🚊 Seattle Transportation Guide

Seattle has excellent public transportation! The Link Light Rail is your best friend - it connects the airport, downtown, and stadium. Here's everything you need to know.

🚀 Quick Start - Airport to City

✅ Easiest Option: Link Light Rail

Cost: Just $3.00!
Time: 38-40 minutes to downtown
Frequency: Every 8-15 minutes
Hours: 5 AM - 1 AM (Mon-Sat), 6 AM - Midnight (Sun)

Step-by-Step from Sea-Tac Airport

Follow signs for "Link Light Rail" after baggage claim
Take elevator/escalator to 4th floor of parking garage
Walk across skybridge to station
Buy ORCA card from vending machine ($3 for card)
Add fare value (minimum $3 for downtown trip)
Tap card on yellow reader to enter platform
Board train heading "Northgate" or "Angle Lake"
Ride to your stop (Westlake for downtown)
Tap card again when exiting

💳 ORCA Card - Your Transit Pass

What is ORCA?

ORCA (One Regional Card for All) is the payment system for all Seattle public transit. Works on buses, light rail, streetcar, and ferries!

💰 Card cost: $3 (one-time fee)

💵 Load $5-300 in value

📱 Also available as phone app

Where to Buy ORCA Cards

Sea-Tac Airport station (vending machines)
All Link Light Rail stations
Transit GO Ticket App (digital card)
Many grocery stores (QFC, Safeway)
Online at orcacard.com (takes 7-10 days)

ORCA Pass Options (2026 rates)

Link Light Rail: $3.00 flat
King County Metro bus: $3.00 flat
All-Day PugetPass: $6 adult / $2 reduced
NEW for the tournament — 3-Day PugetPass: $18 adult / $6 reduced (sold June 1 – August 31, 2026)
Youth 18 and under ride FREE on all WA public transit (buses, Link, Sounder, ferries, water taxi, Monorail)
ORCA Tap-to-Pay: Contactless credit/debit/Apple Pay/Google Pay works at Link, Metro, RapidRide, and Streetcar — no physical ORCA card needed

🚊 Link Light Rail System

Key Stations for Egyptian Fans

🏟️ For Lumen Field (Stadium):

Stadium Station - Closest to Lumen Field (2 min walk)
Int'l District/Chinatown - Alternative (8 min walk)

🏙️ Downtown Stations:

Westlake - Shopping, downtown core
University Street - Financial district
Pioneer Square - Historic area, near stadium

📍 Other Important Stops:

Capitol Hill - Restaurants, nightlife
U-District - University of Washington
Northgate - Near Idris Mosque

🎯 Light Rail in June 2026 — fully expanded

1 Line: Runs from Lynnwood (north) to Federal Way (south, opened Dec 2025).

2 Line: The Crosslake Connection opened March 28, 2026 and is operating now. Ride direct from Downtown Redmond → Bellevue → Mercer Island → Judkins Park → International District/Chinatown across the I-90 floating bridge. Eastside fans heading to Seattle Stadium should exit at ID/Chinatown for the north gates.

🚌 King County Metro Buses

Using the Bus System

Same ORCA card works on all buses
Cash accepted (exact change only)
Fare: $3.00 flat for adults
Youth 18 and under ride FREE
Free transfers within 2 hours
Enter front door, exit back door
Request stop by pulling yellow cord

Helpful Bus Routes

Route 7: Connects to many halal restaurants
Route 49: Capitol Hill to U-District
Route 40: Fremont to Downtown
RapidRide Lines: Faster, more frequent service

🚗 Rideshare & Taxis

Uber & Lyft

📱 Download apps before arriving

💰 Airport to downtown: $45–$90 during the World Cup window (3–5× normal on match days)

⚠️ Designated WC rideshare zones along 4th Ave South; 1st Ave S and Occidental Ave closed near the stadium

Tip: Avoid rideshare immediately after matches — prices can be 3–5× normal. Walk a few blocks away from the stadium first, or take Link Light Rail (runs every 8 min until 1 AM on match nights).

Traditional Taxis

Yellow Cab: (206) 622-6500
Orange Cab: (206) 522-8800
Airport to downtown: $40-50 + tip
Accept credit cards
15-20% tip expected

⚽ Match Day Transportation

🚨 Match Day Alert

Arrive 2 hours early - stations get VERY crowded
Buy return tickets/load ORCA before the match
Expect 30-45 minute wait for trains after match
Consider walking to Pioneer Square station to avoid Stadium station crowds

Best Routes to Seattle Stadium (Lumen Field)

From Downtown Hotels:

Walk (20-25 minutes) - Follow 4th Avenue south
Light Rail - Any southbound train to Stadium Station (or ID/Chinatown for the north gates)
Stadium parking (North Lot, South Garage) is CLOSED to the general public for World Cup matches

From Airport Hotels:

Link Light Rail northbound to Stadium Station (30 min)
Direct, no transfers needed

From the Eastside (Bellevue/Redmond):

2 Line Light Rail → International District/Chinatown Station, then walk south ~8 min to north gates

🏆 World Cup Match-Day Transit (June 15 – July 6, 2026)

