Coast Starlight
For a long-distance trip down the West Coast, the Coast Starlight leaves daily for Los Angeles, a ride of about 35 hours. Superliner sleeper rooms, from roomettes to family bedrooms, make the overnight stretches comfortable, so book a room if you plan to ride end to end.
Empire Builder
The Empire Builder links Seattle with Chicago once a day on a trip of about 46 hours. The train splits at Spokane, with one section serving Seattle and the other Portland, and the route passes Glacier National Park in Montana, a highlight many riders plan the whole trip around.
Sounder Commuter Rail
Sound Transit's Sounder trains use their own platform, linked by a pedestrian bridge on South Weller Street. The S Line runs south to Tacoma and Lakewood and the N Line runs north to Everett, and both are listed as weekday only, so check the schedule before planning a weekend trip. On the north end, ORCA card holders can also ride Amtrak Cascades between Everett, Edmonds and Seattle under the Rail Plus program.
Where the Station Is and How to Get There
The station sits near the corner of South Jackson Street and 4th Avenue South, at the meeting point of Pioneer Square and the Chinatown-International District. Amtrak describes it as close to downtown, the stadiums and the waterfront, and the building has entrances on more than one level because of the slope: the Amtrak level opens onto King Street, while a plaza entrance on Jackson Street leads to the second floor.
- Link light rail: International District/Chinatown station on the 1 Line is a block away, which makes the train an easy way to reach Sea-Tac Airport, downtown or the University District. See our Link light rail guide.
- Streetcar: the First Hill line of the Seattle Streetcar stops nearby, handy for Capitol Hill and First Hill.
- Buses: many King County Metro and Sound Transit Express routes serve the surrounding streets.
- Bikes: Sound Transit lists free bike racks on the street outside the station.
Parking and Drop-Off
There is no Sound Transit parking at the station, according to Sound Transit's station page, but paid parking is available in nearby lots. A passenger drop-off loop sits at the King Street entrance, which is the easiest spot for a quick goodbye. Lumen Field and T-Mobile Park are steps away, so on game days allow extra time.
Inside the Station
Step into the main waiting room and look up: the hand-carved coffered ceiling, plaster details and reproduction period light fixtures were brought back during the restoration after decades hidden behind a 1960s drop ceiling. Public restrooms are inside King Street Station, and Sound Transit also points riders to restrooms in Union Station across the street at 401 S Jackson St.
ARTS at King Street Station
Before or after your train, take the elevator from the Amtrak level to the top floor, where the City of Seattle runs ARTS at King Street Station, a free gallery focused on expanding opportunities for artists from communities of color. It is typically open Wednesday through Saturday from late morning to late afternoon, with longer hours on some Thursdays, so check the city's page for current hours and exhibitions.
A Short History of King Street Station
The Great Northern and Northern Pacific railways opened King Street Station on May 10, 1906, replacing an older depot on Railroad Avenue, today's Alaskan Way. The St. Paul firm Reed and Stem, which also worked on New York's Grand Central Terminal, designed it, and the 242-foot clock tower, modeled on St. Mark's Campanile in Venice, made it the tallest building in Seattle when it opened. Its four mechanical clock faces were built by E. Howard and Co. of Boston.
As rail travel declined after World War II, the station was remodeled again and again, and in 1967 a drop ceiling hid the original waiting room. Amtrak made it the company's only Seattle station in 1971, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. The City of Seattle bought the building from BNSF Railway in 2008 for a token sum, and a restoration completed in 2013 at a cost of about $55 million brought back its original look, as told in the station's history.
Nearby Before Your Train
- Pioneer Square: stroll to Occidental Square, the galleries along First Avenue and the Underground Tour, all within a short walk.
- Chinatown-International District: head east under the gate for dim sum, noodles and bakeries; our International District restaurant guide lists favorites.
- Stadiums: Lumen Field is next door; the stadium's transportation page puts King Street Station about a football field away.
Leaving town with gifts in mind? Our guide to shopping local in Seattle points you to independent makers you can visit on the way to the train.
