SEAAirport Guide

Seattle Airport to Everett: Link and Bus, Shuttle, Uber and Taxi Compared

SEA to Everett takes 53 to 64 minutes by van or car and 90 to 101 by Link plus a bus. Fares, boarding spots and late-night options compared.

Sailboats and motor yachts moored at floating docks in the Port of Everett marina.
Port of Everett marina

Uber’s route page puts the drive to Everett at 42 miles, and Premier Airport Shuttle’s page at 43. Uber’s page averages 53 minutes by car, and Premier Airport Shuttle’s own page gives 54 to 64 by van. Link light rail plus a bus is the cheapest way, at $5.50 to $10, but it takes 90 to 101 minutes and needs one change. The airport’s Sound Transit and King County Metro bus listings name no Everett route, so the public route the apps show is Link to Lynnwood, then a Community Transit bus.

The options side by side

Option Time Price Whose number
Link, then a Community Transit bus 90 to 101 minutes $5.50 to $10 Uber, Moovit and Rome2Rio
Premier shared shuttle van 54 to 64 minutes $94.60 Premier’s route page
Premier private van 54 to 64 minutes $199 Premier’s route page
Uber 53 minutes About $136, the route average Uber’s route page
Taxi About 50 minutes $20 minimum from SEA, meter after that Rome2Rio for the time, King County Ordinance 19700 for the minimum

Rome2Rio estimates a taxi to Everett at $190 to $240. King County Ordinance 19700 sets a $20 minimum fare for taxi trips that start at SEA, a $1 on-demand surcharge is allowed, and the Port publishes no flat rate for this trip.

Board Link at the SeaTac/Airport station. Our Link guide covers the walk from carousel 16, how to pay, which stop, first and last trains and the night buses.

Take a train toward Lynnwood City Center, the northern end of the line, and stay aboard past downtown.

The apps in the table disagree on the bus number. Moovit says 201 and Uber says 202, and Rome2Rio shows 202 on one page and 201 on another. Confirm the route at Lynnwood City Center before you board, because the Port and Sound Transit pages for SEA don’t cover Community Transit.

Sound Transit prices the adult ride from the airport to downtown at $3.00 and publishes no fare to Lynnwood on its airport page. Its fare rules say that tapping the same ORCA card or contactless bank card again credits the fare toward a transfer within 2 hours. They don’t say whether that covers a Community Transit bus, so ask the driver. A commenter on Mr Traveler’s video, who says they ride transit daily, wrote that a paper ticket works only for the mode it was bought for. At the machine, buy one ticket at a time. One traveler on the same video paid for two and received one.

The last train leaves SEA at 12:05 a.m. on weekdays, 12:06 a.m. on Saturday and 11:18 p.m. on Sunday. The Port and Sound Transit don’t publish the last bus from Lynnwood City Center to Everett, so a late train may not have a connection waiting.

Door-to-door shuttle: the private van wins from three people

Premier Airport Shuttle lists Everett among its service areas on the Port’s directory. Its shared van drops you at a home, hotel or business address. The Port says fares vary with distance, passengers and service, and that most customers tip 10% to 20%. That adds about $9 to $19 to the $94.60 shared seat. Premier’s page calls its rates approximate averages, so enter your exact address for the real price.

Find the kiosk on garage Level 3. Cross Skybridge 4 to the Ground Transportation Plaza. Book on 800-962-3579. Its page says you know your price when you reserve. Premier also monitors flights and can adjust a reservation, so call its office right away about a delay or cancellation.

Three shared seats cost $283.80, so the $199 private van is cheaper from three people up. Premier’s page doesn’t give the van’s seat count, so check it before you book for a bigger group.

Airporter Shuttle / Bellair Charters makes 10 trips a day from SEA, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. It stops at Paine Field in Everett and in Marysville. The Port gives no fare. It boards at the curb outside Door 02 on the Arrivals Drive, and its number is (866) 235-5247. Some stops need a prepaid reservation made 24 hours ahead, and it’s closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and Easter.

The Whidbey SeaTac Shuttle also serves Mukilteo. Mukilteo fares are $55 for an adult, $53 for a senior or military rider and $49 for a child. It runs nine trips a day, about every two hours.

Uber, Lyft and taxis

Rideshare pickup is on garage Level 3 in the Ground Transportation Plaza, stalls 1 to 34. Cross a skybridge one level below ticketing, then go down one level. Uber’s route page gives $136 as the average Everett trip, with Comfort at $161 and UberXL at $207. Premier’s own comparison estimates a rideshare minimum of $142.33 and up. One couple on Mr Traveler’s video found the cheapest Uber to downtown at $80 on a Friday at 6 p.m., so a rush-hour price can differ a lot from an average. Uber says you can reserve a ride from 2 hours to 90 days ahead if the option shows in the app. Our rideshare page has the pickup details.

Taxis wait on garage Level 3 at the north and south curbs, 24 hours a day, and they’re metered. Our taxi page lists payment options, which are cash, card and digital.

Driving yourself, or being met

Every SEA rental company sits off-site. A free shuttle runs 24 hours a day from the lower drive to the rental facility at 3150 S. 160th St., about a five-minute drive. Our rental car guide explains where the shuttles stop.

A friend driving down from Everett can wait in the Cell Phone Lot at 2623 S. 170th Street. It has 200 spaces and free Wi-Fi. The limit is 20 minutes, and drivers must stay with the vehicle. Once you’ve collected your bag, your friend picks you up outside baggage claim. The Port says the arrivals drive is busiest from 8 p.m. to midnight.

Farther north than Everett

Bellair continues past Everett to Stanwood, Burlington, Bellingham and Ferndale. FlixBus runs northbound to Everett and Seattle and boards outside Door 2 on the Arrivals Drive. Our scheduled airporters page shows where the other operators board.

If you land after the last train

After the last train, the Night Bus (route 597) runs between downtown Seattle and Lakewood. Rideshare and taxis run around the clock. Premier’s page describes vans at least every 30 minutes but gives no overnight hours, so confirm your booking covers your arrival. To ask which airporter goes north, ask at the Ground Transportation Information Booth.

If you’re stopping in Seattle first, SEA to downtown: every option prices each way in.

Sources

This site’s pages:

Official pages:

Operator and traveler pages:

  • Premier Airport Shuttle: SeaTac Airport to Everett
  • Uber: Seattle Airport to Everett
  • Moovit: SeaTac/Airport Station to Everett Station
  • Rome2Rio: Seattle Airport to Everett
  • Mr Traveler: Seattle Link Light Rail from SeaTac Airport