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angelic_face Jun 17th, 2011 05:45 PM

Going Around Downtown Seattle
 
Hi. I've got 4 hours free time (5:15pm to 9:15pm) from the Seatac Airport to Greyhound Station in Seattle. Can I go visit some places like the Space Needle and Pike Place Market? What bus can I take from Seatac Airport to those places and then head to Greyhound Station before 10pm? Thanks.

sf7307 Jun 17th, 2011 06:14 PM

I don't know where the Greyhound station is, but the best way for you to get from SeaTac to downtown is via light rail. It cost $2.50 one-way.

sf7307 Jun 17th, 2011 06:16 PM

Here's a link to info on the light rail:

http://www.soundtransit.org/Schedule...light-rail.xml

Connie Jun 18th, 2011 04:13 AM

Once you get to downtown, you can get to a lot of sights by walking but it is very steep in some places. If you have mobility issues that could be a problem.

Daniel_Williams Jun 18th, 2011 05:23 AM

Hi angelic_face,

Just so you're aware, the Pike Place Market closes at 6pm most days of the week and 5pm on Sunday, and some merchants start shutting things up a bit early. The Space Needle would be possible, you could get there via monorail; the view from up high is very worthwhile I'd say IF you have a nice day with good visibility. With a few hours and not too much luggage, I'd personally wander around the Pike-Pine corridor in Capitol Hill and find somewhere to eat before catching a Greyhound bus.

Have fun! Daniel

NorthwestMale Jun 18th, 2011 05:30 PM

For more clarity:

You don't need a "bus".

The "link light rail" goes directly from the airport to downtown Seattle.

The very last stop it makes downtown would be nearest to the bus station.

From the time you pick up any checked baggage at the airport, you could get to the bus station in about an hour (with time to spare).

With that in mind, and IF you have luggage, MAYBE you can check it in AT the bus station in order to go around Seattle a bit.

Somebody leaving the Greyhound Bus Station (8th avenue and Stewart Street, downtown) might as well WALK to the Space Needle.

You can always see it, and can always tell how far you have to go.

The Needle costs $18 or $19 for adults to go up, but if you've never been to Seattle you should go there first.

Upon leaving the Needle, the "monorail", at the foot of the Needle offers a $2 trip into the MIDDLE of downtown Seattle, stopping about 4 blocks from Pike Place Market. (no need to worry about where to get off: it has two stops: "here" and "there")

At some early point you should probably observe two ROUND towers of the Westin Hotel, to use that as a beacon for your trip back to Greyhound.

Then time the rest of what you see based on getting back to the Bus Station in plenty of time.

(FYI - the round towers of the Westin Hotel are very near to the 'downtown' end of the Monorail)... and Stewart Street is very nearby {bus station is 8th and Stewart} )

When you get hungry, there are plenty of alternatives near the downtown end of the Monorail. NOTE that the Monorail stops in mid-town adjacent to the top floor of a shopping mall, which is mostly the FOOD COURT in the mall.

IF you are efficient with your time, you can cover a lot of territory with the 4 hours that you have

suze Jun 19th, 2011 06:57 AM

As already clarified, definitely use the new Lightrail to get from the airport into downtown Seattle. Then you could walk thru the Pike Place Market first, but as already mentioned most of it will be closing up or closed by the time you arrive. I think I'd probably skip it and after getting off Lightrail, take the monorail and go up the Space Needle. Then maybe just catch a taxi over to the Grayhound station? It's towards the outer edge of downtown, so while not far, it'd be a bit of a hike if you have any luggage with you. If you want a meal somewhere in there, you could eat somewhere near the Market, or there are places around and in the Seattle Center (Space Needle).

There's not much interesting around the bus station, it's pretty commercial/industrial, so eat (or pick up food) before you head there.

tomfuller Jun 19th, 2011 07:25 AM

Here is the free bus zone in Seattle once you ride the light rail in from the airport. http://metro.kingcounty.gov/tops/bus...attle-rfa.html
At least you can see the Space Needle and maybe one other thing that may still be open.

NorthwestMale Jun 19th, 2011 09:01 PM

The so-called "free bus zone" ISN'T free after 7:00pm, so it will do you limited good.

If the weather is reasonable, you can make do with walking to the Space Needle IF you have to go from the Bus Station, OR using the Monorail to AND from downtown (if no checked/heavy baggage).

For the Bus Station, get off the Light Rail at "Convention Place Station".

IF you have no luggage to try to get rid of at the Greyhound station, then get off at "Westlake Station", then go to the top of "Westlake Center/Mall" to catch the monorail from there (right to the foot of the Space Needle).


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