Getting There By Rail
Seattle is on the main Amtrak network (tel: (800) 872 7245, toll free in the USA and Canada; website: www.amtrak.com). Service is slow, expensive but relatively reliable and popular with regional commuters. Amtrak operates out of King Street Station, 303 South Jackson Street, located in the historic Pioneer Square district, adjacent to the newly opened Safeco Field (tel: (206) 382 4125). King Street Station was recently restored to its original turn-of-the-century architecture. There are bureaux de change, banks, wheelchair access, luggage storage areas, snack bars and newspaper kiosks.
Rail services: The Coast Starlight service runs southwards to Oakland and Los Angeles, California (journey time – 36 hours) via Portland (Oregon); the Cascades runs northwards to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (journey time – 4.5 hours), and the Empire Builder runs eastwards to Chicago, Illinois (journey time – 48 hours) via Spokane.
Transport to the city: Free transit buses run just north of the station into the downtown business and retail core. Alternatively, the bus transit tunnel is accessible by crossing Fourth Avenue and following the signs. Stops include Pioneer Square, the financial district, Westlake Mall and the Convention Center.
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