How to Get Around Seattle by Public Transport

Seattle public transport is easiest to plan when you start with the route rather than a pass. Sound Transit’s 1 Line serves Roosevelt and U District in North Seattle, then runs south through University of Washington, Capitol Hill, Westlake, Symphony, Pioneer Square and International District/Chinatown. That gives you a rail connection between several neighborhoods and downtown stations.

King County Metro buses provide another way to get around Seattle, including service through downtown and neighborhoods. For late-night trips, Metro’s Night Owl routes operate between midnight and 5 a.m. daily, serving downtown Seattle and neighborhoods, with service to Sea-Tac Airport and other cities.

Use a Seattle metro map to identify the station or bus route closest to your destination, then check how the transfer works before choosing how to pay. Westlake is a connection point for the Seattle Monorail, which serves Seattle Center. For more on the destination, see this guide to Seattle Center.

From Marco Polo Motel, U District station is about a 5-minute drive or a 37-minute walk. Roosevelt and University of Washington are other nearby rail stations: they’re about a 7-minute and 9-minute drive away, respectively. Check which station best fits your starting point and destination before setting off.

For a downtown trip, the 1 Line’s north-to-south route includes University of Washington, Capitol Hill and Westlake, followed by Symphony, Pioneer Square and International District/Chinatown. If you’re going to Seattle Center, Westlake is the Monorail connection point.

For airport travel, compare the rail and bus options for your particular arrival or departure rather than assuming one mode covers the whole trip. This SEA Airport transportation guide focuses on getting to North Seattle.

King County Metro accepts ORCA cards, the Transit GO Ticket app, exact cash fares on buses, and contactless credit or debit cards, phones and smartwatches. Contactless payment applies to riders ages 19 and up.

Sound Transit’s 1 Line fare is $3 for adults ages 19–64; youth 18 and under ride free, while seniors 65 and older and riders with disabilities using a Regional Reduced Fare Permit pay $1. The ORCA LIFT fare is $1.

ORCA can simplify transfers across participating services: a fare paid on your first tap transfers to other ORCA transit services for up to two hours. Washington State Ferries and Kitsap Fast Ferries are exceptions. If the next trip costs more, you pay the difference.

Transit GO Tickets have a narrower transfer rule. They allow unlimited transfers between King County Metro buses and RapidRide buses for up to two hours after activation, but not to other transit systems.

Metro paper transfers are valid only on Metro buses; drivers automatically provide one to cash-paying riders on RapidRide buses and when riding on Third Avenue in downtown Seattle.

The ORCA regional day pass starts with its first use and expires at 3 a.m. the following day. It is accepted on regular public buses, trains, streetcars and water taxis in the Central Puget Sound region, but not on Metro Access, paratransit, Kitsap Fast Ferries or Washington State Ferries.

If you’re choosing between stored value, individual tickets and a day pass, consider which services your trip uses and whether you’ll make transfers.

For downtown, use the 1 Line stations along the route to match your destination: Westlake, Symphony, Pioneer Square or International District/Chinatown. A nearby station name is a useful starting point, but check the full route and any bus connection needed for the final part of your journey.

To reach Seattle Center by rail and monorail, use Westlake as the connection point shown on the 1 Line map. ORCA is accepted on the Seattle Center Monorail, so an ORCA card can cover this connection. Check the route details before you travel to confirm that the services and transfer fit your plans.

All King County Metro buses are accessible to customers with disabilities. For trips outside regular daytime travel, Night Owl service runs on a variety of routes between midnight and 5 a.m. every day. Its routes serve downtown Seattle and neighborhoods, as well as Sea-Tac Airport and several other cities.

Before you go, check the official site for Sound Transit and King County Metro for current routes, schedules, fares and service details. Timetables and fare rules can affect which connection works best, especially for early, late or multi-agency trips.