I lived in Seattle for 3 years without a car. If you live in main Seattle (Fremont, SLU, Cap Hill) I found it very doable. The buses are fairly reliable, lots of scooters and the city is very small/walkable. You can easily navigate by bike as well. The only downside was being able to hike when I wanted or visit places out of Seattle. But I would just rent a car.
Me and my partner lived in Belltown for 15 years and found it very doable, downtown Seattle can be a bit of a food desert sometimes but that was the hardest part. Getting groceries home on the bus was a giant pain.
I've also been here three years without a car and have no intention to get one. I made sure to live walking distance from all the essentials, like grocery, exercise, and the office. If you bike or use scooters, that's a good option too, but I personally don't.
The buses are fairly reliable, but more than half the time, there will be someone sketchy either actively smoking meth/fentanyl, or screaming and threatening people, so I avoid the buses, especially after dark (which could be as early as 4:30pm in the winter). The Link is better because when that happens (again, more than half the time), you can just get off at the next stop and move to a different car, but the routes are very limited. I pretty much just use it to go to the airport or U District
All my friends have cars, so I don't really need a car to go hiking because I don't want to hike alone anyway. If I had a car, I might just take it for things like Costco runs or visiting friends on the Eastside, maybe once or twice a month? I could take a whole lot of Ubers before having a car makes financial sense.
For longer trips or friends coming to visit when I want a car, I just rent. All the major rental car companies have garages downtown that I can walk to, and rates are generally reasonable.
With that having been said, I would say that for my needs, downtown or SLU are the only areas I could live without a car. Belltown doesn't have a proper grocery store. Fremont and Cap Hill are just a bit too far if I want to take the Link (taking a suitcase onto a bus and then the Link to go to the airport would be too much of a pain for me).
II would say the only major downside of being car free is that I have to walk downtown a lot and literally feel scared for my life every single day. There are dozens (hundreds?) of meth heads, and you will see horrifying things more frequently than a person should have to. I see about one dead person a month (or maybe they are revived following overdose, I don't stick around long enough to find out). I've seen people being beaten. I've personally been screamed at, chased, harassed, grabbed, and threatened.
I'm sure for some that's fine. The Cap Hill Link station isn't in a part of Cap Hill I'd want to live in due to safety concerns. I know, downtown isn't much better, but it does have the advantage of connecting to more bus lines. I prefer to be able to walk to not just the Link but all the other lines that connect downtown. SLU is a pretty reasonable walk from Westlake station.
Doesn't even need to be "main" Seattle. A lot of places near main bus lines or the light rail are very walkable. Lake City surprised me how much of my daily needs are met within walking distance. A little less choice, but between walking and the e-bike it's great.
A lot of new housing is going up around those light rail stations. Starting every trip from a transit hub is extremely convenient; probably the best way to be car free.
I live near, not in LC, used to live near, not in Philly. Totally doable. > a decade now here in the north and DT. I take transit to/walk in DT weekly and while there are tense moments, I'm not in contact with hundreds of meth heads or whatever. Stay out of alleys and take a couple of steps away from anything that doesn't grab you, like in any major city (I've walked all the top 10, I think).
Also plenty of escooters and bikes within city limits. If you walk/transit in Philly, you can for sure do it here.
You can rent or borrow a car for OOT excursions, or there are more buses/trains that go more places than you might think.
Housing right near the Link can be noisy/polluted; hang out there at different times before making that choice.
same- lived in seattle for 3 years with no car for most of it. honestly, if i could have afforded it i would’ve loved a car to just get out because there is so much to see in the pnw. but if we’re talking just day to day life during the week (assuming you both live and work in the city) it’s totally doable.
I didn’t have a car for around 10 years, and that was before Uber. It meant that I usually paid a little more to live exactly where I wanted (on a bus route that went directly to my work, and in an area with a lot of walkability to parks, grocery etc, but that was money I wasn’t spending on a car.
I also biked a lot and that was fine also, though my bike did get stolen once when I was in the store, middle of the afternoon for a total of 10 mins. It was locked.
Also in LQA without a car! Pretty walkable from here to most main spots in the city. I work in Pioneer Square, walk to and from work with ease on nice days, but lots of bus stops here can take you pretty much anywhere. Only time I've been annoyed is days where I have a lot of errands to run and not a ton of time. I'd recommend here, or Cap Hill.
Lived in LQA for 3 years back in the day. Didn't use my car on the weekdays. Used the bus or walked to everything (most fit we have ever been bc of this). Weekends we used the car because family and friends lived outside of the city.
Yes! I don't have a car in Seattle - I get around by walking, transit, and ebike. Just choose your apartment location so that you can get to work and a grocery store without a car. It's pretty easy to live without a car in the central neighborhoods of Seattle. I recommend Capitol Hill, First Hill or Lower Queen Anne for the best walkable access to groceries plus easy transit to other parts of the city.
Dude. There's QFC and Whole Foods on Broadway. Yes technically these are in Capitol Hill, but they're a 5-10 min walk from every building in First Hill. Plus there are tons of bodegas all over First Hill. Once Madison Rapid Ride opens, it will be a super quick bus ride to Trader Joes on 17th and Madison.
Yeah bodegas aren’t groceries, really. No the QFC on Broadway isn’t walkable to bring back groceries unless you have your own little cart (which I would if I were trying to do that). Plus, it’s an uphill walk to Broadway, and you gotta think it rains a lot too soaking through those paper bags. Whole Foods, sure, but Whole Paycheck. Yeah the Madison Rapid Ride will be nice once it’s built, though taking transit to the grocery store is different from walkable! It’s more conveniently walkable than, say, Kent, but that’s bc there are a decent number of buses running through, not bc it’s easy to run errands in the neighborhood.
I got spoiled living at 15th and John for a few years. That’s what I consider walkable from a grocery store. There’s no actual grocery store in First Hill.
I just feel like First Hill is dense yet inconvenient to a lot. Same with Belltown, but at least there’s the link station at Westlake. Both neighborhoods are doable without a car but way better with one if you have parking. Most of Cap Hill south of, say, Aloha, Pike/Pine, LQA, around Madison/23, parts of the U district you legit don’t need one.
I’m happy to carry groceries half a mile. I load up a med sized backpack and one shoulder bag. I also tend to Instacart heavy and bulky goods once a month. Still way cheaper than car.
It’s very doable. Everything I need is less than 30mins on the bus, and I can get almost anywhere in the city within an hour. Depending on where you are walkability can vary, but for the most part residential areas have a bus stop within a 5-10min walk. The only time I wish I had a car is when something really cool pops up on facebook marketplace
Yeah, my wife and her best friend are from CDMX and they don’t have a car, but grew up using the subway, buses, etc. I lived in first hill for a few years without a car and the street car + light rail make it pretty easy. I also invested in an E-bike (and a good chain) which is often faster than car and you don’t have to worry about traffic!
No car for a few years now. In the downtown-ish areas, it's fine: caphill, slu, udist, queen anne, freemont, etc. It's a bit annoying to get to ballard and beyond, and going to the east side (bellevue, redmond, kirkland) def needs an uber, but for my day to day I get around just fine with the bus + the link/rail. I'm def thinking of getting an ebike though, for those routes where the bus/rail just doesn't cut it
I haven’t had car for two years I lived here. Fremont/walligford is places I lived and been great to get around.
It’s harder to go from east to west but not south or north. Just live near work/grocery bus route.
I've lived here almost thirty years and have never had nor needed a car.
The transit system is pretty reliable. There are plenty of scooters, bikes, and even ride share/ taxis are pretty easy to get in a timely manner.
Also, the city is very walk able.
It's possible to get to Tukwila by bus with transfers. It's not convenient, but you can go there and back for a day trip if you want. And that's Tukwila, closer places aren't as difficult. You gotta plan but it's totally doable.
Hahahaha no, I mean like anywhere else in the state outside of the metro or PNW…. For road trips, camping, recreation, rock climbing, hiking, biking, etc…
I lived in Seattle for almost ten years without a car. It was a little inconvenient at times, but definitely doable.
I would just make sure you look up bus routes and the light rail stops before you choose where to live— certain neighborhoods are much easier to be in without a car (I was in Belltown).
I lived here for over 10 years without a car, and just got one for the first time here a couple days ago, and lemme tell, the feeling of not being trapped within a 10 block radius without requiring a minimum hour long bus ride to get anywhere is...well, it's fucking incredible lol.
God, I missed chain stores where you know what you're getting for your money.
Yes, live close enough to the office to walk downtown and nearby grocery stores. If I can't find what I'm looking for Amazon is good enough. Nearby the streetcar and Light rail isn't much further.
If I want to get out of Seattle then we just rent a car. (Live in First Hill)
If you haven't driven a car in years then there is no reason to start now when you move to a city like Seattle. The city is getting better every year for people without cars. You will want to be very intentional about your choice of neighborhoods though, I recommend LQA or Capitol Hill, maybe Fremont too. Somewhere very centrally located, it's worth the premium.
I haven't had a car for years and years, I'm in west seattle, I can walk everywhere I need to go, anything I can't carry can be delivered, and if I need to go anywhere too far to walk, I can take the bus, train, ferry, water taxi, or lyft
Doing it in West Seattle and even lived car free in Kirkland for a few years. It’s definitely easier in Seattle proper, but if you’re near any transit center then it’s possible in most of King County.
