From West Seattle, Renton, or Bellevue, 560 runs straight to SEA
Sound Transit Route 560 is the budget play between Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and West Seattle, Renton, and Bellevue, with rides usually running $2.75–$3.25 depending on zones. Trips take roughly 30–60 minutes depending on where you board, with Renton and West Seattle on the shorter end and Bellevue taking longer. Regulars use it to dodge $30+ parking bills rather than as a tourist shuttle.
Where it stops at SEA and when it runs
At SEA’s Main Terminal, Route 560 boards at the lower-level drive in the regional bus area, near other Sound Transit routes like the 574. Ignore the generic “ground transportation” signs and follow markings for regional buses / Sound Transit; it’s a few minutes’ walk from baggage claim via the skybridge and down an elevator or escalator. Buses generally come about every 30 minutes on weekdays, with thinner service on evenings and weekends.
Timing, speed, and why locals treat it like a work tool
The 560 feels slow compared with driving straight down I‑5, because it detours through transit centers in places like Renton. That leads to comments like “cheap but slower than just driving” from West Seattle riders on Reddit. Airport workers say they add at least a 30–45 minute buffer on top of the scheduled ride in case the bus shows late and SEA security lines blow out past 20 minutes.
Routing quirks and schedule gaps
This route has been restructured more than once, trimming pieces of the old Bellevue and Burien legs, so a 560 map from 2018 can be wrong in 2026. Because evening and weekend headways stretch beyond the usual 30 minutes, misreading the timetable can mean a surprise wait close to an hour. Check the live schedule on the official Sound Transit site or app on the same day you fly.
What regulars do and when to skip it
People who ride 560 a lot usually stick to it when they have one backpack and maybe a carry‑on under 22 inches, then switch to Lyft or Uber when hauling multiple checked bags or traveling with kids. Some locals use it for a one‑seat ride between SEA and Renton Transit Center or Westwood Village in West Seattle, then transfer to a neighborhood bus like RapidRide C. If your flight lands after about 11 p.m., they’ll often default to rideshare in case the last 560 of the night has already gone.
Watch out for and one last tip
Watch out for the lower-drive stop being easy to miss; riders mention walking past bays for the 574 and RapidRide A before spotting the 560 sign. Another common complaint: if you step off the plane at :05 and the bus left at :00, you may be sitting curbside for close to half an hour. One practical tip: pull up the exact stop number at SEA in your transit app before you leave the gate, then walk straight to that bay instead of wandering the whole lower drive.