Seattle likes to fancy itself a progressive city, but despite that claim, it was really late to the light rail game. Today, however, you can hop on a train and take a safe, comfortable, quiet ride straight in to downtown, and many people do just that.

So let’s forget the years of politics and logistics issues that surrounded the train project. If you’re visiting, they don’t apply to you, and even if you live here, they’re a thing of the past. This transit line was designed to give commuters an alternative to getting on the road, and it does that very, very well.

We live walking distance from the SeaTac station of the Seattle Link Light Rail station, and we don’t commute for work, so we never had a reason to check it out beyond that of sheer curiosity.

Last Friday was a teacher in-service day, so we seized the opportunity and headed for the train station for a good long day of easy fun, but if you’re headed for the SeaTac airport, I can see even more why it would be of interest.

THE ROUTE:
The train goes from SeaTac airport north to the Seattle Bus Tunnel, which is a series of stops in the heart of urban Seattle. The stops in the tunnel include the Stadium (near Safeco Field and Qwest Field, homes to the Seattle Mariners and Seattle Seahawks,) the International District (China Town), historic Pioneer Square, University Street (near the famous Seattle Public Library,) and Westlake (near Pike Place Market, and the location of the upcoming Seattle Rally to Restore Sanity.)

As far as a visitor is concerned, this train will take you from the airport to within a few blocks of any downtown hotel. If you’re still too far, or don’t feel like walking, all buses in the downtown area are free, so you can connect from there.

THE FREQUENCY:
The Central Line, as it’s called runs just about constantly. From the first train at 5:00am to the last train at 1:00am, the train runs every 7-15 minutes.

THE FARES:
Rates top out at $2.50 (children under 6 are free.) So you can take a taxi from the airport for about $30 (from my experience) to the downtown hotel zone, or you can take the train for a fraction of the price.

THE VIEW:
In terms of the view, it’s only slightly more scenic than driving. You can get a stunning view of Mount Rainier on a clear day, which you wouldn’t see from the road some 30-feet below, and you’ll get an up-close-and-personal view of the Duwamish River and Safeco Field. You’ll also get to see Rainier Valley and the Industrial SoDo district, but of which have their own unique character.

THE SAFETY:
The whole reason I felt safe taking my kids on big city public transit in the first place was because my sister, a prominent Seattle attorney, told me that she uses the train every day for her commute.

When we boarded, we were immediately greeted by two security officers checking tickets. More than that, almost everyone on the train had luggage with them. These aren’t riff-raff riders, this train is full of actual airport commuters.

On our return journey from Seattle, we started at the first stop, Westlake, and at every stop we saw more and more riders join us with luggage. I asked one man, Chris, a financial planner from Bell Town, why he was taking the train. He explained it’s the most affordable way to go, it’s the quickest, and that there’s no reason not to use the train, which I took as a veiled reference to the fact that it’s not a “scary subway”, but a true commuter train.

THE COMFORT:
The trains are new, nice, electric, and very quiet. The ride was silk smooth, and even though traffic appeared light on the roads we grazed the edges of, we were still moving much quicker than those channels, and we didn’t have to endure the stop-and-go of traffic, however light it may be. This light rail route does not compete with road traffic, and the benefit is impossible to ignore.

SUMMARY:
If you’re going to or from the airport, it’s just about unbeatable. It costs a fraction of any of the alternatives (except the bus,) gets you there faster than anything else, even a car (and especially the bus,) and the safe, comfortable, hassle-free experience makes it just too much to beat.

On a clear day, this vista from the window would offer the clearest view of scenic Mount Rainier possible on any trip to or from the airport.

Safeco Field, home of the Seattle Mariners, is one of the most beautiful places in Seattle, and from the Central Line of the link light rail line, you can enjoy a unique and striking view of it.