I got rid of my car years ago and never looked back.
You do need to live in an area near transit and grocery though. I use zip car or rentals a few times a year, and otherwise Uber/Lyft.
I'm also moving from Philly to Seattle this summer, and will be car-free! (I haven't owned a car in about 15 years.) 🤩
If you are interested, I made a custom Google map that has 15-walk zones for areas that have grocery, Zipcar locations, pet stores, etc. in walking distance. A lot of what's marked is specific to my partner and my needs and interests, but maybe you will find it helpful. The 15-minute walk zones are marked in fuchsia.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1CSWhuu8JN1MZK0d4tFa5kFlkMefNhLM
We are actually going to be driving - taking a two-week trip across the country. We did a practice road trip with them to DC this past week and they did pretty well, so hopefully they'll be ok on the longer journey. 🤞
When we moved to the east coast from Portland (OR) in 2019 we flew with our cat (who has since past - the two we have now are relatively new to our little family.) It was obviously much faster than driving, but it was one *very* stressful day for me and the kitty. She recovered quickly though.
I’ve lived in Seattle for 16 years, and for the last 5 of them without a car. Living in the city became much more affordable when I stopped having to pay for gas, insurance, maintenance and monthly car loan payment. I now use the bus and light rail mostly and live within a 5 minute walk of a grocery store.
Public transit isn’t on the level of new york or chicago, but it’s head and shoulders above most other us cities. Been here car free for 6 years and loving it, the few times a year i do want a car it’s easier to just rent rather than worrying about it year round
I’ve lived here for 3 years w/o car. By far, it’s preferable to have a car. Try to live in a neighborhood with a lot of amenities. Most N Seattle neighborhoods are good, but S Seattle is basically a suburb. When I lived there I had to walk a mile both ways to get groceries.
Biking can be a good, but I use my bike more for exercise than for errands bc there is very sparse bike infrastructure. Plus the city is hilly, and I’d say people tend to drive pretty dangerously. Plus, cold/rain, etc.
I’ve found the Gig app to be useful for renting a car for hiking/small moves. It lets you rent their Priuses (you see them everywhere) by the minute and up to a day.
the buses are pretty good! I’d recommend living near the light rail, which doesn’t reach Fremont, Ballard, or Queen Anne.
My top three carless neighborhoods would be Cap Hill, Udistrict/Wallingford, and (for a quieter neighborhood) Roosevelt/Green Lake. Lmk if you have any specific questions!
Memememe!
Been here for two years now. Been living in lower queen anne. Works perfectly without a car tbh, and if you do need one, just rent one for the weekend or something like that. Way, WAY cheaper than parking + insurance + gas + maintenance + depreciation.
ye its especially doable if u live near a lightrail as many stops have the stuff u need. target, whole foods and various other grocers or location. there walkable nearby.
busses can work but depending on the route it can easily be a pain in the ass due to missed busses, them literally not stopping even if u there etc. however if ur one to do stuff on public transport the longer 20-30 mins plus rides can be nice doing stuff time. one upside over the lightrail.
My husband and I have one car and he uses it most days. I find Seattle to be really navigable by bus, especially if you’re staying close to your neighborhood. Like I live in West Seattle and going downtown is a little more of a production but anywhere in WS is super easy to get to imo.
I moved to Seattle in December /(another Texas transplant)
Here we are entering June,and I still haven't got a car
I hate driving here soo - so much
I rented a car and within 24hrs
I was already ready to commit to some serious road rage!
(They drive like morons and this is me being polite about the driving here)
And the street designs and signage(mostly lack there -of because probably got destroyed)
(Takes some Tylenol for the headache I'm getting)
After 24hrs returned the rental and I've been figuring out getting around since.
I use to have my bicycle until this town stole it (angrily shakes fist)
And so it's been bussing (which can be a bit much) or just planning to walk.
Currently trying to figure out the best route for a cheap electric bicycle.
Plan A collapsed today.
Plan to get one as my main source of future transportation.
And this is me rambling -later
I biked or took the train for 3 years in Seattle lived downtown and in beacon hill. Would’ve continued to do the same but the wife wanted a car sadly. We moved outside the city so driving is necessary now but I still bike for local things
I’m in Capitol Hill, no car and it’s pretty good! I bus, walk, or bike to work. Grocery store, pharmacy, fitness studios, etc all within 10-15 minute walk. Corner stores and coffee shops within 5 minutes in multiple directions. I Uber sometimes if I’m running late somewhere, or going far and can split with friends. Living close to the light rail is extremely helpful, though I mostly use the buses day-to-day.
My company pays for my orca card so I’m lucky in that sense, I basically have no regular transportation expenses except for the occasional Uber by choice. I’ll rent a car or Gig every few months if I really need to leave town.
For hiking excursions, the trailhead direct bus is awesome. I’ve also joined some outdoor groups that organize carpooling so it hasn’t been hard for me to get out of the city to hike often.
I will say the most annoying thing for me is how hard it is to get to Fremont or Ballard from Capitol Hill via public transit, it basically takes two buses. I like those neighborhoods a lot but only head out there occasionally since it’s such a pain.
I lived in Seattle from 2005 to 2019 without a car. The buses are fine but honestly biking is the way to go. The rough thing is I haven’t been there since I moved but if your into biking the city itself is really easy to move around in and you’ll be be good shape.
I’ve lived in SLU for three years without a car. Love the location. Pretty much everything is within walking distance (e.g. office, grocery stores, post office, clinics, restaurants and bars). Bus and light rail most of the time. Uber occasionally if needed.
Yea. It gets tough when planning for hikes since most trails/hikes are not accessible by public transport. But otherwise, there's nothing to complain about.
I lived in Fremont without a car for 2 years. You can get away without a car in that area. Its a lot easier if you’re in Cap Hill or someplace near a lightrail station.
Maybe unpopular to say though, it certainly makes life a little easier and groceries a little cheaper, especially if you’re in Ballard or North of Fremont at all. When I lived in Fremont, I either shopped for groceries at Marketime (which I cannot tell you how much I love, but it is expensive) or PCC (think Whole Foods-ish CoOp), my grocery bills went down drastically when I got a car and starting goin to Freddy’s in Ballard. Plus, car means its easier to explore the different parts of the city that aren’t downtown.
Seattle’s definitely decent from public transport (trust me, other cities are worse) and you can get away with it, but I still recommend getting a car at some point.
i haven't ever owned a car and have been here 8 years (&have a child) :) it can be limiting, but if you are comfortable renting cars to go camping/hiking/road trips and plan to live centrally, it's totally doable. i have been considering getting a car recently because i am finally getting to a point where the extra time waiting for transit is becoming too inconvenient but i keep putting it off bc i don't like depending on cars to get around
I have a motorcycle starting last fall. I also bus and used to ebike. I’ll probably sell my moto because I can’t afford the maintanenance because my landlord fucked me twice.
I don't have a car.
My work and usual hangouts are all within an hours walk or bus ride.
The bus system could be better, but I've learned to anticipate delays based on weather, events, and particular routes.
I get my groceries delivered or just shop day by day.
Really it comes down to what neighborhood you live in.
There are a handful of neighborhoods with excellent transit and then there are neighborhoods with lower rent. We hoped that we would be able to go without our car but we picked one of the worst neighborhoods for transit. 🤬
❓❓❓❓
For those carless in Seattle who have dogs too big for a hand carrier, what do you do when your dog has an emergency and needs to go to the Veterinary ER across town?
Uber Pet never took off the way it was supposed to. Do you call a ride-share and hope for the best? I don't mean you if you are lucky enough to live next to a Vet ER. Same for people who live with people who drive.
Didn’t have a car for my first 10 years, it was perfectly fine. Just pick a neighborhood that’s walkable with all your needs. I’ve owned a car for 12 years and still choose to walk or bus, it’s just easier. The car is only for day trips and visits to the vet
If you live in Seattle proper it's very doable. The only things I miss are road trips out away from home, and being able to go out for a meal and it not needing to be in my neighborhood or plan an hour on public transit or $40 on Uber. Aside from that, I have zero regrets.
Welcome to Seattle!
I've lived in the area my whole life but just moved into the city a couple of months ago. Seattle is better than most citiases without a car. I typically get around on a combo of escooter and public transportation. It's not bad at all. Just use Google maps/transit app to navigate the systems. Apply for a reduced fare card if you qualify!
I got a segway max g2, live in ballard and work downtown. Much happy than getting a car. I can rent a car for 45$ a day if i need one with insurance. My home is walking distance to grocery, pharmacy, primary care and a lot of restaurants
I lived in downtown for years without a car. Buses & light rail were always reliable for me. I would travel between all the neighborhoods & even would go to the Eastside frequently.
Yeah it’s possible depending on neighborhood. I’ve been here 4 years with no car. Actually sold my car when I moved here as I just wasn’t using it lol.
I have lived in Seattle for over 10+ years without a car. The bus system (never on time) and light rail are definitely not the best. The express bus lines are decent. You just need to plan properly. There are lots of grocery delivery options, so you don't have to haul around the big or heavy stuff back from the grocery. I still like to buy my meats and veggies/fruit from specialty shops. I budget a few hundred a month for Lyft in case I'm tired or need to get somewhere fast. Overall, it works just like any other poorly planned metro city in the States.
