Bus from Vancouver to Seattle

The bus from Vancouver to Seattle is the southbound cross-border run between the two largest cities of the Pacific Northwest, taking you out of British Columbia across the U.S. border at Blaine and down the I-5 corridor to Seattle. People take this route for weekends, for college visits, for music and concert trips, for cross-border family connections, for connections to SEA-TAC for onward flights, or for the kind of long Pacific Northwest trip that's far easier than driving and dealing with the border yourself. Taking the Vancouver to Seattle bus is the easy way south if you don't want to handle the I-5 traffic and find parking when you arrive.

How to get to the Greyhound station in Vancouver

Greyhound buses to Seattle leave from Pacific Central Station at 1150 Station Street in central Vancouver, with Greyhound buses boarding at Bus Bay 4 on the south end of the station. As Vancouver's main long-distance transit hub — shared with VIA Rail and Amtrak Cascades trains — Pacific Central has indoor seating, restaurants, restrooms and the kind of full-service shelter you'd expect from a working terminal.

The location is one of the best in the city for a bus station. The Main Street-Science World SkyTrain station is a short walk away, putting most of central Vancouver on a single rail connection. The False Creek waterfront and Science World are next door, and downtown Vancouver is a short SkyTrain ride or rideshare away.

Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before departure to find your bus bay and load up. Have your ticket ready on your phone or printed. Bring your passport — international border crossings require it. Customs at the Peace Arch / Blaine border will ask everyone to disembark briefly, so have it accessible. After you enter from Station Street, turn right and follow the signs for Bus Bay 4 on the right side of the building.

How to get around Seattle when your bus from Vancouver to Seattle arrives

Greyhound services into Seattle pull into the Seattle Bus Station at 503 S Royal Brougham Way, with buses boarding outside on the southwest corner of S Royal Brougham Way and 6th Avenue South. The location is in the SoDo (south of downtown) area, near T-Mobile Park and Lumen Field, the home stadiums of the Mariners and Seahawks.

From the bus station, downtown Seattle is a short rideshare or local-bus connection north. Sound Transit's Link light rail runs from SeaTac Airport up through downtown and out to Northgate and Lynnwood, with the Stadium Station serving the Royal Brougham area. Once you're on the Link, the rest of the city opens up — the new Eastside extensions and the wider regional rail network put most of greater Seattle within reach.

King County Metro runs the local public bus network across the city, with strong coverage of the central neighbourhoods. The Seattle Streetcar runs two lines (the South Lake Union and First Hill streetcars) that connect the Center, Capitol Hill, the Chinatown-International District and the South Lake Union tech corridor. For Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, Capitol Hill, Fremont and Ballard, the Link, the Streetcar and rideshare cover most of what travellers come for. Walking is genuinely viable in central Seattle.

Top things to do in Seattle

• Pike Place Market, the historic public market overlooking Elliott Bay, with the original Starbucks, the Pike Place Fish Co. flying-fish stalls and a long-running concentration of food, flowers and crafts.
• The Space Needle and the Seattle Center, with the observation deck and the Chihuly Garden and Glass alongside.
• The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) at the Seattle Center, with strong music history exhibits and a striking Frank Gehry building.
• Capitol Hill, the central neighbourhood for restaurants, music venues and bars, with strong streetscape character along Pike, Pine and Broadway.
• The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) downtown, with strong Pacific Northwest and Asian collections, plus the Olympic Sculpture Park alongside on the waterfront.
• The Seattle Waterfront, with the Seattle Aquarium, the Wheel Ferris wheel and the new pedestrian park along the rebuilt Alaskan Way.
• Fremont, the eclectic neighbourhood north of Lake Union, with the Fremont Troll under the bridge, the Sunday market and a strong concentration of restaurants and bars.
• Pioneer Square, the historic district south of downtown, with the Smith Tower observation deck, the Underground Tour and a strong concentration of art galleries.
• Bainbridge Island ferry from the downtown waterfront, an easy half-day trip across Puget Sound and back with strong views of the Seattle skyline.

One practical thing about the Vancouver to Seattle bus: the U.S. border crossing at Peace Arch is part of the trip, so build extra time into your plans for customs processing. Have your passport, your visa or ESTA documentation if applicable, and any food restrictions sorted before you board. Once across, the run down through Bellingham, the Skagit Valley and into Seattle is one of the best stretches of the Pacific Northwest bus network. Use the search bar on this page to check schedules and book bus tickets when your dates are firm.

Plan your bus trip from Vancouver to Seattle with Greyhound

The trip from Vancouver to Seattle takes as short as 3 hours 30 minutes and could cost as little as $38.98. The first bus departs at 04:05 am and the last bus departs at 06:00 pm. Greyhound operates 8 bus rides daily between Vancouver and Seattle. When traveling with Greyhound to Seattle from Vancouver, expect free Wifi, power sockets, and a guaranteed seat for your journey. Don't miss any updates on your bus trip: stay informed with our real-time bus tracker and check the status of your ride to Seattle in seconds.

How to Book Your Bus Ticket to Seattle from Vancouver

With Greyhound, reserving a ticket for your bus trip is a breeze. You can easily complete your booking on this website or through the free Greyhound App, all within a few simple clicks. You will have a variety of rides to choose from, as on many of our routes you will be offered both Greyhound and FlixBus bus rides, so you can choose the option that best fits your schedule. When booking your ticket from Vancouver to Seattle, you have a range of secure online payment options at your disposal, including both debit and credit cards. If you prefer, cash payments are also accepted at various sales points. If you're on the hunt for a cheap ticket to Seattle, remember to book early. Traveling on weekdays or during non-peak hours can also lead you to some of the most budget-friendly fares available!