Seattle Departures - Light Rail

[ignites]

Hi,

 

Couldnt find the answer to this, but I was wondering has anyone taken "light rail" from Seattle Airport to Downtown Seattle + walked to the cruise habour?

 

Google says it's a feasible walk (17 mins which is not too bad for us). We did similar walks in Syndey and Vancouver. Just wondering if anyone has tried it, I know some "walkable routes" may have logistical challenges (ie. walking through heavy traffic/unpaved roads) that sometimes google doesnt account for.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Seattle-Tacoma+International+Airport+(SEA),+17801+International+Blvd,+Seattle,+WA+98158,+USA/Cruise+Terminals+of+America,+Alaskan+Way,+Seattle,+WA,+USA/@47.5311996,-122.380527,12z/am=t/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x5490435542eafefd:0x99d3d9c4c7dc37b7!2m2!1d-122.3088165!2d47.4502499!1m5!1m1!1s0x5490155266a39449:0xe2a5b3b3d57f3957!2m2!1d-122.3499652!2d47.6115014!3e3

[Gardyloo]

That's okay for departures from the Bell Street (Pier 66) terminal, mainly for Norwegian cruises.  The other (much bigger and serving the other cruise lines including Princess, HAL, Royal Caribbean, Carnival etc.) terminal at Pier 91 is a much longer walk from the light rail station (really, I wouldn't do it) amounting to roughly three miles.

 

The waterfront is at the bottom of a steep bluff between roughly First Avenue and Alaskan Way.  There's a skybridge from Western Avenue over to the Bell Street terminal, and a couple of elevators near the Pike Place Market, so the walk is not especially difficult for those dragging luggage, but it's not very intuitive and you'd need a map.

 

Here's a map showing the walking routes from the Westlake light rail station - https://goo.gl/maps/YWkpCQu2vn84uE1t8 .  As you can see, Pier 91 is a LOT farther than Pier 66.

 

Note there's a free waterfront shuttle bus that collects passengers at the International District light rail station (a couple of stops before Westlake) that will drop you right at Pier 66.  It doesn't go as far as Pier 91.  Frankly, from the airport I'd probably pop for a towncar or Uber to either cruise terminal rather than wrangling luggage on and off the light rail (which has no real provision for baggage) and then hiking downhill or taking a cab from Westlake to Pier 91.  

[Glaciers]

If you are at the Bell St. Pier I wouldn’t go through the Pike Place Market area as your map suggests. There will be hundreds of people there and navigating the sidewalks can be difficult. From Westlake go north on 2^nd Ave to Lenora and then west to the elevator or a couple blocks further and head towards the cruise terminal on Bell St. There’s a pedestrian bridge there that takes you directly to the terminal.

 

I see a few people walking towards downtown from Pier 91, most regret doing it. I did speak to an older couple that only had carry ons that had reached Pier 70 and it took them 40 minutes to that point. They enjoyed it.