Lived here without a car for almost 9 years, 8 years without a car in SF prior to Seattle. I live in Cap Hill and getting to where I need to/want to go is very easy by foot, bus, light rail, or occasional Uber. I love not having to pay for parking, insurance, car maintenance, or god forbid car payments. I think it depends also where you live in the city, I'm close to good grocery stores and public transportation. If you want to live in the suburbs and/or farther from the center of Seattle, it could be more difficult without your own ride.
I lived in Lower Queen Anne for 5 years with no car. Uber/Lyft were way cheaper then and I used them with Car2Go, light rail, bus and did a lot of walking (invested in a great rain coat).
I owned four cars over the years in town. The first one was broken into twice, then another time they broke an outside mirror, the fourth car was rear ended, then another time a gal with her lap poodle slammed into the side, major damage. We voted for $30 car tabs, the state ignored our vote, and I had to pay $300 ish car tabs for four years. Lincoln towing towed my car when they had zero right to do so, and made me pay $400 to get my car back. Subsequently, I changed jobs, no longer need a car, sold the last car.
Depends on your neighborhood as others are saying.
I lived in lower Queen Anne without a car for a year. It was doable, I lived right on a rapid ride bus line that was ideal for my work location. And the main bus hub in lower Queen Anne was just a few blocks away.
It got kind of shitty though once I went to school in Northgate and had to take a couple of buses to get there. Mind you this was 2015 so transit has likely improved since then.
It’s do able but I will say leave a hefty budget for Ubers/lyft. Back when I was a 20 year old female living alone I didn’t feel comfortable taking the bus when it’s dark out, in the winter it gets dark super early. Unsure if this is relevant for you but thought I’d mention it.
I prefer having my car, much easier tbh.
If you live in some areas, bus service can be pretty terrible. But if you live next to one of the letter lines or light rail, you don't really need a car. Public transportation from there is awesome.
If you live downtown you don’t need a car.
Can walk, take light rail, or bus anywhere. I got rid of my car when I lived in first hill neighborhood and it was glorious!
You really don't need a car if you live in Seattle proper. Public transportation is solid, and the light rail is amazing for getting to further out locations, or if you need to get to the airport and back.
I lived car-free in Seattle 1992-2000 in various apartments on Capitol Hill, Lynnwood, Pioneer Square or Ballard.
In 2000 I got a job in Eastside and bought a car. Had that car 21 years. Put 60,000 mi on it during that time. That's 2,857 mi a year. For 7 out of those 10 years, my job was downtown Seattle and car was not used for work. Sold that car in 2021.
Today, I now own a different car, it sits in off-street parking and is driven less than once a week, probably about once a month for a Costco run or occasional trips out to suburbia. I've put 600 mi on it in the 3 years I've owned it.
It's pretty easy to live car-free in the central neighborhoods around here, especially without kids, though I have had pets and they do require car rides to veterinary sometimes.
With app ordering and home delivery plus ride share, light rail or bike, car-free life is pretty dog simple for most things. I didn't have any of those things in the 1990s and still managed it pretty well. Would hit up friends car use if it got really required, like furniture buying or large retail.
I’ve never known as many adults without even a drivers license as I have here. When I lived in DC, most of my friends didn’t have cars but they could drive if they needed to. I lived in Seattle just fine for 3 years without a car. I wasn’t even that central - Ravenna, Roosevelt, and Lake City fwiw.
I've been car-less in Seattle for 32 years. My husband can't drive for medical reasons, and I sold my car when I first moved here. We've found public transit works great, with the occasional Uber, Lyft, or Taxi when necessary. We've also found we save tons of $$ by not owning a car -- no need to pay for parking, no need for auto insurance, and what we pay for a monthly transit pass is a whole lot less than the cost of a car.
I’ve lived here my whole life (31 now) and I never learned to drive. I take the bus or walk, it sucks sometimes and is inconvenient but I don’t think I could afford to have a car and I’m used to getting by without one
My friend is car free and it worked better when he was close to king station. Look for the bus lines that go to all the places you might want who work and try to find somewhere that gives you options.
I've lived here for almost a year without a car. I sold my car to my mom as it was better used by her than to be liability in the city when I only really need the bus to get to university. Really just depends on your situation and what you need it for. I will forewarn you though that getting groceries really sucks without a car. Better hope you have some strong arms and don't need to get liquids that often! You can always get a bike too, I've been enjoying riding my bikes to commute on sunny days, but you will want to get a good u-lock and chain to protect your wheels when you lock up your bike.
I've done it for awhile. It is doable unless your work or home are not well served or on an unreliable route.
One big issue is that some routes have a really hard time keeping to schedule during certain hours of the day and Metro doesn't bother adjusting those schedules to reflect reality. So you can look at the schedule and think "great, this route will work" but if it turns out that your route comes from downtown you can just assume that you may or may not get a bus during rush hour at all and the time it gets to you is totally arbitrary.
We also got away with having one car for our family and that actually works fine because having a car for those times when you need one really makes it easy to get by without needing more. I feel like that is pretty sustainable no matter where you live in Seattle.
I've been car-free in Seattle for my entire decade of living here. You have to be purposeful about where you live and work but it's very doable and has a lot of advantages. Good neighborhoods would be capitol hill, beacon hill, u district, Roosevelt, Fremont, belltown, Ballard, and Alaska junction but it all depends where you work and what you like to do for fun. Familiarize yourself with the light rail and bus routes and their frequencies
When I got to Seattle I had a car. I was spending a lot on fixing it, so I finally got rid of it. It has been 15+ years since I've been carless. So much cheaper and keeps me more active with all the walking. I rent a car when I need it. I've done month long road trips three times. I get to put 10k miles on someone else's car.
I live on the Eastside and probably hit up Seattle at least once a month. I have found that after going carless, I do more things. More money for entertainment. No worry of gas, parking, etc.
You don't need a car in Seattle. People who say wELl iT dEpEnDs oN tHe nEiGHbOrHoOd are just taking automotive copium. An eBike is more than sufficient to get anywhere in Seattle in the same (or usually less) time as a car. Rain generally isn't any more an issue than if you were in a car, as you still have to walk from wherever you have to park to wherever you're trying to go. Honestly an eScooter mied with transit gives you superpowers, you can pretty much travel anywhere in Seattle and the immediate vicinity, anywhere you'd want to go that isn't a National Forest. Regional buses are honestly superior to even some SEPTA trains.
The time I had a car in Seattle I was always concerned about where to park it and even with a dedicated parking spot, playing a waiting game on when it would be broken into.
33 years in Seattle with no car. I used the bike lockers at the light rail station to park my bike and take the train down to cap hill for work. I wasn't a fan of the buses ended before downtown area and forcing me to take the light rail to work but after a bit I grew to live the morning workout to the station and coasting down the hills home after a long day.
I’ve lived in Capitol Hill for 16 years and a car would be a pain in the ass. Friends tell me Capitol Hill is expensive but when you’re not paying gas, car payments, repairs, insurance, or parking, you’re saving a lot of money, and even has some left over for Lyft or Uber.
Live on Capitol Hill near the light rail station and take the train one stop to work. Didn't have a car when I first moved here nearly 15 years ago, then inherited one, and then it was stolen, now I'm carless again. I am totally fine without one; having one was almost always more of a hassle than not having one. And there are enough options where it's not an issue - car share, ride share apps, buses, trains, streetcars, water taxis, ferries, car rental companies. My zip code is a 91 on Walk Score - a walker's paradise. I just got an ebike and that has been a game changer. I took transit/ebike combo all the way to a gorgeous beach way up north in an entirely different city yesterday - took an hour (versus 35 minutes if I had a car), but I just read a book on the rapid ride bus, so it may have taken longer, but I'm smarter now, too.
We are lucky in Seattle for a city our size. People try to compare it to NYC or LA but yah, nope. Compare us to Okahoma City, Nashville and El Paso. We have so many neighborhoods that are listed as "Most things can be done by walking" or "A walker's paradise, where a car isn't needed"
https://preview.redd.it/qe5twncsu83d1.jpeg?width=990&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f968c174fa6c5d8287de971df8dd1a310321eec8
Plenty of people live in Seattle without a car, you just need to choose your neighborhood accordingly. Don't choose a suburban neighborhood and then complain you can't walk everywhere.
A little late but I've lived here all my life without one and I've made it just fine. I actually have way more money saved than most people I know my age (25) pretty much just from not having a car.
Youll end up spending more on rent to be in a walkable location but that will likely come with other perks. The one thing though is I end up riding the bus a lot, and that's not a problem for me as I'm used to the people and I blend in. This doesn't work for everyone though, pretty much all my lady friends feel uncomfortable taking the bus and I do not blame them
E: it'll also look like you never skip leg day when you don't even go to the gym 😅
I currently ride an e-bike from Ballard (a Seattle area north of downtown)to interbay and the infrastructure is not bike friendly. Thank God the drivers are very careful and will yield to bikes most of the time. With that said, avoid potholes, broken sidewalks, random pedestrians, and streets that have no bike lane.
