Seattle Ground Transportation Question
 

We are needing ground transportation from Sea-Tac to downtown for 5 people. Shuttle service is the least expensive at $18 for a round trip. Car service is $40 each way but will only accommodate 4 people. Other than the shuttle (which seems to take forever with all the stops, etc) does anyone out there have suggestions for reasonable ground transportation? We don't want to spend more that $50 each way.

In July, my husband and I flew into Sea-Tac and asked at the info desk about getting a cab. We were told to hop on the city BUS! I think it cost about $1.50 each and it was direct to downtown - quick, convenient stops in the tunnel. Our stop was the 3rd one, right by our downtown hotel. I recommend it highly unless your hotel is in an out-of-the-way location.

I would not recommend using Metro bus if you have anything more than one small suitcase each. They really aren't set up for that.

The Greyline Airporter (full size bus that loops thru the downtown hotels and has a place for suitcases under the bus) doesn't have any stops between the airport & downtown... That's why I suggest them over a shuttle service like Airport Express that drives around dropping people off. On Greyline they only stop at the few major scheduled hotels downtown. I believe currently approx. $10 per person each way.

What hotel? And I can tell you the closest stop. If you mean $50 each way for ALL 5 people, this is your best choice.

www.graylineseattle.com
$11 one way/$18 round trip

I'm not sure I said it clearly above, but depending which hotel your are staying at (in which part of downtown) you could be the first stop when the bus gets off the freeway, or you could have to wait thru a half dozen other hotel stop if yours is furthest north (Warwick).

We're staying at the Sheraton across from the convention center

I took that local bus and it was great! BTW, there is an express version and that is by far the way to go. Suze is right; don't do this if you have a lot of luggage. There was one woman with a huuuuge piece of luggage which was incredibly stressful for her and very disruptive for everyone else. There was no place to put it and she totally blocked pass through in the aisle. I think it may have been bus #194 but I'm not sure. Just google it but there is a great route.

The Grayline is very comfortable and reliable. The Sheraton is the fifth stop; you'll spend about 10 minutes stopping at the other hotels, and arrive at the Sheraton 43 minutes after leaving SeaTac.

enzian beat me to it. Yes the Sheraton is one of the scheduled stops on the Greyliner loop. for a group of 5 this would definitely be an easy way to do it.

Are there really no car services that have a van for 5 people? While the Grayline sounds fine -- at $55 one way for 5 people, it doesn't sound like any great deal. Am I wrong?

My only other objection to the Grayliner is that it takes 45 minutes from the airport to the Sheraton. Add in up to a half hour wait for the next bus (if like me, you've always just missed one) and it can be an hour and 15 minutes to get there! OK, if you're not in a hurry, I suppose.

A company named STITA has a franchise at SeaTac and from time to time we have been driven from the airport to our home in Seattle in a STITA van that seats five or more people.

If I were you, I would contact STITA and inquire about a five-seater for your trip from SeaTac to the Sheraton Hotel (and, perhaps, work out your return trip as well).

[email protected]
206-246-9980

HTTY

Excellent idea to contact Stita for availability of larger cars. They're the only company allowed to pick up from SeaTac, so they should know the answer.

Sure if you can get a towncar for $55 for the 5 of you, that would be better & quicker than Greyline, I agree.

There is a tricky way :) Put one or 2 people on a shuttle with all luggage, the rest can take the cheap bus.

Thanks everyone. I have found limousine and van options but they aren't in our budget. So, I guess we'll have to suck it up and take the shuttle unless anyone out there was able to access transportation other than the shuttle for no more than $50 each way.

Greyline Airports is NOT that bad. Other than taking a bit of extra time it is incredibly convenient. Especially if you are staying at a downtown hotel that is a scheduled stop... which you are.

I'm curious, japw82 -- what was STITA going to charge you?

Personally, I'd rather pay something like $75 than $55 to cut an hour off the trip.

