Roberta Aguirre
If you're looking to travel from Seattle Airport to Spokane, Washington, you may be considering taking the Amtrak train. The closest Amtrak station to Seattle Airport (Sea-Tac) is in Tukwila, less than 5 miles from the airport. However, this station has very few amenities. Another option is the King Street Station in downtown Seattle, which is easily accessible from the airport via the Link light rail. The light rail runs every 8-10 minutes and takes 38 minutes to reach the heart of downtown Seattle.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Closest Amtrak station to Seattle Airport | King Street Station, Tukwila Station |
| King Street Station Location | 303 South Jackson Street, downtown Seattle |
| King Street Station Description | Restored 1906 building with no amenities or restaurants |
| King Street Station Attractions | Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park, Waterfall Garden Park, Lumen Field |
| King Street Station Restaurants | Zeitgeist Coffee, King Street Bar and Oven, Girin, Salumi deli, multiple restaurants on 5th Avenue |
| King Street Station Served Routes | Amtrak Cascades (to Canada), Coast Starlight (to Los Angeles), Empire Builder (cross country to Chicago) |
| Tukwila Station Location | 7301 Longacres Way |
| Tukwila Station Description | Only a parking lot and train platform |
| Tukwila Station Served Routes | Cascades, commuter rail |
What You'll Learn
King Street Station
The station was opened on May 10, 1906, and was designed by Reed and Stem, with a prominent clock tower inspired by St. Mark's Campanile in Venice. The tower's four huge mechanical clock faces, built by E. Howard & Co. of Boston, offer the time to each of the four cardinal directions. The station's interior also features a Compass Room, with a navigational star compass rose design laid out in hand-cut marble tiles on the floor.
In 1971, King Street Station was selected as Amtrak's sole Seattle station. The station underwent a $55 million renovation in 2013, restoring its original fixtures, and is currently the 15th-busiest station on the Amtrak system, serving as the hub for the Pacific Northwest region.
The station has 25 daily train departures, including commuter rail services to Tacoma, Lakewood, and Everett, as well as Amtrak Cascades regional trains to Vancouver, BC, Portland, OR, and Eugene, OR. Long-distance trains, such as the Empire Builder, also depart from King Street Station, providing connections to Chicago, IL, and Los Angeles, CA.
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Tukwila Station
The station features two 600-foot-long side platforms on an embanked, triple-tracked segment of the BNSF Seattle Subdivision. Stairs and ramps connect the platforms to ground level, leading to a pedestrian underpass along Longacres Way at the north end of the station. The ticket machines, bike lockers, and bus bays are located in a plaza west of the platforms, along with a piece of public art—Sheila Klein's sculpture and garden Imaginary Landscape.
The station offers 390 parking spaces, including 40 reserved for Amtrak passengers and spaces for carpool vehicles. Free parking is available for Amtrak Cascades passengers in the lot's marked spaces. However, it is important to note that the station does not have public restrooms available.
Tukwila has long been a transportation crossroads, and the current multimodal station opened in 2015. The area's history with transportation goes back to the Puget Sound Shore Railroad, a branch of the Northern Pacific Railway, which built the first railroad between Seattle and Tacoma in 1884. The Longacres horse racetrack, built in 1933 adjacent to the Northern Pacific tracks, was later redeveloped into offices, and the site was recommended as a station on a potential commuter rail line.
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Link Light Rail
The Link Light Rail is a quick, easy, and economical way to get to and from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. It takes 38 minutes to travel between the airport and downtown Seattle, with trains departing every 8-10 minutes for most of the day.
To get to the SeaTac/Airport Link light rail station from the airport, head to the fourth floor from baggage claim and cross the skybridge to the parking garage level. From there, follow the signs to the Link light rail station. Alternatively, you can take the free Train-to-Plane shuttle or the free electric shuttle service to get between the airport and the light rail station.
The Link light rail extends from Angle Lake to Northgate, with stops in South Seattle neighbourhoods, the stadium district, the International District/Chinatown, University of Washington, downtown locations, and Capitol Hill. The closest Link light rail station to the Seattle Amtrak Station (King Street Station) is the International District/Chinatown stop, which is about a block away.
To plan your trip, you can use Sound Transit's trip planner to find the closest light rail station to you, and then purchase a ticket from the ticket machines, use an ORCA card, or download the Transit GO Ticket app.
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Train-to-Plane shuttle
The closest Amtrak station to Seattle Airport (Sea-Tac) is the Tukwila station, located at 7301 Longacres Way, which is less than 5 miles from the airport. However, this station only services the Cascades and commuter rail. For other Amtrak services, travellers are advised to go to King Street Station in downtown Seattle.
To get to King Street Station from the airport, you can take the Link light rail. It's a quick, easy and economical way to travel between the airport and the heart of downtown Seattle, taking just 38 minutes. From baggage claim, follow the signs for the Link light rail. From the north end of the terminal, go up one floor to the skybridge level and head across Skybridge six. Turn left through the parking garage to the light rail station.
A free Train-to-Plane shuttle service operates between the light rail station and the airport skybridge. This service operates seven days a week from 5 am to midnight.
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Transport from Seattle Airport to Amtrak
There are several ways to get from Seattle Airport (Sea-Tac) to the Amtrak station. The closest Amtrak station to the airport is Tukwila, which is less than 5 miles from the airport. However, it is a very basic station with limited services. The main Amtrak station in Seattle is King Street Station, located in downtown Seattle.
Tukwila Amtrak Station
- Tram: The Link light rail tram runs directly from the airport to the International District/Chinatown Station, which is a short walk from King Street Station. However, to get to Tukwila Station, you will need to change trams at the International District/Chinatown Station and get on the R Line tram towards Tukwila. The entire journey will take around 32 minutes.
- Bus: There are several bus options that can take you from the airport to Tukwila Station, including the Dungeness Line bus and King County Metro buses. The journey will take around 25-35 minutes, depending on traffic.
- Taxi or rideshare: You can take a taxi or use a ridesharing app such as Uber or Lyft to get from the airport to Tukwila Station. The ride will take around 10-15 minutes, depending on traffic.
King Street Station (Downtown Seattle)
- Tram: As mentioned earlier, you can take the Link light rail tram directly from the airport to the International District/Chinatown Station, which is a short walk from King Street Station. The journey will take around 32 minutes.
- Bus: There are several bus options that can take you from the airport to King Street Station, including Greyhound and FlixBus. The journey will take around 25-35 minutes, depending on traffic.
- Taxi or rideshare: You can take a taxi or use a ridesharing app such as Uber or Lyft to get from the airport directly to King Street Station. The ride will take around 20-30 minutes, depending on traffic.
It is important to note that the commuter rail and Amtrak Cascades service from Tukwila to Seattle is limited, so it is essential to check the schedule before choosing this option. Additionally, the Tukwila Station has limited amenities and services. Therefore, if you need to print a ticket, check baggage, or purchase a ticket, it is recommended to go directly to King Street Station in downtown Seattle.
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Frequently asked questions
No, but there are a few Amtrak stations close to the airport. The closest is the station in Tukwila, which is less than 5 miles from the airport. However, this station only has a parking lot and a train platform. The King Street Station in downtown Seattle is also an option, but it is further away from the airport.
You can take the Link light rail from the airport to the International District/Chinatown stop, which is about a block away from the King Street Station. The light rail ride takes about 38 minutes, and the trains depart every 8-10 minutes for most of the day.
The King Street Station has a beautiful interior, but it does not have any restaurants or amenities inside. However, there are several restaurants within walking distance, including Zeitgeist Coffee, King Street Bar and Oven, Girin, and Salumi deli.