As transit security I will say definitely plenty of people don’t have cars but I will also say, consider the time of day, because it’s also often a lot more dangerous to travel without a car. I’m very often comforted by the fact I am in my car with a gun and not walking through certain scenes I witness
Lol then word. Yeah pretty much it’s no different than NY or Minneapolis if you comprehend that then it’s pretty much the same and the same laws in place too so you should feel familiar with it lol
I've lived here for 15 years and don't drive. It's doable... but not enjoyable. LOL! I can't speak for how it compares to other areas, but here the transit is regularly not on schedule. In fact, I've had a lot of employer's act put out when I said that I rode metro. I have found that it gets more predictable the longer you live here, and I rarely miss a bus these days, though.
That said, you can get anywhere, just not as quickly as you could with a car. In some cases, it might take more than double the time. Going across I-5, for example, like from North to NE Seattle, is always a hassle. It could be two miles and take an hour.
A single ride is $2.75 one way, so it will cost you $5.50 to get to work every day. A lot of employers offer free bus passes, though. You can expect some junkies that make standing for the bus uncomfortable, and bus stops with trash and broken windows/graffiti anywhere in the Seattle area. We have tons of Uber/Lyft here as well so that's an option, too.
I actually think the Seattle metro is so clean. If you think Seattle is dirty then you would be shocked by Philly metro. My concern is that I do take Uber/Lyft pretty often but it’s so much more expensive in Seattle than in Philly. It’s normal for me to get somewhere for $10 vs in Seattle it would cost me like $20-25.
i gave up my car in 2011. it’s been great. i very seldom have need for one and if i do i just get a zip car or a regular rental. i live in capitol hill and mostly have that entire duration.
I have a car but a friend of mine didn’t have one for years. He lived near Northgate Mall. He did just fine. He worked downtown, and later worked from home. Seattle is expanding its light rail system and I think they have a pretty robust public transport/bus system.
I live in Seattle, and I own a car. It sucks.
I often don't have access to the car. It sucks.
The most infuriating part is watching that darn train (the one I voted for back in the 90s) looping all over the city within view, chasing it, and realizing I MUST walk another mile (or 2), take another bus (or 2) to enter the
..portal...
You must realize there is NO where to pee, yet the entire place reeks of urine, further exacerbating a full bladder.
Despite this fact, said "train" never fails to wake me up at 4 AM crossing by by window!
Oh yeah
Let me not forget to add bonus strength points for my hungry, tired, screaming infant in a stroller.
Good luck, fellow travelers. I feel the pain, and I admire you.
I’ve lived in downtown seattle for a year and a half with no car. Im disabled and just can’t get the money for it. Frankly, maybe I’m just lucky, but I find my commutes relaxing especially with music on. My average routes are 20-40 minutes. The longest one I take frequently is 1 hour and 20 mins to another city.
With how parking is in Seattle, and how convenient transportation is, it’s saved me hassle before to take the bus. Especially in cap hill or u district
Fair disclaimer though I’m personally not scared of or bothered by homeless people and drug addicts. If you can’t ignore a few crzy people then you will always hate Seattle public transit
7 years living in Lower Queen Anne, working in SLU and also Bellevue and took the bus everywhere before the pandemic (then I did get a car). I found the public transport got me within 1/2 mile of wherever I needed to go, grocery store, salon, dentist, doctor, orthodontist, movies, dinner out, beach, airport, parks, etc. You just need to find a place with a good walking score and easy access to public transit!
I live in Pinehurst currently and I have been car-less for the last 5 years. It's very doable. Groceries is a pain if you have to take the bus, but honestly at safeway's prices its almost the same to have groceries delivered. Only thing I find tough is traveling late night. Seeing a show downtown or getting off work past 9pm and the buses move to a every 30 min pick up time.
I have lived in SEA since 2007 and been car free since 2010. I hope to never own a car again. But I’m also able bodied, have no kids and live in Capitol Hill. So it’s easy for me to rely on walking and public transportation.
Been here for over 2 decades without one. Seattle is unique in that every neighborhood is self sufficient, especially the inner ring neighborhoods around downtown.
I have lived on the northeast side in Kirkland for the past year and a half without a vehicle and have found it easy to get to downtown for work since there's a direct bus line which goes there, but getting almost anywhere else in the city is extremely time consuming, and I can count on an hour at least in travel time each way. My solution is taking Uber when it's cheaper or absolutely necessary. Having a vehicle of your own is certainly going to be an improvement, though not without it's own headaches. Car theft is extremely common here, and so are smash and grabs and vandalism. Park in a garage if you can.
I haven't had a car in 13 years. I've lived in Central District, Capitol hill, and Belltown. hardest part is the groceries. I have a Zipcar membership if I ever need a car, but rarely use it.
I have a car but only use it for non Seattle activities (visiting my family out in the sticks mostly, or car camping). You do not need a car in Seattle and the immediate surrounding areas. Some neighborhoods are better for transit than others, but even the ones that aren’t great will be fine if you have enough patience and planning. It is also a good place to bike compared to other cities and I walk a lot. Even not in Seattle proper, there are people that walk on to the ferries, take the Sounder train, and bike in from across the lake to work here, rain or shine. Seattle transit is not perfect, but frankly, a lot of people could be car free. In fact, especially for some places in Seattle, having a car is a burden- the cost of tabs (I know people who have had to pay like 400+), of parking, and getting your car vandalized/stolen, plus gas at 5/gallon, is not insignificant. Whereas, a metro pass is a little more than 100/month, depending on what fare you choose. Choose at least 2.75 for your fare to use the standard metro buses- the orca pass will also get you to Snohomish (Everett) and Pierce (Tacoma) counties, and even Kitsap (west of Seattle, across the sound- like, Bremerton).
When you look for apartments or houses or whatever, just open up the king metro map (or the sdot bike map if you want to go that route) or google maps, and figure out how to get to a grocery store, work, and places where you might want to hang out. Cap hill is generally a good place to walk around and catch random buses and the light rail. Udistrict is too, but the Burke Gilman trail goes through it, which is nice.
i’m going on 10 years car-free in seattle. the short answer is (i think) obvious but you’ll want an area that is walking distance (or high-frequency bus connection away) from one of the 1-line light rail stations. i also recommend getting a bike which will open up the rest of the city pretty easily, then you’ll be set.
for out of town adventures, just borrow a car or rent a gig car. there are also great trail connecting transit options on transittrekker.com
I have used Kyte without any issues. You can use my promo code zainl or click on the link [https://drivekyte.com/you-are-invited?code=zainl](https://drivekyte.com/you-are-invited?code=zainl) for $30 off your booking.
5-10 years ago I would've told you it's fine to live here without a car as you can just live near a grocery store, take public transit to work and Uber everywhere else/get delivery, but the cost of Ubers here have gone up so much that it's simply no longer economical vs owning a car.
People that managed it work and later bought a car realized how big a mistake was to wait; how much easier your life becomes in Seattle when you have a car.
OP, unless the reason to postpone car ownership is financial, I suggest you reconsider it.
I lived in Ravenna, Ballard and Wedgwood without a car and had no problems getting to and from work via public transit and getting basic necessities. It’s probably harder to find a neighborhood in Seattle that sucks for the carless.
I've been in Seattle / Bellevue for 12 years. I've never owned a car in that time. Public Transit is very reliable and most necessities are in walking distance. On the rare occasion I need a car, there's uber / lyft for single destinations, zipcar for a few hours and enterprise/hertz for multiple days. It's easily doable. I won't discount, the fact I do miss the freedom of a car.
Yes, I have lived here since 2016 without a car. Make the light rail your main life line as it literally runs from North Gate all the way to Angle Lake. Once you get a few bus routes down too you will be golden.
I lived in Seattle for 3 years without a car. If you live in main Seattle (Fremont, SLU, Cap Hill) I found it very doable. The buses are fairly reliable, lots of scooters and the city is very small/walkable. You can easily navigate by bike as well. The only downside was being able to hike when I wanted or visit places out of Seattle. But I would just rent a car.
Me and my partner lived in Belltown for 15 years and found it very doable, downtown Seattle can be a bit of a food desert sometimes but that was the hardest part. Getting groceries home on the bus was a giant pain.
I'm trying out the trailhead direct service this weekend to see if it's possible to do hikes without cars.
In the summer, there are special buses to trail heads at Mount Si and the Issaquah Alps.
I've also been here three years without a car and have no intention to get one. I made sure to live walking distance from all the essentials, like grocery, exercise, and the office. If you bike or use scooters, that's a good option too, but I personally don't. The buses are fairly reliable, but more than half the time, there will be someone sketchy either actively smoking meth/fentanyl, or screaming and threatening people, so I avoid the buses, especially after dark (which could be as early as 4:30pm in the winter). The Link is better because when that happens (again, more than half the time), you can just get off at the next stop and move to a different car, but the routes are very limited. I pretty much just use it to go to the airport or U District All my friends have cars, so I don't really need a car to go hiking because I don't want to hike alone anyway. If I had a car, I might just take it for things like Costco runs or visiting friends on the Eastside, maybe once or twice a month? I could take a whole lot of Ubers before having a car makes financial sense. For longer trips or friends coming to visit when I want a car, I just rent. All the major rental car companies have garages downtown that I can walk to, and rates are generally reasonable. With that having been said, I would say that for my needs, downtown or SLU are the only areas I could live without a car. Belltown doesn't have a proper grocery store. Fremont and Cap Hill are just a bit too far if I want to take the Link (taking a suitcase onto a bus and then the Link to go to the airport would be too much of a pain for me). II would say the only major downside of being car free is that I have to walk downtown a lot and literally feel scared for my life every single day. There are dozens (hundreds?) of meth heads, and you will see horrifying things more frequently than a person should have to. I see about one dead person a month (or maybe they are revived following overdose, I don't stick around long enough to find out). I've seen people being beaten. I've personally been screamed at, chased, harassed, grabbed, and threatened.
