Seattle Airport to Downtown Seattle by Train: Step-by-Step Guide

Updated for 2026: This guide reflects the latest Link light rail routes, stations, fares, and airport connections between Seattle Airport and downtown Seattle.

Flying into Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA aka “SeaTac”) and wondering how to get to downtown Seattle? The easiest and most affordable option is taking the train. The Link Light Rail runs directly from the Seattle airport into the city, helping you skip traffic, avoid expensive rideshares, and get downtown in about 40 minutes.

As a Seattle local who’s taken this route dozens of times, I’ll walk you through exactly how to take the train from the airport to downtown Seattle, step by step, so you know where to go, what to expect, and how much it costs.

If taking the train isn’t the right fit for your trip, I also briefly cover other ways to get from Seattle airport to downtown, including rideshare, taxis, and rental cars, later in this post.

Leaving the Seattle Airport

The Seattle airport has six concourses inside one main terminal and two satellite terminals, the concourses (aka gates) are A, B, C, D, N, and S. All of these concourses and terminals will exit into the same main baggage claim area that runs the entire length of the lower level of the airport (except for international arrivals which have a separate baggage claim before customs).

From the main terminal (concourses A, B, C, D), you simply follow signs to baggage claim, which is located one level below the gate level. If you don’t have checked baggage, you can skip going down to baggage claim and instead follow the signs directly to the Link Light Rail.

The two satellite terminals (N & S) will require you to take a short underground train ride to the Main Terminal/Baggage Claim from the satellite terminal (except for International Arrivals, those arrive into the end of A concourse after clearing customs). From the N or S satellite train, you’ll exit at the Main Terminal/Baggage Claim stop and follow the signs to Baggage Claim (you’ll go up a level).

How to Take the Link Light Rail from Seattle Airport

Once you have your luggage, you’ll want to follow the signs toward the Link Light Rail / parking garage. This will mean you’ll go up or down half a level from the terminal or baggage claim and cross a sky bridge to the parking structure (level 4).

The Link Light Rail station is located at the north end of the parking lot, so follow the signs and make your way along the edge of the parking garage to the station.

It is a bit of a walk to reach the light rail station, so those who have mobility issues might want to make alternative arrangements.

When you enter the station, look for ticket machines to buy your pass. You can also download the Transit GO Ticket app and buy a digital ticket in advance. The Transit Go app is also useful for trip planning as it will tell you exactly what Link Light Rail stop to exit at in order to reach your destination along with expandable walking directions from the light rail station to your destination.

If you’re planning to use public transit often while in Seattle, you can buy an ORCA card (can be done at the machine) which costs $3 and can be loaded with a value between $5 to $300. However, this is NOT necessary for most visitors unless you’re planning to use transit often during your stay (i.e. buses). I recommend most tourist use the Transit Go app or the machines to keep things simple.

NOTE: you will need to keep your ticket with you as proof. There are occasional ticket checks on the train. But do note, when buying a ticket you will not scan it or pass through ticket booths, like you may have experience with other train systems like JFK airport to Manhattan. Only people using ORCA cards need to scan to pay upon entering the stations.

How Much Does the Train from Seattle Airport to Downtown Seattle Cost?

You’ll pay $3.00 to ride the Link light rail train from SEA/Seatac airport to downtown Seattle. Fares are a set rate and you don’t save money buying a one-way vs round-trip ticket.

Once you have your ticket or have tapped your ORCA card, you’ll take the escalator up to the train deck. There will be two tracks, one for Lynnwood and one for Federal Way. Lynnwood City Center is the most northern stop and passes through Seattle, choose the Lynnwood track. Federal Way heads south of the airport, this is not in the direction of downtown Seattle.

When a train arrives, you’ll be able to walk directly on board and find a seat. Do keep in mind that there are a lot of backward-facing seats since the trains move in both directions. If you suffer from motion sickness, note what direction the train came in (it will move in the same northern direction) when choosing your seat so you can sit forward-facing.

There are signs on the trains that show the order of stops as well as the current and upcoming stops, but they may be hard to see if you’re seated in some areas or if the trains are crowded.

