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Seattle - Rent a Car or Public Transportation?

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Old Oct 6th, 2006, 07:44 PM
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Seattle - Rent a Car or Public Transportation?

Going to Seattle from 10/19-10/24 with my wife and 8 mo son. Do you recommend renting a car or should we rely on public transportation?
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Old Oct 6th, 2006, 08:10 PM
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D]Wasn't this question just asked a week or so ago? Go to http://transit.metrokc.gov/ to see what the bus system will do for you. Downtown is a free zone.
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Old Oct 6th, 2006, 09:54 PM
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You asked about hotels and sites before. Whether you rent a car in Seattle depends on what you want to do and where you stay. I suggested you try to stay in Lake Union with Priceline and rent a car, because riding the buses everywhere with a kid can be a bit of a pain. You can still ride the buses downtown from Lake Union then take the car further afield if you wish.

Or, if you want to stay entirely downtown, try to get a hotel there and walk or use the bus, assuming you and your wife are comfortable porting your 8-month old around on a bus. Seattle's bus system is decent. A big part of the downtown core has a "Ride Free" zone that ends at 7PM.

Andrew
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Old Oct 8th, 2006, 07:57 AM
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If you plan only to stay downtown, you can get around on foot and public transportation. If you want to do any other sight-seeing, a rental car migth be nice.
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Old Oct 16th, 2006, 08:47 AM
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Just out of curiosity, does anyone have any experience taking a baby on a bus/shuttle/cab in Seattle? I'm just wondering about safety and such.
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Old Oct 16th, 2006, 08:52 AM
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If your hotel is downtown, go with public transportation. If you are out in the suburbs, get a car. Do you plan to do any traveling out of the city? Boeing plant in Everett? You could either do tours or get a car.
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Old Oct 16th, 2006, 08:58 AM
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we are only planning on hitting the sights in downtown.
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Old Oct 16th, 2006, 09:26 AM
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If your hotel is also downtown, you will be fine with the busses. The whole downtown area is a "ride free" zone, so you can just get on and off without a pass or paying cash. The busses are very safe for you and your family, although very late at night (when you won't be on them anyway) they can feel a little less so.
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Old Oct 16th, 2006, 10:50 AM
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And again, as I like to remind people, Seattle's "Ride Free" zone ends at 7PM. Later than that and you must pay to board any bus.

Andrew
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Old Oct 16th, 2006, 12:52 PM
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so riding the buses, i imagine we won't be using a car seat for our 8 mo old?
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Old Oct 17th, 2006, 06:32 AM
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One thing I didn't even think of before - if we take the bus from the airport to our hotel, will we run into issues trying to board a stroller and all of our luggage?
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Old Oct 17th, 2006, 06:34 AM
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Can you not take a taxi? That would certainly be easiest.
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Old Mar 11th, 2016, 06:01 AM
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NHazel this thread is over 9 years old. If you have a question about public transport vs. rental cars anywhere please start a new thread.
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Old Mar 11th, 2016, 02:16 PM
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Topped by advertising more likely, tomfuller.
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