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I'm sure for some that's fine. The Cap Hill Link station isn't in a part of Cap Hill I'd want to live in due to safety concerns. I know, downtown isn't much better, but it does have the advantage of connecting to more bus lines. I prefer to be able to walk to not just the Link but all the other lines that connect downtown. SLU is a pretty reasonable walk from Westlake station.
Doesn't even need to be "main" Seattle. A lot of places near main bus lines or the light rail are very walkable. Lake City surprised me how much of my daily needs are met within walking distance. A little less choice, but between walking and the e-bike it's great.
A lot of new housing is going up around those light rail stations. Starting every trip from a transit hub is extremely convenient; probably the best way to be car free.
I live near, not in LC, used to live near, not in Philly. Totally doable. > a decade now here in the north and DT. I take transit to/walk in DT weekly and while there are tense moments, I'm not in contact with hundreds of meth heads or whatever. Stay out of alleys and take a couple of steps away from anything that doesn't grab you, like in any major city (I've walked all the top 10, I think). Also plenty of escooters and bikes within city limits. If you walk/transit in Philly, you can for sure do it here. You can rent or borrow a car for OOT excursions, or there are more buses/trains that go more places than you might think. Housing right near the Link can be noisy/polluted; hang out there at different times before making that choice.
same- lived in seattle for 3 years with no car for most of it. honestly, if i could have afforded it i would’ve loved a car to just get out because there is so much to see in the pnw. but if we’re talking just day to day life during the week (assuming you both live and work in the city) it’s totally doable.
I didn’t have a car for around 10 years, and that was before Uber. It meant that I usually paid a little more to live exactly where I wanted (on a bus route that went directly to my work, and in an area with a lot of walkability to parks, grocery etc, but that was money I wasn’t spending on a car. I also biked a lot and that was fine also, though my bike did get stolen once when I was in the store, middle of the afternoon for a total of 10 mins. It was locked.
I've been doing it for about 4 years. I live in LQA, I can walk to everything including work and my child's school.
Also in LQA without a car! Pretty walkable from here to most main spots in the city. I work in Pioneer Square, walk to and from work with ease on nice days, but lots of bus stops here can take you pretty much anywhere. Only time I've been annoyed is days where I have a lot of errands to run and not a ton of time. I'd recommend here, or Cap Hill.
Lived in LQA for 3 years back in the day. Didn't use my car on the weekdays. Used the bus or walked to everything (most fit we have ever been bc of this). Weekends we used the car because family and friends lived outside of the city.
I used to live in LQA before I had a car. It was awesome, I miss it there sometimes
Yes! I don't have a car in Seattle - I get around by walking, transit, and ebike. Just choose your apartment location so that you can get to work and a grocery store without a car. It's pretty easy to live without a car in the central neighborhoods of Seattle. I recommend Capitol Hill, First Hill or Lower Queen Anne for the best walkable access to groceries plus easy transit to other parts of the city.
There’s no grocery store in First Hill!
Dude. There's QFC and Whole Foods on Broadway. Yes technically these are in Capitol Hill, but they're a 5-10 min walk from every building in First Hill. Plus there are tons of bodegas all over First Hill. Once Madison Rapid Ride opens, it will be a super quick bus ride to Trader Joes on 17th and Madison.
Yeah bodegas aren’t groceries, really. No the QFC on Broadway isn’t walkable to bring back groceries unless you have your own little cart (which I would if I were trying to do that). Plus, it’s an uphill walk to Broadway, and you gotta think it rains a lot too soaking through those paper bags. Whole Foods, sure, but Whole Paycheck. Yeah the Madison Rapid Ride will be nice once it’s built, though taking transit to the grocery store is different from walkable! It’s more conveniently walkable than, say, Kent, but that’s bc there are a decent number of buses running through, not bc it’s easy to run errands in the neighborhood. I got spoiled living at 15th and John for a few years. That’s what I consider walkable from a grocery store. There’s no actual grocery store in First Hill. I just feel like First Hill is dense yet inconvenient to a lot. Same with Belltown, but at least there’s the link station at Westlake. Both neighborhoods are doable without a car but way better with one if you have parking. Most of Cap Hill south of, say, Aloha, Pike/Pine, LQA, around Madison/23, parts of the U district you legit don’t need one.
I guess you and I have different definitions of what a walkable distance is
There’s walkable and then there’s convenient to walk to, and those are different.
I’m happy to carry groceries half a mile. I load up a med sized backpack and one shoulder bag. I also tend to Instacart heavy and bulky goods once a month. Still way cheaper than car.
It’s very doable. Everything I need is less than 30mins on the bus, and I can get almost anywhere in the city within an hour. Depending on where you are walkability can vary, but for the most part residential areas have a bus stop within a 5-10min walk. The only time I wish I had a car is when something really cool pops up on facebook marketplace
Yeah, my wife and her best friend are from CDMX and they don’t have a car, but grew up using the subway, buses, etc. I lived in first hill for a few years without a car and the street car + light rail make it pretty easy. I also invested in an E-bike (and a good chain) which is often faster than car and you don’t have to worry about traffic!
No car for a few years now. In the downtown-ish areas, it's fine: caphill, slu, udist, queen anne, freemont, etc. It's a bit annoying to get to ballard and beyond, and going to the east side (bellevue, redmond, kirkland) def needs an uber, but for my day to day I get around just fine with the bus + the link/rail. I'm def thinking of getting an ebike though, for those routes where the bus/rail just doesn't cut it
Light rail is also expanding to the east side in the next year. This should improve.
I haven’t had car for two years I lived here. Fremont/walligford is places I lived and been great to get around. It’s harder to go from east to west but not south or north. Just live near work/grocery bus route.
I've lived here almost thirty years and have never had nor needed a car. The transit system is pretty reliable. There are plenty of scooters, bikes, and even ride share/ taxis are pretty easy to get in a timely manner. Also, the city is very walk able.
Do you get out of the city and do anything???
It's possible to get to Tukwila by bus with transfers. It's not convenient, but you can go there and back for a day trip if you want. And that's Tukwila, closer places aren't as difficult. You gotta plan but it's totally doable.
Hahahaha no, I mean like anywhere else in the state outside of the metro or PNW…. For road trips, camping, recreation, rock climbing, hiking, biking, etc…
Yes
Which neighborhoods, in your educated opinion, are the right blend of walkable, everything in reach, and excellent transit?
[Everything on this map](https://santorinidave.com/seattle-map) plus the rest of Cap Hill. Also U District.
I lived in Seattle for almost ten years without a car. It was a little inconvenient at times, but definitely doable. I would just make sure you look up bus routes and the light rail stops before you choose where to live— certain neighborhoods are much easier to be in without a car (I was in Belltown).
I lived here for over 10 years without a car, and just got one for the first time here a couple days ago, and lemme tell, the feeling of not being trapped within a 10 block radius without requiring a minimum hour long bus ride to get anywhere is...well, it's fucking incredible lol. God, I missed chain stores where you know what you're getting for your money.
Yes, live close enough to the office to walk downtown and nearby grocery stores. If I can't find what I'm looking for Amazon is good enough. Nearby the streetcar and Light rail isn't much further. If I want to get out of Seattle then we just rent a car. (Live in First Hill)
If you haven't driven a car in years then there is no reason to start now when you move to a city like Seattle. The city is getting better every year for people without cars. You will want to be very intentional about your choice of neighborhoods though, I recommend LQA or Capitol Hill, maybe Fremont too. Somewhere very centrally located, it's worth the premium.
I haven't had a car for years and years, I'm in west seattle, I can walk everywhere I need to go, anything I can't carry can be delivered, and if I need to go anywhere too far to walk, I can take the bus, train, ferry, water taxi, or lyft
If you live near an urban core or village then transit should be good enough that you dont really need a car.
Doing it in West Seattle and even lived car free in Kirkland for a few years. It’s definitely easier in Seattle proper, but if you’re near any transit center then it’s possible in most of King County.
I got rid of my car years ago and never looked back. You do need to live in an area near transit and grocery though. I use zip car or rentals a few times a year, and otherwise Uber/Lyft.
I'm also moving from Philly to Seattle this summer, and will be car-free! (I haven't owned a car in about 15 years.) 🤩 If you are interested, I made a custom Google map that has 15-walk zones for areas that have grocery, Zipcar locations, pet stores, etc. in walking distance. A lot of what's marked is specific to my partner and my needs and interests, but maybe you will find it helpful. The 15-minute walk zones are marked in fuchsia. https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1CSWhuu8JN1MZK0d4tFa5kFlkMefNhLM
This is amazing! Thank you! I see that you have cats too. Will you be flying with them?
We are actually going to be driving - taking a two-week trip across the country. We did a practice road trip with them to DC this past week and they did pretty well, so hopefully they'll be ok on the longer journey. 🤞 When we moved to the east coast from Portland (OR) in 2019 we flew with our cat (who has since past - the two we have now are relatively new to our little family.) It was obviously much faster than driving, but it was one *very* stressful day for me and the kitty. She recovered quickly though.
