In this series, I will talk about how to use Seattle as an alternate airport for those in the Vancouver area and Vancouver Island.
Related Posts
- Overview of Seattle Airport
- Examples of Savings over Vancouver / YVR
- Driving from the Vancouver Area
- Parking at SEA
- Other Ground Transportation
- Getting there from Victoria and Vancouver Island
In a previous article, I commented on the benefits of using Seattle Tacoma airport (SEA) as an alternative airport for both Vancouver (YVR) and Victoria (YYJ). In this article, Ill discuss the best ways to get from the Vancouver area to SEA by car.
The Skinny
| Method | Description | Costs | Time | Border Crossing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driving a personal car | 250km worth of gas | 3.5 hours | Passenger vehicle border inspections | ||
| Quick Coach (bus) | Direct bus service from Vancouver locations to Seattle Airport | $43 – $57 / way | 4-5 hours | Passengers must disembark the bus for customs at the border | Great, on time service |
| Greyhound (bus) | Service from Vancouver to Seattle downtown. Requires transfer to Seattle LINK to get to Seattle Airport | $14 – $32 / way (bus) $2.75 / way (Seattle LINK) |
5 hours | Passengers must disembark the bus for customs at the border | Adherence to a schedule does not appear to be Greyhound’s primary concern |
| Amtrak (train) | Train service from Vancouver downtown to Seattle downtown. Requires transfer to Seattle LINK to get to Seattle Airport | $40 / way (train) $2.75 / way (Seattle Link) Or $50 for taxi service |
4.5– 5 hours | All customs done in Vancouver prior to entering / after exiting the train | Amtrak tends to run on schedule. No border delays. |
| Air | Book your own flight from YVR to SEA for a very low price | $150 / person OR 4500 BA miles + tax |
2 hour | Border crossing would be done at YVR | 4500 British Airways miles / way + tax on Alaska Airlines flights is the best way to get this route |
Driving To SEA from the Vancouver area
The actual distance from Vancouver area (say downtown) to SEA is about 250km, depending on where you are coming from in the city.
I would budget about 3.5 hours of actual driving time with some buffer for a long border wait.
There are 4 land border crossings that are close to the Vancouver area. It would really depend on where you are coming from in the Vancouver area, which one would be the most convenient. I don’t think there is one that is significantly better than another for this route specifically.
Again, since the border wait times can be long at certain times, it is a good idea to check the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation’s website for the border wait times. The Washington State Department of Transportation’s website does a great job as well. The phone number is 604-542-4360.
Once you cross into the United States from Canada, the route is pretty straightforward.
Route 1: From the Peace – Arch Crossing (closest to Vancouver)
- Hwy 5 Southbound to Seattle
- Take Exit 154B, WA-518 W toward Sea-Tac airport
Route 2: From the Pacific Crossing
- Hwy 543 Southbound
- Hwy 5 Southbound to Seattle
- Take Exit 154B, WA-518 W toward Sea-Tac airport
Route 3: From Aldergrove Crossing
- Hwy 539 Southbound
- Hwy 5 Southbound to Seattle
- Take Exit 154B, WA-518 W toward Sea-Tac airport
Route 4: From Sumas Crossing
- Hwy 9 Southbound
- Hwy 542 Westbound
- Hwy 5 Southbound to Seattle
- Take Exit 154B, WA-518 W toward Sea-Tac airport
Recap
Driving to Seattle Airport from Vancouver takes about 3.5 hours, depending on where you are coming from in the Vancouver area. In this article, I discussed the different routes you can take. Make sure to check the border crossing time website to in advance of your departure. If you have the option of taking different crossings, this may save you some time.
Alternate Airport, Seattle
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Hi,
I just added the RSS feed to the site. I hope you can use the link on the sidebar to set it up.
Thanks for the support.
Bookmarked your website so I can come back to it later. Thanks.