Transportation

When to Go

Spring, early summer and fall are ideal times to visit Seattle. From late March to mid June and from mid September through mid November days are usually warm but not too hot, and evenings are pleasant. Many festivals are held during this time period. In the spring, the landscape is decorated with colorful wildflowers. Spring thunderstorms and floods can be severe, but acres of lush greenery are produced as a result. Summers are a popular time to visit, but the days are often intensely hot. The morning air in the Fall is crisp and cool, and most days are sunny.

How to Get There
By Plane
The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (tel. 800/544-1965 or 206/431-4444; www.portseattle.org/seatac) is served by about 30 airlines. The major carriers include: Air Canada (tel. 800/247-2262; www.aircanada.ca), Alaska Airlines (tel. 800/252-7522; www.alaskaair.com), American Airlines (tel. 800/433-7300; www.aa.com), America West (tel. 800/235-9292; www.americawest.com), Continental (tel. 800/523-3273; www.continental.com), Delta (tel. 800/221-1212; www.delta.com), Frontier (tel. 800/432-1359; www.flyfrontier.com), Horizon Air (tel. 800/547-9308; www.horizonair.com), JetBlue Airways (tel. 800/JETBLUE; www.jetblue.com), Northwest/KLM (tel. 800/225-2525; www.nwa.com), Southwest (tel. 800/435-9792; www.southwest.com), United (tel. 800/864-8331; www.ual.com), and US Airways (tel. 800/428-4322; www.usairways.com).

Seaplane service between Seattle and the San Juan Islands and Victoria, British Columbia, is offered by Kenmore Air (tel. 800/543-9595, 866/435-9524, or 425/486-1257; www.kenmoreair.com), which has its Seattle terminals at the south end of Lake Union and at the north end of Lake Washington.

There is also helicopter service to Seattle's Boeing Field from Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia, on HeliJet Airways (tel. 800/665-4354 or 250/382-6222; www.helijet.com). The flights take about 20 minutes from Victoria and 80 minutes from Vancouver (depending on the connection, as you must connect in Victoria for the flight to Seattle). Round-trip airfares between Victoria and Seattle start at $170 (C$230).

By Car
Seattle is 110 miles from Vancouver, B.C., 175 miles from Portland, 810 miles from San Francisco, 1,190 miles from Los Angeles, 835 miles from Salt Lake City, and 285 miles from Spokane.

I-5 is the main north-south artery through Seattle, running south to Portland and north to the Canadian border. I-405 is Seattle's Eastside bypass and accesses the cities of Bellevue, Redmond, and Kirkland on the east side of Lake Washington. I-90, which ends at I-5, connects Seattle to Spokane in the eastern part of Washington. Wash. 520 connects I-405 with Seattle just north of downtown and also ends at I-5. Wash. 99, the Alaskan Way Viaduct, is another major north-south highway through downtown Seattle; it passes through the waterfront section of the city.

Members of AAA (tel. 800/222-4357; www.aaa.com) get important benefits such as emergency road service and towing service, along with maps and detailed Trip-Tiks that give precise directions to a destination (including up-to-date information about areas of construction). In Seattle AAA is located at 330 Sixth Ave. N. (tel. 206/448-5353).

By Ferry
Seattle is served by Washington State Ferries (tel. 800/84-FERRY or 888/808-7977 within Washington, or 206/464-6400; www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries), the most extensive ferry system in the United States. Car ferries travel between downtown Seattle and both Bainbridge Island and Bremerton (on the Kitsap Peninsula) from Pier 52, Colman Dock. Car ferries also connect Fauntleroy (in West Seattle) with both Vashon Island and the Kitsap Peninsula at Southworth; Tahlequah (at the south end of Vashon Island) with Point Defiance in Tacoma; Edmonds with Kingston (on the Kitsap Peninsula); Mukilteo with Whidbey Island; Whidbey Island at Keystone with Port Townsend; and Anacortes with the San Juan Islands and Sidney, British Columbia (on Vancouver Island near Victoria).

If you're traveling between Victoria, British Columbia, and Seattle, several options are available through Victoria Clipper, Pier 69, 2701 Alaskan Way (tel. 800/888-2535, 206/448-5000, or 250/382-8100 in Victoria; www.victoriaclipper.com). Ferries make the 2- or 3-hour trip throughout the year, at prices ranging from $66 to $129 round-trip for adults (the lower fare is for advance-purchase tickets). Some scheduled trips also stop in the San Juan Islands.

By Train
Amtrak (tel. 800/872-7245; www.amtrak.com) service runs from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Seattle and from Portland and as far south as Eugene, Oregon, on the Cascades (a high-speed, European-style Talgo train). The train takes about 4 hours from Vancouver to Seattle and 3 1/2 to 4 hours from Portland to Seattle. One-way fares from Vancouver to Seattle or from Portland to Seattle are usually between $28 and $32. Booking earlier will get you a less expensive ticket. There is also Amtrak service to Seattle from San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Portland on the Coast Starlight, and from Spokane and points east on the Empire Builder. Amtrak also operates a bus between Vancouver and Seattle, so be careful when making a reservation or you won't even be on a train.

Like the airlines, Amtrak offers several discounted fares; although they're not all based on advance purchase, you'll have more discount options by reserving early. The discount fares can be used only on certain days and during certain hours; be sure to find out exactly what restrictions apply. Tickets for children 2 to 15 cost half the price of a regular coach fare when the children are accompanied by a fare-paying adult.

Also inquire about money-saving packages that include hotel accommodations, car rentals, tours, and so on with your train fare. Call tel. 800/321-8684 for details.

By Bus
Greyhound (tel. 800/229-9424; www.greyhound.com) bus service provides connections to almost any city in the continental United States. Seattle's Greyhound bus station is located at 811 Stewart St. (tel. 206/628-5526), a few blocks northeast of downtown. Several budget chain motels are located nearby. It's a bit farther to the Hostelling International Seattle hostel, yet walkable if you don't have much luggage. Otherwise, you can grab a free ride on a Metro bus.