Seattle - Washington State - page 60

help you get around Seattle itself, they do offer scenic options for getting out of
town (and cheap cruises, too). From downtown Seattle, car ferries sail to Bre-
merton (60-min. crossing) and Bainbridge Island (35-min. crossing). From
West Seattle, car ferries go to Vashon Island (15-min. crossing) and Southworth
(35-min. crossing), which is on the Kitsap Peninsula. One-way fares between
Seattle and Bainbridge Island or Bremerton, or between Edmonds and Kingston
via car ferry are $9.50 ($12 from mid-May to mid-Oct) for a car and driver,
$5.40 for adult car passengers or walk-ons, $2.70 for seniors, and $4.40 for chil-
dren ages 5 to 18. Car passengers and walk-ons only pay fares on westbound car
ferries. One-way fares between Fauntleroy (West Seattle) and Vashon Island or
between Southworth and Vashon Island are $12 ($16 from mid-May to mid-
Oct) for a car and driver, $3.50 for car passengers or walk-ons, $1.70 for sen-
iors, and $2.80 for children ages 5 to 18. At press time, passenger ferry service
to Vashon Island and Bremerton was scheduled to be discontinued.
BY CAR
Before you venture into downtown Seattle in a car, keep in mind that traffic
congestion is bad, parking is limited (and expensive), and streets are almost all
one-way. You'll avoid a lot of frustration and aggravation by leaving your car in
your hotel's parking garage or by not bringing a car into downtown at all.
Depending on what your plans are for your visit, you might not need a car at
all. If you plan to spend your time in downtown Seattle, a car is a liability. The
city center is well serviced by public transportation, with free public buses in the
downtown area, the monorail from downtown to Seattle Center, and the Water-
front Streetcar connecting Pike Place Market and Pioneer Square by way of the
waterfront. You can even take the ferries over to Bainbridge Island or Bremerton
for an excursion out of the city. Most Seattle neighborhoods of interest to visi-
tors are also well served by public buses. However, if your plans include any
excursions out of the city, say to Mount Rainier or the Olympic Peninsula, you'll
definitely need a car.
CAR RENTALS Car-rental rates vary as widely and as wildly as airfares, so it
pays to do some comparison-shopping. In Seattle, daily rates for a compact car
might run anywhere from around $30 to $70, with weekly rates running
between $150 and $350 (although the average is around $250). Rates are, of
course, highest in the summer and lowest in the winter, but you'll almost always
get lower rates the further ahead you reserve. Be sure to budget for the 18.5%
car-rental tax (and, if you rent at the airport, an additional 10% to 12% airport
concession fee and other charges will bring your cost up to a whopping total of
around 30%!).
All the major car-rental agencies have offices in Seattle and at or near Seattle-
Tacoma International Airport. Companies with a desk and cars inside the termi-
nal include Alamo ( & 800/327-9633 or 206/433-0182; www.goalamo.com),
Avis ( & 800/331-1212 or 206/433-5231; www.avis.com), Budget ( & 800/
527-0700 or 206/682-8989; www.budget.com), Hertz ( & 800/654-3131 or 206/
248-1300; www.hertz.com), and National ( & 800/227-7368 or 206/433-5501;
www.nationalcar.com). Companies with desks inside the terminal but cars parked
off the airport premises include Advantage ( & 800/777-5500 or 206/824-0161;
www.arac.com), Dollar ( & 800/800-4000 or 206/433-6777; www.dollar.com),
Enterprise ( & 800/736-8222 or 206/246-1953; www.enterprise.com), and
Thrifty ( & 800/367-2277 or 206/625-1133; www.thrifty.com).