I agree. I have decided that it is a good investment, when there is no good alternative, to pay the going taxi rate from airports to hotels rather than to hold out for a lower rate that I would prefer to pay.

I always catch a taxi myself. I happily spring for the $37 each way (airport to my apartment).

There are always towncars and vans waiting along with regular taxi(in the parking garge, on ground transportation level) though I've not priced them.
suze (in Seattle)

A taxi is always convenient, but I must admit, hopping that express bus and arriving downtown within 20 minutes was a delight. Felt happy to spend the $$$ saved in a Tom Douglas restaurant!

elnap29- Did you have luggage? And if so, was that an issue using the bus? thanks.

elnap, that sounds good, but I invariably miss one bus so have to wait up to half an hour for the next one. And I'm never the first stop so 20 minutes would be out of the question. I just booked at Belltown Inn for a night in May and looked at the bus schedule -- I'm near the last stop at the Warwick -- an hour ride from the airport, so that makes it up to an hour and a half total, then still walk three blocks with the rolling luggage (not really an issue, though).

The Belltown told me they can reserve a towncar for a fixed price of $35. Compared to $22 for two bus tickets, that is a done deal!

NeoPatrick, I'll be interested to hear your feedback on the Belltown Inn after you've stayed there--a friend stayed there temporarily after moving to Seattle while looking for an apt and I saw his room, which gave a new definition to the word "small" (even more so than NYC hotel rooms)--it was more like a ship cabin. But they may have different size rooms and the one I saw was the tiniest they have.

And while I wouldn't say any part of downtown is unsafe, exactly, that particular area is a little sketchy. I wouldn't suggest that my parents stay there, for example.

The reviews of the place seem very favorable -- but I realize it isn't five star or even four star. I know where it is, and have walked by there at night before when we were staying at the Andra. We will arrive fairly late in the evening (so nice to arrive right to the hotel) probably walk the block and a half to eat at Flying Fish if we're still hungry after two first class airline meals that day, and in the morning walk four blocks to Budget to pick up our car and leave. It's really just a place to sleep one night and with a rate of $99, I'm sure I'll survive. They've also promised us a fifth floor room with partial view of the water -- whatever that means.

But interesting what you say about the size of the rooms. I had originally found this when looking for a place for a week with at least a kitchenette. Glad I'll have the opportunity to check it out, although we won't be staying longer this time.

By the way, I think the most "dicey" area filled with undesirable characters I've experienced in Seattle was walking up the main street between the Alexis or the Inn at Harbor Steps and Pike Place Market. I've never experienced nearly so many or such aggressive ones in the outer reaches of Belltown.

Ok, it sounds like you know what to expect. Lately the corner of 2nd and Bell (so between the Inn and Flying Fish) has been in the news a lot but I do walk there fairly regularly at night going to restaurants in the area, and it doesn't seem that bad to me--but just be aware of your surroundings as I'm sure you always are. Supposedly a lot of the drug activity that was closer to the Market has moved up to that corner since they've been trying to clean up the Pike/Pine corridor for tourists and now Belltown residents are complaining.

And yes, his room had a "kitchenette" and desk on one side, and a bunk and a bathroom on the other, with very little space in between. Looking at the website pics, I'm thinking they must have different size rooms available because the room they have pictured doesn't look at all like the one he stayed in.

That's because people on the street around Pike & 1st and that general area are the druggie people.

Belltown area are more often true homeless and mentally ill (there are many social service agencies).

My office is in the heart of Belltown & I spend a lot of time out & about on foot. I've never heard of the Belltown Inn and will be interested to hear a 1st hand review from Patrick's experience.

Oh, and I agree with the assessment above that the drug traffic has moved in part to Belltown just recently, with the clean up effort in the more central part of downtown. That's a pretty well established fact lately.

Suze, it's the old Marvin Gardens at 3rd and Bell, across from the dog park.

Thanks for the location. I'll take a spin by it on a lunch-time walk. It's only two blocks from my office.

