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?

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

we are only planning on hitting the sights in downtown.

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.

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

so riding the buses, i imagine we won't be using a car seat for our 8 mo old?

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?

Can you not take a taxi? That would certainly be easiest.

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.

Topped by advertising more likely, tomfuller.