Bus Route: Seattle to Bellingham

2010-01-22T22:19:00.000-08:00

How to get from Seattle to Bellingham with one-third the price of Greyhound?

Follow this steps, it may take a bit longer, but it's worth it!

On Weekdays:

Seattle>
take Sound Transit route # 510 Everett at selective bus stop on 4th Avenue downtown {$2.50}
Everett>
take Skagit Transit # 90X Burlington northbound to Mt Vernon's Skagit Station {$2.00}
Mt Vernon>
take Skagit Transit/WTA # 80X Bellingham northbound to Bellingham Station, with connection to Western WA Univ {$2.00, $1.00 extra for WWU}

The trips with the BEST connections (least waiting time):

*2 Morning Trips:

ST # 510> 5:55am-6:39 [Seattle timing at 4th & Union]
Skat # 90X> 6:50-7:35
Skat/WTA # 80X> 7:45-8:30am [w/ shuttle into WWU @ Lincoln Creek P&R on 8:23, arr. campus on 8:33]

ST # 510> 6:55am-7:39
Skat # 90X> 7:50-8:35
Skat/WTA # 80X> 8:45-9:30am

*2 Afternoon Trips:

ST # 510> 3:11pm-3:57
Skat # 90X> 4:10-4:55
Skat/WTA # 80X> 5:15-6:00pm

ST # 510> 4:06pm-5:03
Skat # 90X> 5:10-5:55
Skat/WTA # 80X> 6:10-6:55pm

The cost is: $2.5+2+2+(1)=$6.50 to get from Downtown Seattle to Downtown Bellingham ($1 extra for additional connection)

Compare to Greyhound at $19 counter fare or $15~16 online fare, even the lowest advance purchase fare is still $12.

And Amtrak? The $20~$3o-ish fare is just stupid.
Plus Greyhound and Amtrak do not stop at downtown Bellingham, rather than at the southern neighborhood of Fairhaven (which is a lovely place).

And the public transit only take 35 extra minutes!

For Weekend, sadly, the above two agencies make a rather better choice.
However, if you have time, Saturday connections can be made, but not Sunday.

3 Saturday Trips:

Seattle>
Sound Transit # 510 Everett, get on at 4th Ave {$2.50}
Everett>
Community Transit # 201 or 202 Smokey Point, get off at 174th St NE {$1.50, no transfer given}
Smokey Point>
Community Transit # 240 Stanwood, get off at SR 532 P&R or Rite-Aid {$1.50}
Stanwood>
Island Transit # 411C Mt Vernon {FREE! yay~}
Mt Vernon>
Skagit Transit/WTA # 80X Bellingham {$2.00}

ST#510> 7:55am-8:36
CT#202> 8:55-9:29
CT#240> 9:35-10:06
IT#411C> 10:35-11:10
Skat/WTA#80X> 11:15-12:00noon

510> 11:55am-12:39
202> 12:55-1:34
240> 1:37-2:08
411C> 2:35-3:10
80X> 3:15-4:00pm

510> 1:55pm-2:39
202> 2:55-3:34
240> 3:37-4:09
411C> 4:35-5:10
80X> 5:15-6:00pm

Cost: $2.5+1.5+1.5+0+2=$7.50
Timing: 4.1 Hour

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2010-01-20T19:58:00.000-08:00

I always have a lot of ideas about traveling and really want to share this with people. I initially wanted to do a website but it's just too time consuming to up keep it (and expensive too).
My plan for this blog is to write about some random trips I took or will take in the Seattle area and beyond. I also will like to post some public transportation tips because for some reason I just love the idea of public transportation!
And we'll see as thing goes on.

Lulua's Travel Notes & Tips

Bus Route: Seattle to Bellingham

post one