Transportation in Washington State: Exploring Options

Washington State, and particularly the Puget Sound region, have an abundance of options for ambulatory people who do not drive or who don’t want to drive themselves. In Washington State, you can travel by land, water, or air by means ranging from the expected to the extraordinary. There are buses, trains, monorails, ferries, trolleys, and high-speed ferries. Seattle even has a ‘duck mobile” for a unique amphibious transportation experience. If you do choose to travel by your own car, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is online 24/7/365 to make sure you know everything you need to know about travel conditions.

Let’s take a closer look at public transportation options for travel Around the Sound.

Land Travel

Think cars, buses, and trains. Rental cars are available throughout the greater Seattle-Tacoma area, although availability may be limited due to downsizing during the pandemic. Seattle, Tacoma, and points in between are served by a light rail line known as The Sounder, and Amtrak travels both north to south and east to west through Seattle. And you can also take the bus.

Sea Travel

Ten ferry routes carry people on foot, people on bicycles, and people in cars across Puget Sound and the Straights of Juan de Fuca. You can catch a ferry at the waterfront in Seattle, on many of the San Juan Islands, and at many coastal towns on the Olympic Peninsula. Ferry service has resumed for destinations in British Columbia.

Air Travel 

Around the Sound, you can take in the view by helicopter—an admittedly pricey option but a great choice for a once-in-a-lifetime view. But another once-in-a-lifetime option is traveling to coastal destinations by seaplane. Or a prop plane. Or charter plane.

The greater Seattle-Tacoma metro abounds with easy transpiration to unforgettable sights and experiences for ambulatory people. But what if you or someone in your party rides in a wheelchair?

Uber and Lyft just aren’t set up to accommodate wheelchair passengers. And they pick you up and drop you off at the curb. Waiting on Lyft can become extremely frustrating because their driver allocation algorithm will cancel your ride and rebook you if there is a second driver within a mile of your pickup point. This means that you can wait in Washington’s famous misty rain for an hour, or two, or three, while Lyft keeps canceling and rescheduling your ride. And even when your car arrives, you won’t have any help getting into or out of the car.

Public buses in Washington State can generally accommodate passengers in wheelchairs. The problem is public buses only have limited space for wheelchairs. Passengers who use wheelchairs may have to wait for the next bus.

And even if you find a taxi that can take you to the ferry terminal in a wheelchair, you may wind up spending a large part of your trip waiting for your rides to come.

Call to Reserve Transportation Services in Washington State

Around the Sound solves wheelchair transportation problems so you can enjoy the sights, sounds, and flavors of Washington State. We can accommodate wheelchairs of any size, and carry everyone in your party comfortably altogether. Our experienced and compassionate drivers can help you have a great trip without the hassle of hailing a car, planned out in advance so you can make the most of your visit.

Around the Sound is Western Washington’s leading provider of local and regional transportation for people who have special transportation needs. Call us at (253) 858-7088 or fill out our form fill below to discuss your options.

Categorised in: Airport Transportation Service, blog, Event Transportation, Handicap Transportation, Medical Transportation Service, Transportation Service

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