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Seattle Center Monorail: A Ride to the Future

Experience a quick, elevated ride between downtown Seattle and Seattle Center on this historic monorail, a lasting icon from the 1962 World's Fair.

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The Seattle Center Monorail, a legacy of the 1962 World's Fair, offers a swift and direct connection between downtown Seattle and Seattle Center. This elevated train whisks passengers along a 0.9-mile route in just two minutes, providing a unique perspective of the city [3, 2].

A brief summary to Seattle Monorail

  • Monday 7:30 am-11 pm
  • Tuesday 7:30 am-11 pm
  • Wednesday 7:30 am-11 pm
  • Thursday 7:30 am-11 pm
  • Friday 7:30 am-11 pm
  • Saturday 8:30 am-11 pm
  • Sunday 8:30 am-11 pm

Local tips

  • Purchase tickets at the vending machines available at both the Seattle Center and Westlake Center stations to avoid lines [7, 13].
  • Consider purchasing an ORCA card if you plan to use other public transportation in Seattle, as it is accepted on the Monorail [7, 13].
  • Check the Monorail's schedule for extended hours, especially during events at Climate Pledge Arena or Seattle Center [14, 15].
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Getting There

  • Public Transport

    To reach the Seattle Center Monorail from Sea-Tac Airport, take the Sound Transit 1 Line northbound to Westlake Station [15]. From the transit tunnel, follow signs for Exit A2 to the Monorail and 5th Ave & Pine Street. Take the elevator or stairs up to the Westlake Center Monorail station on the third floor of Westlake Center [15]. Purchase a ticket from the vending machine [7]. The adult fare is $4, youth (ages 6-18) and reduced rate (seniors 65+, disabled, persons with Medicare cards, U.S. military with ID) are $2 [7]. ORCA cards are accepted [13, 7]. A regional day pass costs $6 [22].

  • Walking

    From Pike Place Market, walk east on Pine Street towards 5th Avenue [3, 4]. Turn left onto 5th Avenue and walk one block north to Westlake Center [3, 4]. Enter the mall and take the elevator or escalators to the 3rd floor to access the Monorail station [3, 4]. Purchase a ticket from the vending machine [7]. The adult fare is $4, youth (ages 6-18) and reduced rate (seniors 65+, disabled, persons with Medicare cards, U.S. military with ID) are $2 [7]. ORCA cards are accepted [13, 7].

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Discover more about Seattle Monorail

The Seattle Center Monorail is more than just a mode of transportation; it's a piece of Seattle history and a symbol of mid-century futurism [8, 16]. Built for the 1962 Century 21 Exposition, the monorail was envisioned as a key element of the fair, transporting visitors between downtown and the Seattle Center, home to iconic attractions like the Space Needle [2, 4]. The monorail's journey began in 1959 when Lockheed was chosen to construct the system [2]. The construction was completed in eight months for $4.2 million [2]. On March 24, 1962, nearly a month before the start of the World's Fair, the Monorail opened to the public [6]. During the six-month fair, the trains carried over eight million guests, easily covering the construction costs [6]. The Monorail runs along 5th Avenue, offering a direct route between Westlake Center in downtown Seattle and Seattle Center [2, 3]. The ride itself is short and sweet, lasting only two minutes, with trains departing approximately every 10 minutes [2, 3]. The system operates with its original two Alweg trains, each capable of carrying up to 450 passengers [2]. In 2003, the city government designated the tracks and trains as a historic landmark [2]. The Seattle Center Monorail carried approximately 2.1 million passengers in 2023 [2]. The Seattle Monorail is owned by the City of Seattle and operated by Seattle Monorail Services (SMS) [2, 10].

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