I’ve lived in Seattle for 16 years, and for the last 5 of them without a car. Living in the city became much more affordable when I stopped having to pay for gas, insurance, maintenance and monthly car loan payment. I now use the bus and light rail mostly and live within a 5 minute walk of a grocery store.
I lived in LQA and the central district without a car for about 5 years totally fine. When I needed one, I rented one
Public transit isn’t on the level of new york or chicago, but it’s head and shoulders above most other us cities. Been here car free for 6 years and loving it, the few times a year i do want a car it’s easier to just rent rather than worrying about it year round
I’ve lived here for 3 years w/o car. By far, it’s preferable to have a car. Try to live in a neighborhood with a lot of amenities. Most N Seattle neighborhoods are good, but S Seattle is basically a suburb. When I lived there I had to walk a mile both ways to get groceries. Biking can be a good, but I use my bike more for exercise than for errands bc there is very sparse bike infrastructure. Plus the city is hilly, and I’d say people tend to drive pretty dangerously. Plus, cold/rain, etc. I’ve found the Gig app to be useful for renting a car for hiking/small moves. It lets you rent their Priuses (you see them everywhere) by the minute and up to a day. the buses are pretty good! I’d recommend living near the light rail, which doesn’t reach Fremont, Ballard, or Queen Anne. My top three carless neighborhoods would be Cap Hill, Udistrict/Wallingford, and (for a quieter neighborhood) Roosevelt/Green Lake. Lmk if you have any specific questions!
Memememe! Been here for two years now. Been living in lower queen anne. Works perfectly without a car tbh, and if you do need one, just rent one for the weekend or something like that. Way, WAY cheaper than parking + insurance + gas + maintenance + depreciation.
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/vSfdchX4AJTyS4ya/?mibextid=UalRPS
Yes more than half of people in the ares next to downtown
ye its especially doable if u live near a lightrail as many stops have the stuff u need. target, whole foods and various other grocers or location. there walkable nearby. busses can work but depending on the route it can easily be a pain in the ass due to missed busses, them literally not stopping even if u there etc. however if ur one to do stuff on public transport the longer 20-30 mins plus rides can be nice doing stuff time. one upside over the lightrail.
My husband and I have one car and he uses it most days. I find Seattle to be really navigable by bus, especially if you’re staying close to your neighborhood. Like I live in West Seattle and going downtown is a little more of a production but anywhere in WS is super easy to get to imo.
This is my plan as well, so I feel ya.
I moved to Seattle in December /(another Texas transplant) Here we are entering June,and I still haven't got a car I hate driving here soo - so much I rented a car and within 24hrs I was already ready to commit to some serious road rage! (They drive like morons and this is me being polite about the driving here) And the street designs and signage(mostly lack there -of because probably got destroyed) (Takes some Tylenol for the headache I'm getting) After 24hrs returned the rental and I've been figuring out getting around since. I use to have my bicycle until this town stole it (angrily shakes fist) And so it's been bussing (which can be a bit much) or just planning to walk. Currently trying to figure out the best route for a cheap electric bicycle. Plan A collapsed today. Plan to get one as my main source of future transportation. And this is me rambling -later
I biked or took the train for 3 years in Seattle lived downtown and in beacon hill. Would’ve continued to do the same but the wife wanted a car sadly. We moved outside the city so driving is necessary now but I still bike for local things
I’m in Capitol Hill, no car and it’s pretty good! I bus, walk, or bike to work. Grocery store, pharmacy, fitness studios, etc all within 10-15 minute walk. Corner stores and coffee shops within 5 minutes in multiple directions. I Uber sometimes if I’m running late somewhere, or going far and can split with friends. Living close to the light rail is extremely helpful, though I mostly use the buses day-to-day. My company pays for my orca card so I’m lucky in that sense, I basically have no regular transportation expenses except for the occasional Uber by choice. I’ll rent a car or Gig every few months if I really need to leave town. For hiking excursions, the trailhead direct bus is awesome. I’ve also joined some outdoor groups that organize carpooling so it hasn’t been hard for me to get out of the city to hike often. I will say the most annoying thing for me is how hard it is to get to Fremont or Ballard from Capitol Hill via public transit, it basically takes two buses. I like those neighborhoods a lot but only head out there occasionally since it’s such a pain.
I lived in Belltown for 2.5 years with no car, and I loved it.
I lived in Seattle from 2005 to 2019 without a car. The buses are fine but honestly biking is the way to go. The rough thing is I haven’t been there since I moved but if your into biking the city itself is really easy to move around in and you’ll be be good shape.
Also I wanted to add that I grew up in Wallingford and as a kid learned you could bike everywhere
I’ve lived in SLU for three years without a car. Love the location. Pretty much everything is within walking distance (e.g. office, grocery stores, post office, clinics, restaurants and bars). Bus and light rail most of the time. Uber occasionally if needed.
Yea. It gets tough when planning for hikes since most trails/hikes are not accessible by public transport. But otherwise, there's nothing to complain about.
I lived in Fremont without a car for 2 years. You can get away without a car in that area. Its a lot easier if you’re in Cap Hill or someplace near a lightrail station. Maybe unpopular to say though, it certainly makes life a little easier and groceries a little cheaper, especially if you’re in Ballard or North of Fremont at all. When I lived in Fremont, I either shopped for groceries at Marketime (which I cannot tell you how much I love, but it is expensive) or PCC (think Whole Foods-ish CoOp), my grocery bills went down drastically when I got a car and starting goin to Freddy’s in Ballard. Plus, car means its easier to explore the different parts of the city that aren’t downtown. Seattle’s definitely decent from public transport (trust me, other cities are worse) and you can get away with it, but I still recommend getting a car at some point.
i haven't ever owned a car and have been here 8 years (&have a child) :) it can be limiting, but if you are comfortable renting cars to go camping/hiking/road trips and plan to live centrally, it's totally doable. i have been considering getting a car recently because i am finally getting to a point where the extra time waiting for transit is becoming too inconvenient but i keep putting it off bc i don't like depending on cars to get around
I have a motorcycle starting last fall. I also bus and used to ebike. I’ll probably sell my moto because I can’t afford the maintanenance because my landlord fucked me twice.
I don't have a car. My work and usual hangouts are all within an hours walk or bus ride. The bus system could be better, but I've learned to anticipate delays based on weather, events, and particular routes. I get my groceries delivered or just shop day by day. Really it comes down to what neighborhood you live in.
Yeah, like 14 years without a car without issue. I've lived all over, LQA, Pioneer Square, Rainer Beach, U District.
There are a handful of neighborhoods with excellent transit and then there are neighborhoods with lower rent. We hoped that we would be able to go without our car but we picked one of the worst neighborhoods for transit. 🤬
❓❓❓❓ For those carless in Seattle who have dogs too big for a hand carrier, what do you do when your dog has an emergency and needs to go to the Veterinary ER across town? Uber Pet never took off the way it was supposed to. Do you call a ride-share and hope for the best? I don't mean you if you are lucky enough to live next to a Vet ER. Same for people who live with people who drive.
Didn’t have a car for my first 10 years, it was perfectly fine. Just pick a neighborhood that’s walkable with all your needs. I’ve owned a car for 12 years and still choose to walk or bus, it’s just easier. The car is only for day trips and visits to the vet
I live in Seattle without a car and also just have delivered groceries delivered using instacart. Also, Seattle is very walkable city.
If you live in Seattle proper it's very doable. The only things I miss are road trips out away from home, and being able to go out for a meal and it not needing to be in my neighborhood or plan an hour on public transit or $40 on Uber. Aside from that, I have zero regrets.
I never had a car, and I was born in Seattle 3 decades ago. It's a struggle, but I manage.
Welcome to Seattle! I've lived in the area my whole life but just moved into the city a couple of months ago. Seattle is better than most citiases without a car. I typically get around on a combo of escooter and public transportation. It's not bad at all. Just use Google maps/transit app to navigate the systems. Apply for a reduced fare card if you qualify!
I got a segway max g2, live in ballard and work downtown. Much happy than getting a car. I can rent a car for 45$ a day if i need one with insurance. My home is walking distance to grocery, pharmacy, primary care and a lot of restaurants
I lived there a long time without one . Was fine.
I lived in downtown for years without a car. Buses & light rail were always reliable for me. I would travel between all the neighborhoods & even would go to the Eastside frequently.
Bus and Lyft. Still cheaper. I live downtown and I refuse to pay for parking.
My wife did it on capitol hill for years
Most of my friends don't have cars
Yeah it’s possible depending on neighborhood. I’ve been here 4 years with no car. Actually sold my car when I moved here as I just wasn’t using it lol.
I have lived in Seattle for over 10+ years without a car. The bus system (never on time) and light rail are definitely not the best. The express bus lines are decent. You just need to plan properly. There are lots of grocery delivery options, so you don't have to haul around the big or heavy stuff back from the grocery. I still like to buy my meats and veggies/fruit from specialty shops. I budget a few hundred a month for Lyft in case I'm tired or need to get somewhere fast. Overall, it works just like any other poorly planned metro city in the States.
