Seattle-Tacoma Airport (SEA) to downtown Seattle
The 1 Line takes 38 minutes from SeaTac/Airport to Westlake in the centre, every eight minutes at busy times, for a flat $3.00. Youth 18 and under travel free. The station is a walk across the parking garage.
- The fare is a flat $3.00 for adults, whatever the distance. Sound Transit dropped distance pricing on Link, so the airport costs the same as one stop.
- 38 minutes from SeaTac/Airport to Westlake, in the middle of downtown Seattle.
- Every eight minutes at busy times, first weekday departure 04:51.
- Youth 18 and under ride free on all Sound Transit services, no ticket needed.
- $1.00 for seniors 65 and over, riders with a Regional Reduced Fare Permit, and ORCA LIFT low-income riders.
- The ORCA regional day pass is $6.00 but is only valid for trips worth $3 or less, which is exactly a Link ride and no more.
- The station is not in the terminal. It sits on the far side of the parking garage, reached by a walkway from the fourth floor, and it is a real walk with a suitcase.
- Tap ORCA or a contactless card and transfers between services are worked out automatically.
The train
- The 1 Line calls at SeaTac/Airport and runs north through Rainier Valley, the stadiums and the downtown transit tunnel to Westlake, then on to the University of Washington, Northgate and Lynnwood.
- 38 minutes to Westlake on the weekday timetable, which is the stop for the retail core, Pike Place Market and most downtown hotels.
- Eight minutes between trains at the busiest hours, and never a long wait during the day.
- First weekday departure 04:51. Late-night service does run, but check the last train before relying on it.
The fare
- $3.00 flat. Sound Transit charges Link riders one adult fare regardless of distance, so there is no airport premium and no zone to work out.
- $1.00 reduced, for ORCA LIFT low-income riders and for anyone 65 or over or with a qualifying disability holding a Regional Reduced Fare Permit. The permit itself is free.
- Free for youth 18 and under. Washington abolished youth transit fares outright, so a family with teenagers pays only for the adults.
- The ORCA regional day pass is $6.00, but read the small print: it only covers trips whose fare is $3 or less. That is fine for Link and city buses, and not enough for a Sounder train.
Paying
- An ORCA card, a contactless bank card or a phone wallet all work. Tap before boarding.
- Transfers are worked out for you. Pay a $3.00 ST Express bus fare and transfer to Link and the fare already paid counts towards the ride, so most journeys transfer free and you pay only a difference if the second leg costs more.
- Ticket machines at the station take cash, Visa and Mastercard.
- Tap on at the start. On Link and buses one tap is enough; only Sounder needs a tap off as well.
The walk
- SeaTac/Airport Station is not attached to the terminal building. It sits beyond the parking garage, and the route is along a pedestrian walkway from the garage's fourth floor.
- Budget ten minutes and a moving walkway or two, more if you have several bags or a stroller.
- Follow the "Link Light Rail" signs from baggage claim rather than heading for the kerb, which is where the shuttles and rideshares are.
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