SEA light rail to downtown
#16
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And as high up as it is, it does get rather windy
Looks like soon to be opened (hopefully) Light Rail to downtown Fort Worth is only a little bit further away.
#17
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There's now a golf cart or two that operate continuously between the light rail station and the terminal- just follow the signs to light rail, cross over the sky bridge, and you'll see them immediately as you enter the garage. Looks very convenient for those who don't/can't make the walk to the station.
#18
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There's now a golf cart or two that operate continuously between the light rail station and the terminal- just follow the signs to light rail, cross over the sky bridge, and you'll see them immediately as you enter the garage. Looks very convenient for those who don't/can't make the walk to the station.
#19
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I saw those golf carts in operation between the terminals and the rail station. They seemed to run with reasonable frequency.
More broadly, I'll put in a plug for this light rail route. Very well designed and efficiently operated. It's a pleasant and quick trip between SEA and downtown.
More broadly, I'll put in a plug for this light rail route. Very well designed and efficiently operated. It's a pleasant and quick trip between SEA and downtown.
#20
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I felt happy and safe using it around dusk this summer, from SEA to Olive 9. Nothing seemed isolated, lonely, or sketchy to me.
#21
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It's far from quick if the Interstate is flowing normally. 30+ minutes with 12 stops between the airport and Westlake Center, plus dwell time and walking at both ends, when you can drive it in 15 or 20. And the route coils around through various neighborhoods; it is anything but a straight shot. But as traffic congestion gets worse and worse in the Seattle area I expect the rail alternative will look better in relative terms.
#22
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It's far from quick if the Interstate is flowing normally. 30+ minutes with 12 stops between the airport and Westlake Center, plus dwell time and walking at both ends, when you can drive it in 15 or 20. And the route coils around through various neighborhoods; it is anything but a straight shot. But as traffic congestion gets worse and worse in the Seattle area I expect the rail alternative will look better in relative terms.
#23
Join Date: Aug 2013
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We used the light rail last year to get from the airport to downtown and back. We liked it, especially as we stayed in the Hilton SEA just at the opposite end of the pedestrian overpass from the light rail station. The walkway from the terminal to the station can be a challenge, especially for eldery people and/or with baggage. We saw the golf cart too but I can't tell, how to book the transfer. Main obsticle for us was the elevator at the other end of the overpass, which was out of order. This became quite a workout with the baggage in the small staircase.
But using light rail is a good option, getting downtown.
But using light rail is a good option, getting downtown.
#24
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Yes. I lived in Edmonds for 20+ years. When my residency began it took a dependable 35 minutes to drive from home to the Sea-Tac garage. By the time I moved away it could take up to two hours. And by the time they open the Lynnwood terminus in 2024-25, the 1h 15m trip to SEA is going to look great compared to perpetually gridlocked I-5.
#25
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The transfer for the golf cart? No need to book ahead - there are one or two that just run back and forth. If one isn't at the station (or terminal) when you get there, wait a few minutes and it should arrive.
#26
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It's far from quick if the Interstate is flowing normally. 30+ minutes with 12 stops between the airport and Westlake Center, plus dwell time and walking at both ends, when you can drive it in 15 or 20. And the route coils around through various neighborhoods; it is anything but a straight shot. But as traffic congestion gets worse and worse in the Seattle area I expect the rail alternative will look better in relative terms.
#27
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Before, the bus to the airport was faster than the current train due to a more direct routing rather than snaking through neighborhoods that are not between the airport and downtown but rather southeast of downtown Seattle. Since the train is eventually supposed to go to Federal Way, it should have been on a direct path to the airport.
As for the circuitous route, well, the route goes where people live and not the largely industrial area where the bus goes @:-) It's part of Seattle's plan to serve its citizens, not a point to point route. I'd love a point to point, as I normally only transit in Seattle (not because it's not a great city to visit), alas ....
As an aside, Dallas did something similar with Orange Line to DFW:
Dallas Area "Rapid" Transit has about a dozen suburbs in the partnership and Irving is one of the largest ones, so they made quite a detour to keep them on board. When I lived in Dallas I recall people who worked in Las Colinas (the ritzy part of Irving where lots of businesses are located) complained about how much longer it took on rail over discontinued buses. Of course the people of non Las Colinas parts of Irving, the working people much more likely to use the service got shafted, as the line is nowhere near them and are stuck with low frequency buses.
#28
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The bus with limited stops, yes, IIRC it was quicker than Light Rail. The other one, IIRC, a tad longer, and don't recall frequencies of either.
As for the circuitous route, well, the route goes where people live and not the largely industrial area where the bus goes @:-) It's part of Seattle's plan to serve its citizens, not a point to point route.
s.
As for the circuitous route, well, the route goes where people live and not the largely industrial area where the bus goes @:-) It's part of Seattle's plan to serve its citizens, not a point to point route.
s.
#29
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The do gooders who unfortunately permeate the city now have this route routed through every bad part of the city. She's coming a long ways. It takes a long time to get to downtown on the thing. It's also a long walk to get to the train station and a cold wait outside. Vacation time is short. A Lyft is $35. She should do that.
#30
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The few times I tried it (before moving away from the area) I found it tedious and slow. You know you are dealing with transit rubes when they build something non-competitive and expect you to rally around it anyway, just because it's the only mass transit available.