Link runs every 8 minutes on both 1 Line and 2 Line from 6 AM until 1 AM (extended from the normal midnight cutoff) — combined ~4-minute headways through downtown
FREE SEA26 Match Day Shuttle along 3rd Ave between Seattle Center and Seattle Stadium — starts 3 hours before kickoff (every 3 min in the final hour) and runs 3 hours after the final whistle
FREE Waterfront Shuttle (May 21 – Sept 7) connects Seattle Center, Pike Place, Pioneer Square, Seattle Stadium, Chinatown-ID, and Colman Dock
Special Sounder game trains run for all six Seattle matches from Lakewood/Tacoma (S Line) and Everett (N Line) direct to King Street Station (1 block north of the stadium)
Bikes BANNED from Link and Sounder on match days
Pioneer Square and Stadium District are pedestrian-only ~4 hours pre-kickoff to ~2-3 hours post-match
Lime e-bikes/scooters throttled to 8 mph around Pioneer Square / Stadium District

🚄 Following Egypt — Inter-city Travel

Seattle → Spokane (Egypt's training base)

Fly: SEA → GEG ~1h 12m nonstop on Alaska/Horizon (~23 flights/day, $99–$245 one-way)
Drive: ~280 mi / 4h 30m east via I-90
Amtrak Empire Builder (Train 7): departs King Street Station ~4:40 PM, arrives Spokane ~12:40 AM (overnight), $80–$180 coach

Seattle → Vancouver BC (Egypt 3–1 NZ, June 21 — played)

Drive: ~140 mi / ~3h via I-5 N (allow extra time for the border crossing)
Amtrak Cascades: direct service between Seattle and Vancouver BC
Bus: FlixBus, Quick Coach, BoltBus all serve the route

🇪🇬 Egypt vs Iran (Fri June 26) — match-day transit

Link Light Rail: 1 Line and 2 Line every 8 minutes, 6 AM – 1 AM (combined ~4-min headways through downtown)
Best stations for 8 PM kickoff: Pioneer Square (from the north — closest to the north entrances), Stadium (from the south), International District/Chinatown (from the east, including the 2 Line from Bellevue)
Sounder game trains: N Line from Everett (5:45 PM departure), S Line from Lakewood (5:16 PM) → King Street Station, one block from the stadium. Return trains depart ~11:00 PM PT
SEA26 Match Day Shuttle: free 3rd Ave loop between Seattle Center and Seattle Stadium, every 3 min in the final hour
Pioneer Square pedestrian-only zone activates at 4:00 PM (4 hours pre-kickoff); on-street parking restrictions start 2:00 AM that morning — do not leave a car parked overnight on closure streets
No bikes or scooters on Link or Sounder on match days; Lime e-bikes/scooters throttled to 8 mph around Pioneer Square / Stadium District
Rideshare: drop-off along 4th Ave South; 1st Ave S and Occidental Ave closed near the stadium. Surge pricing 3–5× normal — Link is faster after the match

📱 Essential Apps for Getting Around

Must-Have Apps

Transit GO Ticket: Buy ORCA passes digitally
OneBusAway: Real-time bus arrivals
Google Maps: Best for transit directions
Citymapper: Alternative transit app
Uber/Lyft: For rideshare options

💡 Pro Tip

Download offline maps in Google Maps before arriving - works even without data!

🗺️ Transit Maps & Resources

King County Metro (Buses)

🚌 Local bus service throughout Seattle and King County

📞 Customer Info: 206-553-3000

🗺️ Schedules & Maps 📍 Trip Planner

Sound Transit (Light Rail & Express)

🚊 Light rail, commuter rail, and express buses

🗺️ Routes & Schedules 📄 1 Line Schedule (PDF) 🚧 System Expansion

ORCA Card Resources

💳 Works on all transit: buses, light rail, streetcar, ferries

📱 NEW: Tap-to-pay with contactless cards (Visa/Mastercard/Apple Pay/Google Pay)

📖 Visitor Guide 💳 Manage Your Card

Washington State Ferries

⛴️ Scenic ferry rides to islands and peninsulas

💰 Seattle-Bainbridge: Adults $11.05 round trip, Youth 18 & under FREE

🗺️ Ferry Schedules

Seattle Transit Map

🗺️ Community-made comprehensive transit map of the Seattle area

🗺️ View Transit Map

🚡 Other Transit Options

Seattle Streetcar

🚊 Two lines: South Lake Union & First Hill

💳 Same ORCA card works

💰 $2.25 per ride

Water Taxi

⛴️ To West Seattle from downtown

🌊 Scenic views of city

Seattle Monorail

🚝 Tourist attraction, not practical transit

💰 $3.50 one-way (doesn't accept ORCA)

🚶‍♂️ Walking & Biking

Walking in Seattle

Downtown is walkable but hilly!
Wear comfortable shoes
Rain can happen anytime - bring umbrella
Use pedestrian crossings - jaywalking is fined
Most attractions within 30 min walk downtown

Bike Share

Lime: E-bikes and scooters via app
Helmet required by law
Bike lanes available but hills are challenging
Not recommended for inexperienced cyclists

💰 Transportation Costs Summary

Budget Planning

Airport to Downtown	$3 (Light Rail) / $45–$90 (Uber, surge)
All-Day PugetPass	$6
3-Day PugetPass (WC special)	$18
Single Bus/Link Ride	$3.00 flat (youth ≤18 FREE)
Downtown to Stadium	$3 (Link) / Free (Walk or Match Day Shuttle)
Stadium Parking	CLOSED to public for WC — $30–$75 elsewhere

✅ Essential Tips

Always tap ORCA card when entering AND exiting light rail
Keep right on escalators - left side for walking
Priority seating for elderly/disabled - please offer your seat
No eating on buses/trains (water OK)
Validate your stop with driver if unsure
Transit security present - keep tickets/cards ready
Late night service limited - check schedules
Download transit apps before you need them