World City Guide

Getting Around

Public Transport
Seattle has an excellent bus system operated by King County Metro Transit (tel: (206) 553 3000, 24-hour information; website: www.metrokc.gov), with wheelchair and bicycle lifts and drivers trained to announce significant stops and help with directions. Buses operate every 10 to 20 minutes Monday to Saturday 0600-2000 and less frequently later, throughout the night. An underground bus tunnel operates through downtown from Chinatown/International District to the Convention Center, with stops at Pioneer Square, the downtown financial district and Westlake Center. Adult tickets cost US$1.25 (US$1.50 during peak hours Mon-Fri 0600-0900 and 1500-1800) but between 1000 and 1800 it is free between Pioneer Square and the Westlake Center. Tickets are available for purchase on the bus (exact change is required).

Metro Transit also operates the Waterfront Streetcar, which features historic green and yellow trams that roll along the Waterfront, linking Pier 70 and the International District/King Street Station, stopping near the Seattle Aquarium and Pioneer Square along the way. Cars run every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday 0700–1800. A single ticket costs US$1.25 or US$1.50, depending on the day and time of travel.

A day pass for Metro Transit is available for US$2 on Saturday, Sunday and holidays. Standard fares are US$1-5 depending on zones and time of travel.

There is also a high-speed elevated monorail, operated by Seattle Monorail Services (tel: (206) 441 6038; website: www.seattlemonorail.com), which links the downtown area to the Seattle Center in less than two minutes, with views of the harbour and the backdrop of the Olympic Mountains beyond. Operating hours are Mon to Thurs 1100-1900, Fri 1100-2100 and Sat 0900-2100 and Sun 0900-1900. Trains depart every ten minutes from stations at Seattle Center (across from the Space Needle) and Westlake Center Mall, Fifth Avenue and Pine Street. Return tickets cost US$1.50 each way (concessions available).

Washington State Ferries (tel: (206) 464 6400 or (800) 843 3779 (automated) or (888) 808 7977, toll free in Washington; e-mail: wsf@wsdot.wa.gov; website: www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries) operates the largest ferry system in the USA, with 20 terminals linking Seattle with the Olympic Peninsula, Bainbridge Island and other points in the region, now considered part of ‘Greater Seattle’. This is one of the most attractive ways for visitors to see the region. Ferries depart from Piers 50 and 52, 801 Alaskan Way, in the city centre. Schedules vary, although ferries to Bainbridge Island and Bremerton operate an extensive service daily between 0450 and 0050. The regular foot passenger fare is US$6.10 (concessions available); tickets are available for purchase at the piers, before boarding.

Taxis
Taxis can be hailed from the few designated ranks in front of hotels and the airport or by telephone. A tip of 10-15% is expected. Seattle taxi drivers are almost always polite and reliable, although one can expect to wait up to 20 minutes for a cab. Cost for two passengers is US$2.50 plus US$2.00 per mile thereafter and US$0.50 per extra passenger. There is a downtown Seattle to Sea-Tac Airport flat rate of US$28.00, but from Sea-Tac Airport taxis are metered.

Providers include Redtop (tel: (206) 622 7392), Orange Cab Corporation (tel: (206) 522 8800), Farwest (tel: (253) 863 2930) and Yellow Cabs (tel: (206) 622 6500; website: www.yellowtaxi.net).

Limousines
Providers include A & A Airport Limousine (tel: (206) 365 1008 or (800) 571 1008; website: www.a-alimo.com), British Motor Coach (tel: (206) 283 6600; website: www.bmclimo.com) and Seattle Limousine Services (tel: (206) 762 3339 or (800) 274 3339; website: www.seattlelimo.com). Rates for the metropolitan area start at approximately US$70 per hour, although there will be a flat rate for pick-up and delivery, dependent on mileage.

Driving in the City
Except for rush-hour motorway traffic, Seattle driving conditions are excellent and motorists are extremely law abiding. The city is fairly easy for newcomers to navigate, based on a simple grid system – numbered roads are north–south avenues and named roads are east-west streets. However, visitors should be aware of the specially designated lanes for buses, bicycles and ‘HOV’ or High Occupancy Vehicles – those carrying more than one person. Highways and highway exit bridges (Evergreen Point Floating Bridge and the Ship Canal Bridge) are very congested during rush hours (0700-0900 and 1500-1800), because of the number of commuters heading to and from the suburbs.

Parking in downtown Seattle was expensive until city retailers teamed up with car park operators for incentives that would revitalise the city centre. In general, parking costs around US$3 per hour, although weekend parking costs approximately US$5 for the entire day. Most downtown businesses give customers a CityPark token worth US$1 with purchases of US$20 and over. Tokens are redeemable at CityPark lots and garages, including Ampco System Parking, 420 East Pike Street, CPS Parking, 1200 Western Avenue, Diamond Parking, at Macy's, Third Avenue and Stewart Street. Other central car parking lots include Sound Parking, 901 Boren Avenue, Pioneer Square Garage, 721 First Avenue, and Public Market Garage, 1531 Western Park, near Pike Place Market. Shopping malls and hotels have their own parking lots.

Car Hire
Most car hire companies (called car rental companies in the USA) require a credit card for the deposit and payment. A minimum age of 25 years is also required. Basic insurance is usually included but can be insufficient, as it offers only a limited coverage of damage. Car hire companies offer additional collision or complete loss damage insurance from around US$20 per day. Hire rates vary widely during the week – from around US$35 per day, plus taxes which are often quite steep. A valid driving licence is usually acceptable but an International Driving Permit (IDP) is preferred.

Providers include Alamo (tel: (800) 327 9633; website: www.alamo.com), Avis (tel: (800) 331 1212; website: www.avis.com), Budget (tel: (800) 527 0700; website: www.budget.com), Dollar (tel: (800) 800 4000; website: www.dollarcar.com), Hertz (tel: (800) 654 3131; website: www.hertz.com) and National Car Rental (tel: (800) 227 7368; website: www.nationalcar.com).

Bicycle Hire
Seattle is a great city for cyclists, with designated bicycle lanes throughout the city. Most shops will hire out bicycles by the hour, day, week or even month. Lights and helmets are mandatory. Major providers include Aaron’s Bicycle Repair, 6521 California Avenue (tel: (206) 938 9795; website: www.rideyourbike.com), Gregg’s Cycles, 7007 Woodlawn Avenue, Greenlake (tel: (206) 523 1822; website: www.greggscycles.com), and The Montlake Bicycle Shop, 2223 24th Avenue East (tel: (206) 329 7333; website: www.montlakebike.com). Rates are approximately US$8 per hour or US$25 for 24 hours of bicycle hire. A photo ID and cash or credit card deposit is required.