SEA airport transportation to Auburn includes metered taxis, app-based rides, shuttles and public transit. Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is about a 27-minute drive from Royal A Motel, a motel in Auburn, so your choice depends on whether you want a direct ride or are prepared to use transit connections.
- SEA offers taxis, rideshare, airporters, courtesy shuttles and public transit.
- Taxi service operates around the clock, with a $20 minimum fare for trips starting at the airport.
- Sound Transit Route 574 serves SEA; adult fares are $3.
- SEA’s parking garage connects to the Link light rail station by a walkway and pedestrian bridge.
Where is SEA Airport in relation to Auburn?
SEA’s ground transportation options include public transit buses, Link light rail, taxis, app-based rideshare, airporters, courtesy shuttles and a door-to-door shuttle.
For transit, SEA’s parking garage walkway leads from the north end of the fourth floor to the Link station, then a pedestrian bridge connects to International Boulevard.
The bridge is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Buses also serve the airport, but you’ll need to check the route and transfers for your Auburn destination before setting out.
Driving, taxi and ride-hail options
A taxi or app-based ride can take you directly from SEA toward Auburn, while a rental or private car gives you the option to drive yourself. Pickup locations vary by service, so follow the airport’s instructions for the one you choose.
Taxi
SEA taxis are metered, operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and have a $20 minimum fare for trips that start at the airport. An additional $1 surcharge is allowed for on-demand taxis. Pickups are on the north and south curbs of the parking garage’s third floor. Wheelchair-accessible vans and 11-seat passenger vans are available.
App-based rides
SEA offers Uber and Lyft as rideshare options. The general pickup area is the Ground Transportation Plaza on the garage’s third floor, in marked stalls 1–34. Lyft and UberX or UberPool pickups use that level; Uber Black pickups are at the passenger-selected door outside baggage claim.
Driving yourself
A car trip from SEA to Auburn takes about 27 minutes.
Public transit connections to Auburn
SEA has bus and light-rail service, but the airport routes listed here don’t establish a complete transit itinerary to Auburn. Check the current trip plan and any transfers for your destination before boarding.
Sound Transit routes 560 and 574 serve SEA. King County Metro’s RapidRide A Line, Route 161 and Route 156 stop on International Boulevard at South 176th Street, by the SeaTac/Airport Link station. Route 161 connects Kent, Sea-Tac International Airport and Burien. Route 124 operates on SEA’s airport drives between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.
Sound Transit sets Route 574 fares at $3 for adults, $1 for ORCA LIFT riders and $1 for seniors and riders with disabilities; riders aged 18 and under ride Sound Transit services free. You can pay with an ORCA card, a contactless credit or debit card, or cash. If paying cash, bring exact fare because drivers don’t carry change.
Route 574 service hours vary by day and direction. Weekdays, northbound buses run from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. and southbound buses from 6 a.m. to 1:15 a.m.
Saturday hours are 4 a.m. to 11:15 p.m. northbound and 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. southbound. On Sundays, northbound service runs from 5 a.m. to 10:15 p.m. and southbound service from 7 a.m. to midnight.
What should you check before you travel?
Confirm the pickup point, route and operating details for your chosen service before you leave the terminal. SEA advises passengers using scheduled airporters to check with the provider for operational updates.
For a shared door-to-door shuttle, check in at the Premier Airport Shuttle counter in the Ground Transportation Plaza; the service can take passengers to homes, hotels, businesses, offices or other addresses without booking an entire private vehicle.
For the latest service and fare details, check the official site before you go. SEA’s Ground Transportation Information Booth is on the third level of the parking garage. Don’t accept transportation offers from strangers; the airport warns that such operators may be illegal.
FAQs
Can you take a taxi from SEA to Auburn?
Yes. SEA taxis operate around the clock and pick up from the north and south curbs on the parking garage’s third floor. Airport-originating trips have a $20 minimum fare.
Where do rideshare vehicles pick up at SEA?
The general rideshare pickup area is the Ground Transportation Plaza on the third floor of the parking garage, in marked stalls 1–34. Uber Black uses the passenger-selected door outside baggage claim.
Does public transit serve SEA?
Yes. SEA is served by Link light rail, public-transit buses and Sound Transit routes 560 and 574. The Auburn Station transit guide covers local train connections.
How can you pay for Route 574?
Pay with an ORCA card, contactless credit or debit card, or cash. Cash passengers need exact fare because drivers don’t carry change.