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Getting around Seattle

Public transport: 

Seattle’s excellent bus system is operated by Metro Transit (tel: (206) 553 3000; http://metro.kingcounty.gov). There is free transport in the downtown area everyday from 0600 until 1900. In other locations, tickets are available on the bus (exact change is required). A day pass for Metro Transit is available on Saturday, Sunday and holidays.

Metro Transit also operates the Waterfront Streetcar, a green-and-yellow tram linking Pier 70 and the International District/King Street Station. Currently, the line is under construction with free Route 99 buses temporarily replacing the tram.

There is also a high-speed elevated monorail, operated by Seattle Monorail Services (tel: (206) 905 2620; www.seattlemonorail.com), which links the downtown area to the Seattle Center in less than two minutes.

Washington State Ferries (tel: (206) 464 6400 or 1 888 808 7977; www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries) link Seattle with the Olympic Peninsula, Bainbridge Island and other parts of Greater Seattle and is an attractive means of transport. Ferries depart from Piers 50 and 52, 801 Alaskan Way, in the city centre. Schedules vary, although ferries to Bainbridge Island and Bremerton operate daily. Tickets are available at the piers, before boarding.

Taxis: 

You can hail taxis from the few designated ranks in front of hotels and the airport or by telephone. A tip of 10 to15% is expected. Seattle taxi drivers are almost always polite and reliable, although you may have to wait up to 20 minutes for a cab.

Recommended taxi firms include Yellow Cab (tel: (206) 622 6500), Orange Cab Corporation (tel: (206) 522 8800), Farwest (tel: (206) 622 1717) and Stita Taxi (tel: (206) 246 9999).

Driving: 

Owing to heavy congestion, one-way streets and the high price of parking, it's not recommended to drive in downtown Seattle. Renting a car, however, can be a great way to explore areas outside Seattle. Drivers should be aware of the specially designated lanes for buses, bicycles and ‘HOV' or High Occupancy Vehicles - those carrying more than one person. Parking in downtown Seattle costs around US$5 for two hours; it's free on Sundays.

Car hire: 

The minimum age to hire a car is 25 years. A valid driving licence is usually acceptable but an International Driving Permit is preferred.

Car rental companies in Seattle include Alamo (tel: 1 800 327 9633; www.alamo.com), Avis (tel: 1 877 222 9075; www.avis.com), Budget (tel: 1 800 527 0700; www.budget.com), Dollar (tel: 1 800 800 3665; www.dollarcar.com), Hertz (tel: 1 800 654 3131; www.hertz.com) and National Car Rental (tel: 1 877 222 9058; www.nationalcar.com).

Bicycle hire: 

Seattle is a great albeit hilly city for cyclists, with designated bicycle lanes. Major bike hire companies include Aaron's Bicycle Repair (tel: (206) 938 9795; www.rideyourbike.com), and The Montlake Bicycle Shop, (tel: (206) 329 7333; www.montlakebike.com).

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