Guides · United States
Getting around Seattle
How to move around Seattle on a 3-day walking trip: metro, tickets and the notes that matter.
Checked September 2026 against official sources
Seattle
Transit and walking
Follow the official link before you buy. Full walking days: Seattle itinerary.
Getting around
- Since 23 February 2026 you can pay adult fares on Link light rail, buses and the Seattle Streetcar by tapping a contactless credit or debit card or phone on the ORCA reader, with a two-hour transfer window. Tap to Pay is not accepted on Washington State Ferries or the Monorail.Source: ORCA · checked Sep 2026
- The Seattle Center Monorail runs between Westlake Center and Seattle Center in two minutes; the adult fare is $4 one way, and ORCA cards are accepted.Source: Seattle Center Monorail · checked Sep 2026
Questions
Quick answers
How do I pay for transit?
Since February 2026 you can tap a contactless credit or debit card or phone on Link light rail, buses and the streetcar, with a two-hour transfer; the Monorail ($4) and the ferries take cards at their own ticket machines or ORCA cards.
Is the Bainbridge ferry worth it?
Yes: it is the cheapest skyline cruise in the city, 35 minutes each way from Colman Dock, and walk-on passengers pay only on the way out. Aim for a late-afternoon sailing so the return crossing is at sunset.
How much walking is this itinerary?
Between sights it comes to about 1.5 to 2 km a day in a straight line, but Seattle is hilly: the climb to Kerry Park and the stairs between the market and the waterfront (Overlook Walk has elevators) add effort.
The days these rules belong to
3 days in Seattle
Seattle's centre is compact and hilly, so the plan works downhill where it can: day one runs from Pike Place Market down Overlook Walk to the aquarium, the Great Wheel and the Olympic Sculpture Park; day two rides the Monorail to Seattle Center for the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass and MoPOP, climbs to Kerry Park and ends across the water at Gas Works Park; day three takes in the Seattle Art Museum and the Central Library, Pioneer Square and Smith Tower, and finishes with the Bainbridge Island ferry. The art museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, Smith Tower's observatory opens only at 15:00 and MoPOP is closed on Wednesdays, so plan the last two days around them.
