Seattle Tourist Boat & Bus Tour

Seattle Tourist Boat & Bus Tour

Routes and stops

There are 17 stops throughout downtown Seattle, you can see the city's most popular sights on board the tour bus. Once you've purchased your ticket, you can hop off and hop on for as long as it's valid.

The Seattle Sightseeing Bus will take you on a tour of Elliott Bay to visit major tourist attractions such as the Space Needle and the Coastal Waterwheel, which offers unparalleled views of the city from its heights.

If you continue with the tour, you'll also pass through Chinatown, where you can't miss the traditional Asian food served in its restaurants.

Below, you can see the route followed by the Seattle tour bus: Seattle tourist bus route

1 or 2-Hour Tourist Boat

The Seattle tour boat will depart from Pier 55 in Elliott Bay, which would be the fifth bus stop. With it, you'll take a 1-hour or 2-hour ride, depending on what you'd prefer. During the hour tour, we'll have fantastic views of the Cascade Range, the largest in the American West and where the Olympic Mountains are located. However, we'll have a magnificent view of the city skyline!

For the 2-hour tour, we'll pass through the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, which allow boats to pass from the fresh water of Lake Washington to the salt water of Puget Sound. Please not the this option finishes up at 1200 Westlake Ave N and not at the pier where it starts, Pier 55.

However, we'll have a magnificent view of the city skyline!

How does it work?

The ticket is valid for 24 or 48 consecutive hours from the time it's first used. For example, if the 48-hour ticket is used for the first time on a Monday at 3 pm, it'll be valid until Wednesday at 3 pm.

During this time you can get on and off the bus as many times as you like, which will allow you to see the essential places in Seattle.

Although when you make the reservation, you're asked for a start day you can use the service during the 3 months following the date indicated.

To choose the date and time of the boat trip, you must first exchange your bus ticket at any of the bus stops, where your ticket will be validated by a member of the local staff. This staff member will then be able to book a date and time for the trip. Please note that you'll be able to use your ticket for the boat up to 5 days after exchanging your ticket at the bus stop.

Timetable

Tourist Bus

The Seattle tour bus will depart from the first stop every 20 to 30 minutes between 10 am and 4 pm. It's operational from the 28th of April until the 9th of October.

1-Hour Tourist Boat

The boats depart at the following times from Pier 55: 

• May 8th - 25th: at 10:45 am,12:05 pm, 1:25 pm, 2:45 pm, and at 4:05 pm.
• May 26th - 29th: at 10:45 am, 12:05 pm, 1:25 pm, 2:45 pm, 4:05 pm, 5:25 pm, and 6:45 pm.
• May 30th - June 25th: 10:45 am, 12:05 pm, 1:25 pm, 2:45 pm, 4:05 pm and 5:25 pm.
• June 26th  - September 4th: at 10:45 am, 12:05 pm, 12:40 pm, 1:25 pm, 2 pm, 2:45 pm, 3:20 pm, 4:05 pm, 4:40 pm, 5:25 pm, 6 pm, and 7:20 pm.
• September 5th to October 29th: at 10:45 am, 12:05 pm, 1:25 pm, 2:45 pm, 4:05 pm, and 5:25 pm.
• October 30th - December 31st: at 10:45 am, 12:05 pm, 1:25 pm, and 2:45 pm.

On December 25th, the boat does not sail.

2-Hour Tourist Boat

The 2-hour boat tour option follows the below schedule:

• May 25th to October 14th: at 12:30 pm.
• October 15th to December 30th: Fridays and Mondays at 12:30 pm.