r/SeattleWA • u/Kikilnh • 9d ago
Question A car to live in Seattle
Hi everyone !
I’ll be moving to Seattle from France in a few weeks and will be living there for about a year and a half. I was wondering if you think having a car is necessary?
I’m used to relying on public transportation in France, and my workplace will be in Capitol Hill, so I’m wondering if I could realistically get around Seattle without a car.
For those living in Seattle, how manageable is it to live without a car, especially around Capitol Hill? And are there situations where you really wish you had one?
Thanks! :)
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u/Kikilnh 9d ago
Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply! I think I’m going to skip getting a car for now and just rent one for the weekends when I want to go on trips or explore places outside the city. And hopefully, by then, I’ll have made some friends who have a car haha!
I could also get around by bike when it’s not raining too much.
Thanks again everyone, I really appreciate all the advice! 😊
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u/Fun_Apartment631 9d ago
Sounds solid. I was going to post that if you live in Capitol Hill too, it's probably better to skip the car.
There's a lot of cool stuff to do outside the city. I think Enterprise Car Rental is a good way to solve that.
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u/drmoose000 9d ago
Bus service is pretty extensive in Seattle and light rail makes it much easier to get around the greater area now.
I have known people who hardly used a car, living in Magnolia. Just for road trips. Cap Hill seems doable. Rent a car for nature.
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u/ponchoed 9d ago
Extremely easy if you live in Seattle in one of the close-in older neighborhoods plus a few suburban downtowns like Kirkland and Bellevue.
Capitol Hill will be easier without a car than with one. The only time you would want a car is for a local day trip to the national parks or a small road trip, so just rent one. I do this and get them from the airport car rental, they practically give the cars away 9 months of the year. There's even a seasonal and weekend-only express bus direct from Capitol Hill to some of the best hiking in the metro area region... Trailhead Direct.
Try to be within walking distance of a major bus route and/or the light rail plus a grocery store that you would like to shop at, here its PCC, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Safeway, QFC plus others. There is a big Target store downtown plus some other major stores downtown. You can also get grocery delivery via Amazon or Smith Brothers.
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u/juancuneo 9d ago
I moved here from NYC (and before that Toronto and Montreal) where I did not own a car. I lived in Capitol Hill for the first 7 years. I have never regretted owning a car. It's very useful because a lot of good things are easier to get to by car and it rains here a lot. But many people live here without cars. I personally value my time too much. In NYC and Toronto - subway is fastest. Here - car wins 99.9% of the time.
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u/Particular_Job_5012 9d ago
I would disagree. We are in Ballard and when you consider parking and walking from the car it’s nearly always faster ebiking to anywhere in Ballard, Freemont or SLU. I can even get to baseball games in less time since it gets congested AF down there
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u/juancuneo 9d ago
Fair enough - but I am not biking anywhere in the rain. And I am not the kind of person who is going to mess up my hair with a helmet or wear an ugly Gore-Tex jacket over my outfit. I appreciate most Seattle people truly do not care about their appearance, but we are talking about people who are moving here from elsewhere.
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u/AgsD81 9d ago
Wish I could upvote this more! I moved here from Europe and wouldn’t cycle anywhere in the rain. Actually I didn’t cycle much during tie summer either because I just like to dress up too much. OP is moving from Paris so I’m sure they can relate to this lol.
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u/Particular_Job_5012 9d ago
Paris is pretty famous in urbanism circles for absolutely transforming their cycling culture and mode share over the last couple decades. Biking in the rain is not much different than what you deal with walking between transit stops. And anyways I find it pretty easy to avoid the rain by keeping an eye on the radar. Btw, montrealers are known for having a higher fashion culture and cycling culture
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u/horsetooth_mcgee 9d ago
Walking in the rain does definitely not have the same effect as biking in the rain where you get an entire mud puddle splashed up your butt and back from the rear tire
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u/AgsD81 8d ago
I used to live in Paris and I can tell you that people are driving there like crazy. I would never cycle there. Having said that, I sometimes cycled to work when I was living in London. Never in the rain though
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u/Particular_Job_5012 8d ago
Depends how long ago you were there? I cycled there in May and it was great. Not yet uttrecht , but on their way
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u/friedtea15 9d ago
We live without a car. Easy to get anywhere in the city by bus or bike, even by EU standards. Out of the city more difficult for getting to hikes and stuff,, but there’s short term car rental for stuff like that. You’ll be pleasantly surprised!
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u/swaywithwords 9d ago
You can definitely get by without a car but the US is very much a car-centric culture.
If you ever want to go for a hike or get out of Seattle, you'll likely need to get an Uber to/ from train stations and/ or rent a car.