Exiting the Link Light Rail in Downtown Seattle

There are multiple stops for downtown Seattle, so you’ll want to know which is closest to your destination. I find using the Transit Go app Trip Planner or Google Maps can be useful for figuring this out.

For Google Maps, you navigate from the airport to your hotel or destination and then choose the public transit option.

This method will help you know which of the downtown exits is closest to where you want to go. For a few of the popular attractions here are the closest exits:

• Lumen Field (Seattle sports stadium): Int’l District/Chinatown Station
• Pike Place Market: Symphony Station (formally was University Street Station)
• Space Needle: Westlake Station (connect to the Monorail [separate ticket req] to Seattle Center)

When you’re leaving the station, some stations have multiple exits so look for signage of the best exit depending on your destination. However, most of the streets around the light rail stations are on a grid layout and so even if you exit out one side, you should be able to check your location once on the street to help navigate you further.

As a Seattle local, I think it’s important for me to mention to tourists that Seattle is a major city. Public transit can attract unhoused individuals in the area looking for shelter, so it’s worth mentioning as some visitors aren’t prepared for that and may feel uncomfortable.

That being said, we use the Link Light Rail often during the daytime hours (I typically avoid it late at night into the early mornings (approx 11 pm to 5 am) and it works fabulously for avoiding traffic and getting between downtown and the airport.

Other Ways to Get from Seattle Airport to Downtown Seattle

If you’re wondering if the train is the best option for you, below are a few other ways people can get from the airport to Seattle downtown. I advise visitors who are either managing a lot of luggage (the trains have limited luggage storage spaces), have mobility issues, or are uncomfortable with public transit to consider alternate options.

Rideshare (Uber/Lyft)

Uber and Lyft are readily available in Seattle. You’ll pay about $50-$90 one-way for a rideshare into the city depending on the time of day. To catch a rideshare from the Seattle airport, you’ll head to the 3rd level of the parking garage.

Taxi

If you don’t want to bother with rideshare apps, you can catch a cab at the airport. The taxis are mostly metered, but some may offer a flat rate (this used to be standard but I have not checked recently if any flat rate taxis were still operating). Uber does have quite a high surcharge in Seattle so it might be worth checking with taxis if the rideshare rates are high. You can likely expect to spend $45-$70 on a taxi. Taxis are also located on the 3rd floor of the parking garage.

Shuttle / Town Car Service

The next most affordable way to get from the Seattle airport to Seattle Downtown is to use a shared shuttle service or private transfer service. Premier Airport Shuttle is at the airport if you don’t plan in advance. You can also book transfers directly with Viator in advance and this transfer service is rated 5* and easy to book, or consider this private transfer that meets you at the airport to assist you with your luggage.

Rent a Car

While you can easily explore the city of Seattle on foot and car-free, there is a huge amount of our region that offers plenty to see and can only be explored by car. Many visitors may be adding on trips to Olympic National Park or Mt. Rainier. A few things to keep in mind about renting a car in Seattle:

• Seattle does have bad rush-hour traffic. Traffic into the city from the north and south will be heavy during the daytime hours (6-10 am), traffic out of the city to the north and south burbs will be heavy in the evenings (3-6 pm). Also keep in mind any Seattle sports events, they can cause side streets around the stadium to be standstill and the highways can be heavy. Use Waze or your favorite traffic app to help alert you to traffic slowdowns.
• Downtown Seattle also has a lot of one-way roads and hills. If you’re used to driving in a big city with one-way roads and street-parking, you’ll likely be fine. I don’t recommend a manual car because of the hills in downtown. Gas is also expensive in Seattle, so you might want to choose a hybrid car.
• Parking in Seattle can be very expensive, especially at the hotels. Be sure to take that into account when planning your budget and car rental.
• The car rental center at SeaTac airport is located off-site. You’ll exit the doors at the baggage claim and catch a shuttle bus to the facility. There are two places to catch the shuttle, one at each end of the baggage claim level. There can be LONG lines for the rental car busses during peak tourism season.

Final Thoughts

You can see that the taking the Link light rail train from the Seattle airport to downtown Seattle is extremely convenient and cheap. The only times I wouldn’t use the train is if I was arriving during the late/early hours of 9pm to 4am. Otherwise, it’s an easy way to get to the city.

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