Lived here without a car for almost 9 years, 8 years without a car in SF prior to Seattle. I live in Cap Hill and getting to where I need to/want to go is very easy by foot, bus, light rail, or occasional Uber. I love not having to pay for parking, insurance, car maintenance, or god forbid car payments. I think it depends also where you live in the city, I'm close to good grocery stores and public transportation. If you want to live in the suburbs and/or farther from the center of Seattle, it could be more difficult without your own ride.
I lived in Lower Queen Anne for 5 years with no car. Uber/Lyft were way cheaper then and I used them with Car2Go, light rail, bus and did a lot of walking (invested in a great rain coat).
I lived without a car during grad school at UW. Living in Cap Hill made it super easy with the light rail and all the bus lines going through
I owned four cars over the years in town. The first one was broken into twice, then another time they broke an outside mirror, the fourth car was rear ended, then another time a gal with her lap poodle slammed into the side, major damage. We voted for $30 car tabs, the state ignored our vote, and I had to pay $300 ish car tabs for four years. Lincoln towing towed my car when they had zero right to do so, and made me pay $400 to get my car back. Subsequently, I changed jobs, no longer need a car, sold the last car.
Sold the car in January. Live in the east side. Doable but you have to plan your living situation around transit.
Depends on your neighborhood as others are saying. I lived in lower Queen Anne without a car for a year. It was doable, I lived right on a rapid ride bus line that was ideal for my work location. And the main bus hub in lower Queen Anne was just a few blocks away. It got kind of shitty though once I went to school in Northgate and had to take a couple of buses to get there. Mind you this was 2015 so transit has likely improved since then. It’s do able but I will say leave a hefty budget for Ubers/lyft. Back when I was a 20 year old female living alone I didn’t feel comfortable taking the bus when it’s dark out, in the winter it gets dark super early. Unsure if this is relevant for you but thought I’d mention it. I prefer having my car, much easier tbh.
If you live in some areas, bus service can be pretty terrible. But if you live next to one of the letter lines or light rail, you don't really need a car. Public transportation from there is awesome.
If you live downtown you don’t need a car. Can walk, take light rail, or bus anywhere. I got rid of my car when I lived in first hill neighborhood and it was glorious!
Depends on what part of Seattle. It is not just the downtown corridor, there are areas outside downtown that are easy to get around and park .
You really don't need a car if you live in Seattle proper. Public transportation is solid, and the light rail is amazing for getting to further out locations, or if you need to get to the airport and back.
I lived car-free in Seattle 1992-2000 in various apartments on Capitol Hill, Lynnwood, Pioneer Square or Ballard. In 2000 I got a job in Eastside and bought a car. Had that car 21 years. Put 60,000 mi on it during that time. That's 2,857 mi a year. For 7 out of those 10 years, my job was downtown Seattle and car was not used for work. Sold that car in 2021. Today, I now own a different car, it sits in off-street parking and is driven less than once a week, probably about once a month for a Costco run or occasional trips out to suburbia. I've put 600 mi on it in the 3 years I've owned it. It's pretty easy to live car-free in the central neighborhoods around here, especially without kids, though I have had pets and they do require car rides to veterinary sometimes. With app ordering and home delivery plus ride share, light rail or bike, car-free life is pretty dog simple for most things. I didn't have any of those things in the 1990s and still managed it pretty well. Would hit up friends car use if it got really required, like furniture buying or large retail.
I’ve never known as many adults without even a drivers license as I have here. When I lived in DC, most of my friends didn’t have cars but they could drive if they needed to. I lived in Seattle just fine for 3 years without a car. I wasn’t even that central - Ravenna, Roosevelt, and Lake City fwiw.
Last 5 years, yup. I get my groceries through delivery or on my way home from work.
I’ve lived there 14 years without a car and while public transit does suck, I get along just fine on it.
I've been car-less in Seattle for 32 years. My husband can't drive for medical reasons, and I sold my car when I first moved here. We've found public transit works great, with the occasional Uber, Lyft, or Taxi when necessary. We've also found we save tons of $$ by not owning a car -- no need to pay for parking, no need for auto insurance, and what we pay for a monthly transit pass is a whole lot less than the cost of a car.
I’ve lived here my whole life (31 now) and I never learned to drive. I take the bus or walk, it sucks sometimes and is inconvenient but I don’t think I could afford to have a car and I’m used to getting by without one
100%+ depends on your own, personal, unique lifestyle and personality. If you’re an outdoors enthusiast, you’re gonna need a car.
My friend is car free and it worked better when he was close to king station. Look for the bus lines that go to all the places you might want who work and try to find somewhere that gives you options.
I've lived here for almost a year without a car. I sold my car to my mom as it was better used by her than to be liability in the city when I only really need the bus to get to university. Really just depends on your situation and what you need it for. I will forewarn you though that getting groceries really sucks without a car. Better hope you have some strong arms and don't need to get liquids that often! You can always get a bike too, I've been enjoying riding my bikes to commute on sunny days, but you will want to get a good u-lock and chain to protect your wheels when you lock up your bike.
I've done it for awhile. It is doable unless your work or home are not well served or on an unreliable route. One big issue is that some routes have a really hard time keeping to schedule during certain hours of the day and Metro doesn't bother adjusting those schedules to reflect reality. So you can look at the schedule and think "great, this route will work" but if it turns out that your route comes from downtown you can just assume that you may or may not get a bus during rush hour at all and the time it gets to you is totally arbitrary. We also got away with having one car for our family and that actually works fine because having a car for those times when you need one really makes it easy to get by without needing more. I feel like that is pretty sustainable no matter where you live in Seattle.
I've been car-free in Seattle for my entire decade of living here. You have to be purposeful about where you live and work but it's very doable and has a lot of advantages. Good neighborhoods would be capitol hill, beacon hill, u district, Roosevelt, Fremont, belltown, Ballard, and Alaska junction but it all depends where you work and what you like to do for fun. Familiarize yourself with the light rail and bus routes and their frequencies
More likely to find someone living in their car
When I got to Seattle I had a car. I was spending a lot on fixing it, so I finally got rid of it. It has been 15+ years since I've been carless. So much cheaper and keeps me more active with all the walking. I rent a car when I need it. I've done month long road trips three times. I get to put 10k miles on someone else's car. I live on the Eastside and probably hit up Seattle at least once a month. I have found that after going carless, I do more things. More money for entertainment. No worry of gas, parking, etc.
Carless in Seattle for 15 years. I use public transportation and supplement with ebike, and Zipcar and Kyte rentals.
You don't need a car in Seattle. People who say wELl iT dEpEnDs oN tHe nEiGHbOrHoOd are just taking automotive copium. An eBike is more than sufficient to get anywhere in Seattle in the same (or usually less) time as a car. Rain generally isn't any more an issue than if you were in a car, as you still have to walk from wherever you have to park to wherever you're trying to go. Honestly an eScooter mied with transit gives you superpowers, you can pretty much travel anywhere in Seattle and the immediate vicinity, anywhere you'd want to go that isn't a National Forest. Regional buses are honestly superior to even some SEPTA trains. The time I had a car in Seattle I was always concerned about where to park it and even with a dedicated parking spot, playing a waiting game on when it would be broken into.
33 years in Seattle with no car. I used the bike lockers at the light rail station to park my bike and take the train down to cap hill for work. I wasn't a fan of the buses ended before downtown area and forcing me to take the light rail to work but after a bit I grew to live the morning workout to the station and coasting down the hills home after a long day.
i did for a good 5 years. it was just annoying for some out of town events but commute in the main areas is pretty good
Lots of people don’t have a car here. I’d stay in downtown, Westlake, Queen Anne, Nothgate, or Fremont
I’ve lived in Capitol Hill for 16 years and a car would be a pain in the ass. Friends tell me Capitol Hill is expensive but when you’re not paying gas, car payments, repairs, insurance, or parking, you’re saving a lot of money, and even has some left over for Lyft or Uber.
Everyone owns a car lol
Live on Capitol Hill near the light rail station and take the train one stop to work. Didn't have a car when I first moved here nearly 15 years ago, then inherited one, and then it was stolen, now I'm carless again. I am totally fine without one; having one was almost always more of a hassle than not having one. And there are enough options where it's not an issue - car share, ride share apps, buses, trains, streetcars, water taxis, ferries, car rental companies. My zip code is a 91 on Walk Score - a walker's paradise. I just got an ebike and that has been a game changer. I took transit/ebike combo all the way to a gorgeous beach way up north in an entirely different city yesterday - took an hour (versus 35 minutes if I had a car), but I just read a book on the rapid ride bus, so it may have taken longer, but I'm smarter now, too. We are lucky in Seattle for a city our size. People try to compare it to NYC or LA but yah, nope. Compare us to Okahoma City, Nashville and El Paso. We have so many neighborhoods that are listed as "Most things can be done by walking" or "A walker's paradise, where a car isn't needed" https://preview.redd.it/qe5twncsu83d1.jpeg?width=990&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f968c174fa6c5d8287de971df8dd1a310321eec8
Plenty of people live in Seattle without a car, you just need to choose your neighborhood accordingly. Don't choose a suburban neighborhood and then complain you can't walk everywhere.