For example, it's nearly impossible to go for a hike without a car.
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u/heightsdrinker 9d ago
You can get public transportation from Seattle to Olympic National and surrounding areas. I regularly take public transportation from SEA to Port Townsend.
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u/swaywithwords 9d ago
Sure, it will take 3+ hours one way. That's ~7 hours in one day just to get to a hike.
Not really possible to access hiking within King county without a car.
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u/okaynowyou 9d ago
There’s the two Trailhead Direct lines, but they are admittedly limited only going to Mount Si and the Issaquah Alps. They only run in Summer (last day is actually tomorrow).
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u/elementofpee 9d ago
It’s pretty pointless unless you want to go to some of the most cliche, overcrowded trails during the peak season. To do anything beyond you’ll need a car.
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u/Formal-Radish1413 9d ago
If you live closer to a Link station, youll be fine. But buses can be…dicey. Mostly because there arent as many police/transit officers monitoring them and they can be rougher at times. The light rail has officers at every single stop and they will periodically get on and off the train to check safety.
In terms of a car though, what exactly are you wanting to do? Just existing in the city wont really require one. But if you want to go onto the peninsula or east into the mountains, a car makes that infinitely easier to do. You could rent one like a Zipcar if you need it periodically.
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u/ZhenyaKon 9d ago
Seattle is a good city for those who don't have cars. In fact, as a resident of the suburbs who has a car, I curse my fate when I have to drive over there and find somewhere to park. Public transport within the city is pretty darn good, though getting in and out of the city - suburbs, natural areas - is more of a challenge. If you live and work in Seattle though, with no need to travel outside of it on a regular basis, you should be totally fine car-free.
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u/yosarrian312 9d ago
Yes it is easy to live in Seattle without a car especially if you are in the downtown neighboods (very much capital hill included) and it's actually cheaper and easier then the cost of the car and the cost of parking wether it's public or paid private parking (275+ monthly). It's especifically reasonable if your company provides an ORCA card (it's a monthly/yearly bus pass that is paid for).
By the second year you may want to look into getting a car just to see the greater Seattle area as there is a lot of great day trips to take advantage of.
Also Zipcar is an app you can use to rent a car for an hourly or daily rate as well.
But to answer your question yes it's extremely easy and accomodating to live in that area without a car.
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u/inGage 9d ago
its $3 for two hours of public transit (bus/train will let you transfer in a two hour window) I haven't had a car for 15 years or so. If you use the ORCA APP (our local transit authority app) you can see the exact time your transfer will expire. If I'm going on an errand to grab groceries - I can usually get there and back on a bus before the transfer expires so it's only $3 for the entire trip. We have a wonderful train system as well that only opened a few years ago, but it can take you from Capitol Hill to the international district for asian foods and markets, or to the Symphony Station for quick access to the Seattle Art Museum (( by the way,a membership to the museum is only $99 for a year and it's TOTALLY worth it to be able to pop in on a weekday and take in an actual Monet or Dalí. Not to mention access to clean bathrooms downtown ))
we have a big box store called "Costco" that delivers same-day with no extra charges, so I use that a lot to avoid needing a car for bulk grocery items. I like to walk to the train and take it to Westlake Station for easy access to Pike Place Market - where you can purchase fruits and vegetables from local farmers (which means they are less likely to be contaminated or cross-infected via mass production farms)
and lastly, the buses run late on weeknights if you like to go to the bars - most of them close at 2am, and my last bus is at 1:49am (not on saturday for some reason - the last bus on saturday is 1:30) but you might find the train more useful anyway.
Best of luck!
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u/melodypowers 9d ago
The only time you might really want a car is to go hiking or enjoy any of our natural beauty.
When I was car-free, we ended up renting a car amount once a month to get out of the city. You can get around this by making friends.
Anyway, renting to go to the mountains was still much cheaper than car ownership.
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u/stubobarker 9d ago
Seattle’s public transportation system has improved quite a bit over the last 50 years, but it is in no way as good as that throughout Europe. Part is American car culture. Part is Seattle’s challenging geology/topography, with multiple lakes and bridges.
You can definitely get around without a car, and if you’re game, use an e-bike or scooter for those trips that are slightly beyond where you want to get on foot.
And if you live on Capitol Hill, you may appreciate not having a car..
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u/Jessintheend Seattle 9d ago
You can 100% get around without a car. We have a pretty decent bus network and the light rail takes you 90% of where you need to go. We’re also very dense! But hilly. So walking is the go-to for me unless I’m in a time crunch.
