is you’ll need a car.

Using public transit is managed via the ORCA card, a smart card that you can add funds to and is tapped against a card reader when getting on a bus or entering a rail station. (The monorail and streetcar are quite limited in the geography they cover, are mostly targeted at tourists, and don’t accept the ORCA.)  Bus fares range from $2.50 to $3.25 per ride for adults. Link light rail fares range from $2.25 to $3.25 per ride and train fares range from $3.25 to $5.75. ORCA discounts are available to minors, seniors, disabled, and employees whose companies participate in the LIFT program.

TRANSIT AND WALKABILITY RATINGS

For each Seattle neighborhood you’ll see a Transit rating and a Walkability rating. The Transit rating tells you how good and reliable public transportation options are in that neighborhood. The Walkability rating tells you how many local amenities (shops, restaurants, fitness options, etc.) you can walk to in that neighborhood. 

Transit Ratings

• Excellent: Public transit options in the neighborhood, such as buses and trains, are frequent and reliable and the neighborhood is served by more than one transit option. Having a car is not needed.
• Good: The neighborhood is only served by one type of transit but the service is frequent and reliable. Having a car is not needed for local activities.
• Average: A public transportation option is available but the frequency and reliability are not sufficient to rely on for daily needs, or many residents have a long walk to reach transit. Having a car is a good idea.
• Poor: The neighborhood has very limited or no access to public transit and providing your own transportation via a car or bike is necessary. Having a car is required.

 

Walkability Ratings

• Excellent: You can walk to every type of local amenity: shopping, dining, fitness options, grocery stores, and more, and have a good selection of choices for those categories.
• Good: You can walk to most local amenities though you may have limited choices in some categories.
• Average: You can walk to a limited number of amenities but will have to go elsewhere to have all your needs covered.
• Poor: There are very few or no amenities you can walk to; you’ll have to go elsewhere for most needs.