FAQ
Where does the Monorail go?
How late and how often do the Monorail trains run?
How long is the ride?
Do you accept Debit/Credit Cards, ORCA, Sound Transit Cards or Transit Go Ticket?
Is there a student discount?
Can I get to the Sea-Tac airport by taking the Monorail?
Can you transfer to other routes?
Is the Monorail handicap/stroller accessible?
Are dogs allowed on the Monorail?
How do I get to the Pike Place Market from the Monorail?
How do I get to the Space Needle from the Monorail?
What are the Monorail holiday hours?
Do I need to purchase tickets in advance for my family?
The Monorail travels directly between Westlake Center Mall (5th Avenue and Pine Street) and Seattle Center (adjacent to the Space Needle and MoPOP). There is only one stop so you won’t get lost!
The Monorail is open daily – please check our current hours of operation for current closing time. On certain days, the monorail may be open even later due to events at Seattle Center. Please check our Rider Alerts on the homepage to check the days and times we open late! The train departs approximately every 10 minutes. During busy times, we operate both trains, which means trains depart every 5 minutes.
The Monorail takes about 2 minutes to get from one platform to the other.
The Seattle Monorail accepts debit/credit cards and cash.
Seattle Center and the Seattle Department of Transportation will work with King County Metro to help the Monorail become an ORCA (One Regional Card for All) affiliate member. Once this process is completed, Seattle Monorail will be able to accept ORCA cards. Currently, Seattle Monorail does not accept ORCA or Sound Transit cards, but Monorail tickets can be purchased on the Transit Go Ticket App once downloaded to your mobile phone.
You do not need exact fare if you are paying in cash. If you are in need of cash, there are ATM machines located inside Westlake Center Mall and at Seattle Center at the bottom of the Monorail ramp or inside the Armory.
We do not have a student discount at the monorail. If you are a school group riding the Monorail for a field trip, please fill out our online school group registration form to be eligible for a school group rate. You must fill this form out at least two business days in advance.
No, the Sound Transit Link Light Rail travels between Sea-Tac Airport and Westlake Center Mall (with stops along the way). Seattle Monorail only travels between downtown’s Westlake Center Mall and Seattle Center. You can use the Link Light Rail and Monorail to travel between Sea-Tac Airport and Seattle Center – great for if you want to visit the Space Needle during a long lay-over!
- To get from Sea-Tac Airport to Seattle Center, look for signs in the airport for Sound Transit Link Light Rail. Catch the light rail from Sea-Tac Airport and get off at Westlake Station. From the transit tunnel at Westlake, look for signs for the Monorail, you can take the elevator (with ‘MONORAIL’ written above it) up to to the Westlake Center Monorail station located on the third floor of Westlake Center. Then, you can purchase a Monorail ticket to ride directly to Seattle Center, home of the Space Needle, Pacific Science Center, KeyArena and more!
- To get from Seattle Center to Sea-Tac Airport, buy a Monorail ticket at the Seattle Center Monorail station and ride the monorail train to Westlake Center. As you exit the Monorail at Westlake Center, you will see an elevator and stairwell on the far left side of the platform, use either option to go to all the way to the bottom level to the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel. From there, buy a ticket and ride the Sound Transit Central Link Light Rail which carries passengers between UW Station (Northern-most stop) and Angle Lake Station (Southern-most stop). When you board the light rail at Westlake Station, there are 11 stops until you arrive at Sea-Tac/Airport Station. The trip takes approximately 35 minutes; the light rail departs every 6-15 minutes depending on the time of day.
Westlake Center is one of Seattle’s transportation hubs. You cannot use your Monorail ticket to travel on another form of transportation, but there are several other forms of public transit in close walking distance. The Sound Transit Link Light Rail travels north to the University of Washington and south to Sea-Tac Airport in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel. The Seattle Streetcar travels between Westlake HUB (across the street from the Monorail at 5th Ave and Olive Way) and South Lake Union.
Yes! At Westlake Center, you can access the platform from the elevator located on 5th Ave (between Olive and Pine). At Seattle Center, there are ramps that allow for easy access. There are yellow gates at Seattle Center platform that pull out to allow wheelchairs easy entrance into the trains. For additional information about ADA Accessibility and to read other policies, please view our NOTICES OF NONDISCRIMINATION page.
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.
When traveling from Seattle Center to Westlake Center via the Monorail, exit the train and take the stairwell or elevator on the left side of the platform to the street level. Turn right on 5th Avenue and then make your first right on Pine Street and walk down to 1st Avenue.
Ride the Monorail from Westlake Center to Seattle Center. When you exit the train, walk down the ramp from the Seattle Center platform and the Space Needle will be straight ahead . Don’t forget to look up!
January 21, 2019: On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Monorail will open at 8:30am.
Monday, May 27, 2019: On Memorial Day, the Monorail will open at 8:30am
Thursday, July 4, 2019: On the 4th of July, the Monorail will open at 8:30am
Monday, September 2, 2019: On Labor Day, the Monorail will open at 8:30am
Monday, November 11, 2019: On Veterans Day, the Monorail will open at 8:30am.
Thanksgiving:
- On the day before Thanksgiving (11/27/19), the Monorail will close at 9:00pm.
- On Thanksgiving Day (11/28/19), the Monorail will be closed.
Christmas:
- On Christmas Eve, the Monorail will close early at 6 PM.
- On Christmas Day, the Monorail will be closed.
New Year’s Eve:
- On December 31, 2019, the Monorail will be open until 1 AM
- ** Due to regulations, Monorail will carry its last passengers from Westlake Center to Seattle Center at approximately 11:00 PM. We will resume service from Seattle Center to Westlake Center once we receive the ‘ALL CLEAR’ from the Fire Marshall (estimated to be 12:20 AM). So, from 11:00 PM to approximately 12:20 AM, the Monorail will not be in service.
New Year’s Day:
- On Sunday, January 1, 2020, the Monorail will open from 10 AM to 9 PM
You do not need to purchase advanced tickets for personal visits. Please purchase your tickets from the Monorail cashier – the cashier will either be inside the ticket booth on the platform or will be on board the train selling tickets – signage on the ticket booth will indicate where you will purchase your ticket. Please make sure your whole group is present as you purchase the ticket because your entire group will then proceed into the loading area to board the train. Advanced prepaid group tickets are available for large groups (more than 125 people), conventions and/or organizations.