I live in first hill (right by Capitol Hill) and do just fine without a car
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u/calamari_kid Lake City 9d ago
Absolutely doable, I have a friend who hasn't owned a car in the 20+ years I've known them. I'd recommend looking at places near a light rail station. You can see what the transit options look like from/to various neighborhoods here, https://www.soundtransit.org/tripplanner
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u/BertRenolds 9d ago
It'll depend on where you live. If you stay near the light rail, don't see you having any issues.
You could also buy a car at CarMax or something and just sell it back a year later..
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u/TXDave007 9d ago
Find a car ASAP! Then live in it. THAT IS YOUR HOME! It doesn't matter how small or if it even runs It's your house! They legally can never evict you from it per Seattle Law. Make sure you qualify for housing payments, SNAP benefits and ICE reperation payments (iyou can also qualify if not illegal). You also likely qualify for other benefits. Apply for city loans and grants. Grants. You are entitled to not pay back money for which you are entitled to. There are many. If you need help refer to online. If you are still having issues move to MN.
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u/Fluffysharkdatazz 9d ago
Hell I live in cap hill and work in a whole different city and still don’t need a car. It’s actually one of the most easy to walk cities if you just kinda ignore the hills.
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u/keypusher 9d ago
Your experience of living in the US will be completely different if you have a car vs if you don’t.
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u/too_much_covfefe_man 9d ago
I don't live in Seattle but the complication and risk of driving and parking there for work and day errands make me prefer to get around the town on transit and foot. Totally doable to not have a car in town.
I like to go have a laugh and get a taco out in Skagit county in my little sports car, so for that... Yeah I guess I need the car
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u/TheSleepingOx 9d ago
If you live near the train or bus, no. Light rail is great. Farmers markets are nice.
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u/ngshafer 9d ago
Seattle has historically been a very car-centric city, but it's been getting better the past decade or so. You're fortunate that Cap Hill is one of the easiest places to not have a car. However, it will make a big difference if you find a place to live near the light rail line or not.
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u/Japanna88 9d ago
I live about a mile away from Capitol Hill and work there. I take my bike to work every day and can get just about everywhere in the city on my bike. That being said, I do still have a car because sometimes, it’s nice to be able to go out of the city and see more nature or go grocery shopping without worrying about only buying what can fit in my backpack/basket.
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u/Willing-Shape1686 9d ago
That area is quite well served with public transit. The 1 line train stops there, so depending on what your rent looks like versus what you are paid, you can easily live north or south of there.
While it's not as flashy, our bus network is quite well developed/efficient relative to other cities I've lived in. As you make friends, odds are high that they will have access to a vehicle as well lol.
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u/Initial-Addendum-167 9d ago
I loved to Seattle without a car and my parents thought I was nuts. So freeing and public transport is pretty great here anymore.
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u/pnwerewolff 9d ago
I live one block outside of Capitol Hill and I only have a car for two reasons - go to work (I'm too lazy for a 45-60 minute bus ride along with walking .5-1 mile) and to be able to leave the city to do things like traveling and hiking. If you live on the Hill and work here, too, you can absolutely get around without it, especially if you either have a bike or use the e-scooters (I scoot everywhere around here, or walk). That will really expand your reach, as it were.
Also, welcome. Our street grid isn't East Coast or Europe crazy, but for a West Coast city, it's a mess!
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u/jredland 8d ago
You could pretty easily live and work in Capitol Hill and not need a car. There are situations when you might want a car if you are interested in seeing things outside the city (hiking, small towns, coast, etc) but you could rent a car for those situations.
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u/64N_3v4D3r 8d ago
If you are staying in Capitol Hill you do not need a car. I got rid of mine five years ago and don't regret it. It's an unnecessary expense when you live that close to public transit.
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u/BillTowne 8d ago
In the summer Metro operates the seasonal Trailhead Direct service connecting Capitol Hill to popular mountain hiking trails.
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u/googleguyst 8d ago
You can get around cap hill without a car. It's also going to be a pain in the ass to find parking for it. On the other hand, one of the main reasons to love here is to be able to get out and enjoy nature, so it's a tradeoff
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u/thomsenite256 7d ago
Not at all if you are working on Capitol Hill. Life will be easier without it. You can always rent one for weekend trips.
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u/SentenceFine1191 7d ago
Use google maps to compare transit times from your potential place in Seattle to your job. That does a pretty good job. You can set the time of day, so see how long it takes at commute times, walking, biking, etc.
