Chicago Posts: Light Rail to Sea-Tac

For most of the 17 years I have lived in Seattle I have been poor.  Over the latter half of the Zeroes I suppose I have to cop to having climbed to “lower middle class”.  Also, I was car-less for about ten of my 17 years here, so I know a little something about getting to the airport on the cheap.  I have taken the 194 Express bus from downtown to Sea-Tac more times than I can remember.  It’s an entertaining coach—not as adventure-filled as the 358 that shoots up Aurora—but it still has its “people moments.”  I have witnessed on the 194 the racial tension that Seattle likes to pretend doesn’t exist erupt with an open nastiness that would make a New Yorker blink.  Now that we live in the future, you can avoid that certain strata of humanity almost altogether by taking the new light rail which has begun running from the downtown bus tunnel directly to the airport.

Heather and I did it this morning.  Overall, I give the new route a B-minus.  Certainly the price was right.  With my work Orca card I rode free.  Heather fed $2.50 into the automatic ticket machine.  The cars are clean, well-lit and, at 6:40 AM south-bound, uncrowded.  I didn’t realize that that course of the train dives directly under Beacon Hill after veering east from the Sodo District.  That was cool.  We saw some fun movement-animated LED art as we came into the Beacon Hill station, which had an appealing retro-modern design, albeit still under construction in spots. 

The airport train loses points on speed.  It took about 35 minutes from the University Street Station under Benaroya Hall to the Sea-Tac stop, and I would swear the old 194 ran quicker than that on its straight shot down the I-5 express lane.  Also, the train currently lets off south of the main parking garage.  So add another five- minute walk in the weather for you to get to the airport itself.  Not that Heather and I minded, but I am not sure we would want to do it while trying to wrangle young kids, or lugging lots of bags; and I certainly wouldn’t ask, say, my 76-year-old mother to hoof it that far.

I will probably take the Light Rail to the airport again, but I might also see if the 194 is still running, fast and furious.

Comments

[Jose Amador]

The 194 did deliver faster, but its worthiness as a socio-economic experiment was nothing compared to the 174. Now *that* was a hell of a ride.

[Paul Mullin]

Jose,

Agreed. I once took that by accident going FARTHER SOUTH to Federal Way. I was dead sick with a cold but finally caught on when the Seattle Skyline was no where to be seen after 25 minutes. At the end of the line the bus driver stopped and said: "I don't care if you stay on the bus, but it's gonna be like a fifteen minute layover before we head back to Sea-Tac." I was like, "Uh... not like I have any other options."

[genevieve]

Sadly, the 194 was discontinued with the completion of LINK service to the airport. Agreed that the 194 was fast - and cheaper, albeit only by $.75. LINK does gain points for expanded hours of service (although they should expand even more). I had to ride the last 174 back into Seattle on a Saturday night one time because the 194 had shut down for the evening. That was FUN!

[Paul Mullin]

Oooh, Genevieve! The 174 late on a Saturday night. I'll BET that was entertaining!