One of the few downsides to living on the North Olympic Peninsula is getting to SeaTac airport when air travel is needed.
Without regularly scheduled air service from Port Angeles, many residents find themselves driving to SeaTac airport. Others use one of the private shuttle/bus services.
But there is another way. With the introduction of the Strait Shot by Clallam County Transit in 2017, you now can now travel from Port Angeles and Sequim to SeaTac airport entirely on public transportation. Here’s how you do it!
A three-legged adventure
The first leg of the trip is a relaxing ride on the Strait Shot (Bus No. 123). This bus service was created to provide local residents a direct connection to Bainbridge Island and improve access to Seattle.
The bus runs twice a day (except Sundays); it starts at the Gateway Transit Center in Port Angeles and makes quick stops at the Sequim Transit Center, Blyn, Discovery Bay, Poulsbo and Agate Pass. The final destination is the Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal.
The Strait Shot costs $10 (one way) for adults and $5 for youth 0-19 years and takes about two and a half hours from Port Angeles.
The next leg of the trip is a ride on the ferry into downtown Seattle. There’s lots to see on this segment. Wildlife sightings include harbor seals, cormorants, blue herons and dolphin with an occasional glimpse of an Orca or gray whale.
You can also enjoy breathtaking views of the Olympic Mountains as you look toward home and of Mount Rainier, the Seattle Waterfront and the Space Needle as you head into Seattle.
The ferry from Bainbridge Island to Seattle is free but you must purchase a ticket when heading west. Tickets cost $8.35 for adults and $4.15 for youth and can be bought in advance. The crossing takes 35 minutes.
The final leg of the trip is on the Sound Transit Link Light Rail that runs from the Transit Tunnel in downtown Seattle to SeaTac Airport (and beyond). To reach the closest Light Rail station (Pioneer Square) from the Seattle Ferry Terminal go east on Marion Street, turn south on First Street, and east on Cherry Street.
By design the Light Rail provides an engaging environment for riders of all ages through a diverse range of art installations that vary in style, scale and perspective.
For example, in the tunnels that lead to the Beacon Hill Station, riders might observe flashing images of playing cards, naval signal flags, and underground creatures through the windows of the train. Created by Bill Bell, a college physics major and computer engineer, this electric artwork is made of LED devices that switch on and off in fractions of a second. Viewing the
images requires certain eye movements; as a result, it can be missed, even when you are looking directly at it.
The “Sound of Light” by Richard C. Elliott is a large scale work close to the Columbia City Station. This installation, hanging on the Hudson Wall (along 2 blocks of Martin Luther King Street), consists of 35 large panels. The reflective geometric patterns create an ever-changing visual symphony of primary colors that can be easily seen only when heading north.
In a different artistic vein, the Othello Station is ornamented with eight stormwater catch basins carved in granite. Created by Brian Goldbloom who was inspired by stonework at Japan’s Osaka Castle, the basins are so well integrated physically and visually into the Light Rail station that they easily can be missed by the casual observer. (So be on the lookout!)
To research art you might see on your trip (or learn more about artwork you already have seen) go to www.soundtransit.org/Rider-Guide/public-art/guide-art-link-light-rail.
The Link Light Rail from Pioneer Square Station to the Airport takes about 40 minutes and costs $3 (one way) for adults and $1.50 for youth.
Money and time
The total cost for this three-legged public transportation adventure is slightly over $34 round-trip; if everything goes as planned, it takes about four hours to complete.
Driving yourself to and from the airport (260 miles round-trip from Port Angeles) costs about the same (depending on your car’s mileage) but also requires a $5 toll going eastbound on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and daily parking fees (which could add up). On average the drive to SeaTac takes about two and a half hours (estimate does not include the time required to park your car).
Private bus/shuttle services from Port Angeles to SeaTac airport cost two to four times the cost of the trip on public transportation. The time to the airport depends on the service, but can take as much as three and a half hours.
Trip tips
To make the trip on public transportation go more smoothly, consider the following advice.
Travel lightly. You will need to put your luggage into limited overhead space on the bus and move it from one mode of transportation to the next. Multiple bags, bags without wheels, and heavy bags will make the effort challenging.
Wear comfortable shoes. The trip includes walking approximately 0.3 miles from the Seattle Ferry Terminal to the Pioneer Square Station and includes a steep hill. The distance from the Link Light Rail Airport Station to SeaTac airline check-in counters is probably another tenth of a mile.
Be prepared to pay the Strait Shot fare in cash. Credit cards are not accepted and bus drivers do not carry change.
Purchase your Link Light Rail ticket before boarding the train and retain your ticket until your ride is complete. Fare Enforcement Officers board trains periodically to check riders. If you are caught without having paid the fare, you are subject to a $124 fine. Tickets can be purchased at self-serve kiosks that take cash and selected credit cards.
See if you are entitled to any discounts. For example the Seattle Ferry has half-price discounts for people 65 years and over and people with disabilities. Proof of age or disability is required.
Be aware of schedules. The Strait Shot is timed so that the bus arrives shortly before certain scheduled ferry departures (one mid-morning and another in the evening), but delays can occur. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to make all of the connections.
This bus-to-ferry-to-light-rail route to the airport is not for everyone. But for the traveler on a budget, the use of public transportation could save money and be an early start to their travel adventures.
Jeanette Stehr-Green lives with her husband in Port Angeles, Washington. They relish their lives on the North Olympic Peninsula and rarely leave, but when they do, they enjoy taking the economical three-legged route to SeaTac Airport.