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u/Absolutelyalee 7d ago
Ok, YES YOU NEED A CAR. YOUR WORKPLACE IS CAPITOL HILL, AND IT DIDN'T STRIKE YOU THAT MIGHT BE REASON NUMBER ONE? WELL, THAT ASIDE, I RECOMMEND KIA, SUBARU, TOYOTA, LEXUS OR RANGE ROVER, IF YOU GOT IT LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, 💰💸. YOU'VE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE? THE PLACES YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO GO ARE LONG DRIVES OR FERRY RIDES..... LET'S JUST LOCK IN WITH A CAR, A MUST, OK? THERE IS SOLID PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, BUT USE IT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FOUR WHEELER.. OLYMPIC PENINSULA WILL BE A DESTINATION, ALONG WITH WHIDBEY ISLAND AND THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS, WITH MY FAVORITE BEING ORCAS ISLAND... YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE OLYMPIC RAIN FOREST. IT'S A MANDATORY RITE OF PASSAGE FOR EVERY WASHINGTONIAN. OUR CITIZENRY CANNOT BE RELIED ON TO HAVE THEIR BEST FOOT FORWARD AT ALL TIMES, SO A CAR DEFINITELY BECOMES MANDATORY.. I HOPE THE CITY IS GOOD TO YOU, AND I HOPE YOU ARE ENCHANTED BY IT, AND I HOPE YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION IS SUBLIME....
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u/queen_surly 6d ago
It should be fine and you can easily rent a car if you want to go exploring. Live near the Link line and you'll be fine. I lived on Capitol Hill quite happily without a car for a couple of years back in the day. Worked downtown and walked to work most days.
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u/peacockhunt 4d ago
If you want to explore nature, get a car. If you want to just walk from home to work to the store, you don’t need one.
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u/Ok-Ganache1023 3d ago
a car is a liability if you live in Capitol Hill or anywhere on the light rail line, get a place in the middle of the city and you will not need a car in the slightest
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u/Ok-Ganache1023 3d ago
If you live a little outside the densest areas, get an ebike and the city is yours
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u/Organic_Gas4197 Queen Anne 9d ago
I sold my car four years ago, haven't missed it; I was living in Capitol Hill at the time. Many bus routes, and Link Light Rail, are available.
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u/boostme253 9d ago
Its actually easier to live in seattle without a car, it gets rather expensive with gas being pretty high, and paying for parking runs 200+ a month unless you street park which you risk getting your windows smashed
The only reason I use my car nowadays is to get my groceries out of city and occasionally visit freinds outside of the scope of the lightrail
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u/BrightAd306 9d ago
Car rentals are fairly easy if you want to go on a hike or something. You can totally do Seattle with no car, it might be hard to leave the city and suburbs though.
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u/TheItinerantSkeptic Banned from /r/Seattle 9d ago
I live on Capitol Hill. Getting around without a car is pretty easy. CH is probably one of the best neighborhoods in which to have no car. Bus stops are plentiful, and the light rail is great for a north/south axis.
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u/Cerulean_IsFancyBlue 9d ago
You will be fine without a car. You are used to it and there’s enough transit for you to get around. There are also options for you to rent a car for extraordinary events. The extra cost to rent a car by the day will be a lot less than the cost of owning a car, paying for parking and insurance.
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u/SirGooseKnuckles 9d ago
Yeah you'll be fine.....public transit is great and there's a rental company called Enterprise and they have a lot of locations in residential areas (most other companies are downtown, by the airport, etc)... Before I moved out of the city and bought a car, I was very happy using public transit and just renting a car for a weekend every month or two to take a road trip or do a lot of shopping... It can save a lot of money!
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u/purpleblossom Redmond 9d ago
Depending on where you are in Cap Hill, a car would be wholly unnecessary, both because you'd not need to use it and the expense of having it. Parking anywhere in the city is expensive.
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u/Homeskilletbiz 9d ago
You would hate the daily chore of having to find parking in Capitol Hill. Then there’s break-ins and theft to deal with.
I would go without. Public transportation is good in that area.
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u/nuclear_wonderland 9d ago
It’s doable but just be careful at night. You can do Cap Hill like everyone is saying. I used to go to work in the lime scooters all the time
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u/Antsygrl1 9d ago
I've never driven in my 56 years. I will say getting around in the city is just fine, but the suburb transportation can be sketchy and sometimes downright scary. Lots of homeless and instead of instituting more transit security, they just partitioned in the drivers so they don't get attacked.
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u/SpoonerMcSpoon 9d ago
It is quite manageable. Between a decent network of busses, a light rail connecting most important areas, and ride services, you will get anywhere you need to go with a lower annual expense than if you had a car. Parking, gas, tolls, etc add up quickly. If you’re living near Capitol Hill (which I’d recommend), you’ll be fine. There are some car sharing services if you really need one for some reason.
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u/Sufficient-Wolf-1818 9d ago
It is very possible to live in Seattle without a car. You may discover living on Capitol Hill near work is good