Seattle Monorail — Attraction in Seattle

Really fun ride between the Seattle Center and Downtown Westlake Mall. It is only a couple of minutes, but it is fun. Departs every 10 minutes from both stations.

One-Way Fares:

$2.50 for Adults

$1.25 for Youth ages 5-12

$1.25 for Reduced Rate (Seniors 65+, disabled, persons with Medicare cards, & U.S. military with ID)

Children 4 and under ride free

Roundtrip rates are twice that of a one-way fare

It is handicap/stroller accessible.

Dogs are allowed as long as they are well-behaved and on a leash. On busy/crowded days, it is possible that the owner may be asked to hold their dog on their lap.

Service animals are always welcomed

Two ways to pay: In Person at Monorail Platforms at both the Seattle Center & Westlake Mall locations

On Your Phone using the Transit Go...

If you’re visiting from a city with a subway, reset your expectations. The monorail is not a subway or metro. It was built in the 1960s for the World Fair to transport millions who came to see the newly-opened Space Needle and other wonders built for the fair. Today, it’s a two stop above ground train that is used by mainly tourists. Here’s what you should know:

1. Station: It’s small, but it’s clean and shaded (important during Seattle’s only sunny months in July and August). There are benches to sit on as you wait for the train.

2. Price: It’s only a few dollars per adult and kids under six are free.

The train ride itself is short and takes you from the Seattle Center to downtown where you can walk to Pike...

The monorail is a staple of Seattle, and quite a tourist attraction, but it is a train hampered by having only two stops and substantial renovation issues. Part of the train floor itself was plywood, and not all the doors are used for boarding and unboarding. Getting off the train once it stopped took minutes because only one door at the mall end was used. If you could use it for more than just going from Seattle Center to the Westlake Mall, it would be an interesting device, but it isn't built to be anything other than a tourist attraction. It has a decent view of the buildings it flies among, but an underwhelming one.

My advice? Take a train TO Seattle, instead; you'll get a...