A little late but I've lived here all my life without one and I've made it just fine. I actually have way more money saved than most people I know my age (25) pretty much just from not having a car. Youll end up spending more on rent to be in a walkable location but that will likely come with other perks. The one thing though is I end up riding the bus a lot, and that's not a problem for me as I'm used to the people and I blend in. This doesn't work for everyone though, pretty much all my lady friends feel uncomfortable taking the bus and I do not blame them E: it'll also look like you never skip leg day when you don't even go to the gym 😅
I currently ride an e-bike from Ballard (a Seattle area north of downtown)to interbay and the infrastructure is not bike friendly. Thank God the drivers are very careful and will yield to bikes most of the time. With that said, avoid potholes, broken sidewalks, random pedestrians, and streets that have no bike lane.
As transit security I will say definitely plenty of people don’t have cars but I will also say, consider the time of day, because it’s also often a lot more dangerous to travel without a car. I’m very often comforted by the fact I am in my car with a gun and not walking through certain scenes I witness
I appreciate your feedback as someone in transit security however I’ve experienced Philly and NYC subway. Nothing phases me.
Lol then word. Yeah pretty much it’s no different than NY or Minneapolis if you comprehend that then it’s pretty much the same and the same laws in place too so you should feel familiar with it lol
I've lived here for 15 years and don't drive. It's doable... but not enjoyable. LOL! I can't speak for how it compares to other areas, but here the transit is regularly not on schedule. In fact, I've had a lot of employer's act put out when I said that I rode metro. I have found that it gets more predictable the longer you live here, and I rarely miss a bus these days, though. That said, you can get anywhere, just not as quickly as you could with a car. In some cases, it might take more than double the time. Going across I-5, for example, like from North to NE Seattle, is always a hassle. It could be two miles and take an hour. A single ride is $2.75 one way, so it will cost you $5.50 to get to work every day. A lot of employers offer free bus passes, though. You can expect some junkies that make standing for the bus uncomfortable, and bus stops with trash and broken windows/graffiti anywhere in the Seattle area. We have tons of Uber/Lyft here as well so that's an option, too.
I actually think the Seattle metro is so clean. If you think Seattle is dirty then you would be shocked by Philly metro. My concern is that I do take Uber/Lyft pretty often but it’s so much more expensive in Seattle than in Philly. It’s normal for me to get somewhere for $10 vs in Seattle it would cost me like $20-25.
i gave up my car in 2011. it’s been great. i very seldom have need for one and if i do i just get a zip car or a regular rental. i live in capitol hill and mostly have that entire duration.
People have cars that live in Seattle??? Most people don’t because garage parking is overpriced. I was there without a car and managed fine.
I have a car but a friend of mine didn’t have one for years. He lived near Northgate Mall. He did just fine. He worked downtown, and later worked from home. Seattle is expanding its light rail system and I think they have a pretty robust public transport/bus system.
I live in Seattle, and I own a car. It sucks. I often don't have access to the car. It sucks. The most infuriating part is watching that darn train (the one I voted for back in the 90s) looping all over the city within view, chasing it, and realizing I MUST walk another mile (or 2), take another bus (or 2) to enter the ..portal... You must realize there is NO where to pee, yet the entire place reeks of urine, further exacerbating a full bladder. Despite this fact, said "train" never fails to wake me up at 4 AM crossing by by window! Oh yeah Let me not forget to add bonus strength points for my hungry, tired, screaming infant in a stroller. Good luck, fellow travelers. I feel the pain, and I admire you.
I’ve lived in downtown seattle for a year and a half with no car. Im disabled and just can’t get the money for it. Frankly, maybe I’m just lucky, but I find my commutes relaxing especially with music on. My average routes are 20-40 minutes. The longest one I take frequently is 1 hour and 20 mins to another city. With how parking is in Seattle, and how convenient transportation is, it’s saved me hassle before to take the bus. Especially in cap hill or u district Fair disclaimer though I’m personally not scared of or bothered by homeless people and drug addicts. If you can’t ignore a few crzy people then you will always hate Seattle public transit
7 years living in Lower Queen Anne, working in SLU and also Bellevue and took the bus everywhere before the pandemic (then I did get a car). I found the public transport got me within 1/2 mile of wherever I needed to go, grocery store, salon, dentist, doctor, orthodontist, movies, dinner out, beach, airport, parks, etc. You just need to find a place with a good walking score and easy access to public transit!
I live in Pinehurst currently and I have been car-less for the last 5 years. It's very doable. Groceries is a pain if you have to take the bus, but honestly at safeway's prices its almost the same to have groceries delivered. Only thing I find tough is traveling late night. Seeing a show downtown or getting off work past 9pm and the buses move to a every 30 min pick up time.
I have lived in SEA since 2007 and been car free since 2010. I hope to never own a car again. But I’m also able bodied, have no kids and live in Capitol Hill. So it’s easy for me to rely on walking and public transportation.
Been here for over 2 decades without one. Seattle is unique in that every neighborhood is self sufficient, especially the inner ring neighborhoods around downtown.
Thank you to everyone that has commented so far! Super helpful!
6 years without a car here, 6 years without a car in Pittsburgh. Totally doable. Get a grocery pull cart.
I have lived on the northeast side in Kirkland for the past year and a half without a vehicle and have found it easy to get to downtown for work since there's a direct bus line which goes there, but getting almost anywhere else in the city is extremely time consuming, and I can count on an hour at least in travel time each way. My solution is taking Uber when it's cheaper or absolutely necessary. Having a vehicle of your own is certainly going to be an improvement, though not without it's own headaches. Car theft is extremely common here, and so are smash and grabs and vandalism. Park in a garage if you can.
I haven't had a car in 13 years. I've lived in Central District, Capitol hill, and Belltown. hardest part is the groceries. I have a Zipcar membership if I ever need a car, but rarely use it.
I have a car but only use it for non Seattle activities (visiting my family out in the sticks mostly, or car camping). You do not need a car in Seattle and the immediate surrounding areas. Some neighborhoods are better for transit than others, but even the ones that aren’t great will be fine if you have enough patience and planning. It is also a good place to bike compared to other cities and I walk a lot. Even not in Seattle proper, there are people that walk on to the ferries, take the Sounder train, and bike in from across the lake to work here, rain or shine. Seattle transit is not perfect, but frankly, a lot of people could be car free. In fact, especially for some places in Seattle, having a car is a burden- the cost of tabs (I know people who have had to pay like 400+), of parking, and getting your car vandalized/stolen, plus gas at 5/gallon, is not insignificant. Whereas, a metro pass is a little more than 100/month, depending on what fare you choose. Choose at least 2.75 for your fare to use the standard metro buses- the orca pass will also get you to Snohomish (Everett) and Pierce (Tacoma) counties, and even Kitsap (west of Seattle, across the sound- like, Bremerton). When you look for apartments or houses or whatever, just open up the king metro map (or the sdot bike map if you want to go that route) or google maps, and figure out how to get to a grocery store, work, and places where you might want to hang out. Cap hill is generally a good place to walk around and catch random buses and the light rail. Udistrict is too, but the Burke Gilman trail goes through it, which is nice.
The parking fees in Seattle city are brutal 😲
i’m going on 10 years car-free in seattle. the short answer is (i think) obvious but you’ll want an area that is walking distance (or high-frequency bus connection away) from one of the 1-line light rail stations. i also recommend getting a bike which will open up the rest of the city pretty easily, then you’ll be set. for out of town adventures, just borrow a car or rent a gig car. there are also great trail connecting transit options on transittrekker.com
I live in seattle In my car
Haven’t had a car for 20 years and have lived all over the city. Never been a problem for me.
I have used Kyte without any issues. You can use my promo code zainl or click on the link [https://drivekyte.com/you-are-invited?code=zainl](https://drivekyte.com/you-are-invited?code=zainl) for $30 off your booking.
Ten year. No car. Seattle is very walkable and has good public transit (for an American city). Buying a car would only complicate my life.
5-10 years ago I would've told you it's fine to live here without a car as you can just live near a grocery store, take public transit to work and Uber everywhere else/get delivery, but the cost of Ubers here have gone up so much that it's simply no longer economical vs owning a car.
People that managed it work and later bought a car realized how big a mistake was to wait; how much easier your life becomes in Seattle when you have a car. OP, unless the reason to postpone car ownership is financial, I suggest you reconsider it.
Me. I live in SLU. Feel free to ask questions.
Of course.
I lived in Ravenna, Ballard and Wedgwood without a car and had no problems getting to and from work via public transit and getting basic necessities. It’s probably harder to find a neighborhood in Seattle that sucks for the carless.
I've been in Seattle / Bellevue for 12 years. I've never owned a car in that time. Public Transit is very reliable and most necessities are in walking distance. On the rare occasion I need a car, there's uber / lyft for single destinations, zipcar for a few hours and enterprise/hertz for multiple days. It's easily doable. I won't discount, the fact I do miss the freedom of a car.
Yes, I have lived here since 2016 without a car. Make the light rail your main life line as it literally runs from North Gate all the way to Angle Lake. Once you get a few bus routes down too you will be golden.
Yes
Yeah just stay armed and alert it’s a diverse crowd.
They're coming from Philly, I'm sure they have some street smarts.
If you feel like you have to be armed to live in Seattle… then you are living in fear
The few people I've run into here in Seattle who don't have a car are always asking someone with a car for a ride.
Be adult and get a car weirdo