If it works out, I'd love to have another good recommendation to pass on in that price range, because (as you know) there are so few choices (Moore Hotel, Kings Inn, Days Inn).

suze, Seattle hotel prices always seem to throw me. I once had a long thread here about trying to bid Priceline there and not getting anywhere as I had gotten a senior discount lower than any corresponding winning bids.

I'm booking a night at SeaTac before we fly out in the morning. Why are there no $79 or so places like in most cities. The Holiday Inn Express, Quality Inns, Red Roof, etc. are all over $100. The Marriott Courtyard has nothing under $200 this far in advance! Amazing. I have booked a LaQuinta Senior Rate at $106, which seems high, but is OK.

Incidentally, I talked to the nicest girl at the Belltown Inn (Susan) who really did give me a great rate of $99 -- while listed rates were closer to $200.

Can I tack on another question. Are the car rentals (Budget in particular) walking distance from the terminal or is it a shuttle situation? This is only a return, not a pickup.

Assuming your reservation at the Belltown is cancellable, you might want to wait and see if you can get something nicer on PL closer to the date for not much more--the hotels might be waiting and seeing this far ahead. I have a feeling this summer isn't going to be like last summer...

The Budget drop-off is in the parking garage right across from the terminal at Seatac.

Regarding Priceline I wasn't referring to this trip. I was referring to one two years ago when I kept looking at winning and losing bids that didn't even compare to a rate I was already getting direct. As it turned out, I never even bid, because I would have had to bid lower than ANY winning bid to make it better than what I had and possibly (probably) ending up with something less convenient. And when I kept posting here I was getting acknowledgements from Priceline bidders familiar with Seattle saying that I wasn't likely to do any better than I was doing.

For this trip for a one night stay, if I end up having to take a taxi to go pick up my rental car, instead of just walking four blocks to do it, that could eat up another $15 or $20. So I should bid something like $75 not knowing where I'd end up just to come out even pricewise? I don't think so.

I honestly can't even think of where or what I'd bid for under $90 that might not yield me something less convenient for my purposes than the Belltown Inn. And being there Memorial Day week for one night isn't very promising either. Yes, the room is cancelable right up to the day of arrival. But if I bid $75 (a pretty near impossible bid for downtown Seattle) and won something I didn't want -- I'd be disappointed and won't have saved any money either. I don't see how Priceline can do me any good on this trip either. If I didn't mind spending $160 to get a $300 room, that would be another matter -- but I really don't! I'd rather pay $99 for a place that is OK for me and I know is convenient. I'll be there from maybe 10 at night until 7 in the morning -- just a place to sleep and take a shower.

I arrived once and was prepared to take the shuttle when a limo driver asked if we'd like to ride in the limo with another couple for the same price. We spit the cost with the other couple. It was great! Limo drivers need work, too. And there was plenty of room!

Oh, NWWanderer, I missed the response about the Budget office. Thanks. Just what I needed to know.

Suze and NeoPatrick - We usually travel with only 1 suitcase (Rick Steves style) and maybe a daypack, so riding the Metro Bus was fine. You are correct that you would not be able to do this with a lot of luggage.

But we took the EXPRESS Metro Bus. The ride is very quick into downtown. And the buses run every 12 minutes, so there isn't much of a wait. If your bus will go through the bus tunnel, it is very fast (almost like being on a subway) and the cost is only $1.50. You can try this trip planner to see if the bus will work for you: http://tripplanner.metrokc.gov/cgi-b....pl?resptype=U and by the way, I think the new monorail system from Sea-Tac Airport to downtown Seatle will be in operation by Fall 2009??? THAT will be great!

Yes I've used Metro from the airport when I was packing extra light. Thanks for posting the good details for others.

The new deal they're building is "Light Rail" (not an part of the old monorail) by Sound Transit. Here's a website... will be interested to see exactly when they get it opened!

www.soundtransit.org/x1173.xml