Speak Seattle
A Quick Guide to Seattle’s Local Lingo ☔️

Heading to Seattle for an Alaska cruise or flying into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)? Before you arrive, it helps to know a little Seattle vocabulary.

Some transportation terms mean something very specific here—and knowing the difference between light rail, the train, the monorail, and the streetcar can make getting around Seattle much easier.

Here’s your quick Seattle Lingo Cheat Sheet!

📍 “The Market” or “Pike Place”

When someone in Seattle says:

“The Market” or “Pike Place”

they’re talking about Pike Place Market, Seattle’s famous public market overlooking the waterfront.

🍎 Fresh produce
🐟 Flying fish
💐 Gorgeous flower bouquets
☕ Coffee shops
🥐 Bakeries and restaurants
🛍️ Local vendors and souvenirs

One important Seattle tip:

It’s Pike Place Market.

Not “Pikes Place” and not “Pike’s Place.”

If you want to sound like you know Seattle, just call it Pike Place or The Market.

🚈 “Light Rail”

In Seattle, light rail usually means the regional Link light rail system.

For travelers, this is especially important because the 1 Line connects SEA Airport with downtown Seattle and other parts of the region.

Downtown stops include Westlake Station, an underground station that puts you within walking distance of many downtown attractions.

So when getting directions, you may hear:

“Take light rail from the airport to Westlake.”

Locals generally refer to it as light rail, rather than simply calling it “the train.”

🚇 “The Train” at SEA Airport

Here’s where Seattle terminology can get confusing!

If you're inside SEA Airport and someone tells you to “take the train,” they may be talking about the airport's underground automated people-mover system that transports passengers between parts of the airport.

So:

Light rail = transportation between SEA Airport and Seattle

Airport train = transportation within SEA Airport

That distinction can save a lot of confusion when you're asking for directions!

🚆 “Train”

Outside the airport, the word train usually refers to traditional passenger or commuter rail.

This includes:

Amtrak passenger trains and Sounder commuter trains.

Seattle's primary passenger rail station is King Street Station.

From here, trains travel north and south, including routes toward Tacoma, Everett and Vancouver, British Columbia.

🚝 “Monorail”

Seattle's Monorail has one very specific job.

It connects:

Westlake Center ↔ Seattle Center

That's it!

Seattle Center is where you'll find attractions such as:

🗼 Space Needle
🎸 Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)
🎨 Chihuly Garden and Glass
🏟️ Climate Pledge Arena

The monorail is especially convenient if you're staying downtown and want an easy way to visit the Space Needle area.

🚋 “Streetcar”

Seattle also has streetcars, which travel along tracks at street level.

There are two streetcar lines in Seattle.

Visitors staying downtown may encounter the South Lake Union Streetcar, which begins near the Westlake area and travels toward South Lake Union.

Don't confuse the streetcar with the light rail or monorail—they're three different transportation systems.

🚌 “Metro”

When someone says Metro, they're usually talking about the local bus system operated by King County Metro.

Metro buses travel throughout Seattle and surrounding King County communities.

⚡️ “Trolley”

In Seattle, a trolley can refer to Metro's electric trolley buses.

You'll recognize them by the poles extending from the bus to the overhead electrical wires.

They look like regular city buses—but they're powered by electricity from those overhead lines.

❌ “Tram”

You may hear the word tram used in other cities or countries, but it isn't generally the name of a Seattle transportation system.

In Seattle, you're more likely to hear:

Light rail • Streetcar • Monorail • Metro • Trolley

Using the correct term can make asking for directions much easier.

⛴️ Seattle's Boats Have Their Own Vocabulary Too!

Seattle is surrounded by water, so ferries are part of everyday transportation—and there are several different types.

⛴️ “Ferry”

When Seattle locals say ferry, they're often talking about the large Washington State Ferries.

These are the big white-and-green boats that carry both:

🚗 Vehicles
🚶 Walk-on passengers

From the Seattle waterfront, Washington State Ferries depart from Colman Dock at Pier 52.

Popular destinations include:

Bainbridge Island and Bremerton.

A ferry ride can also be a fantastic inexpensive sightseeing experience if you have an extra day before or after your cruise.

🚤 “Water Taxi,” “Foot Ferry” or “Fast Ferry”

These terms generally refer to passenger-only boats rather than the large vehicle ferries.

Depending on the service and destination, you may hear terms such as:

Water Taxi • Foot Ferry • Fast Ferry

Passenger services operate from the Seattle waterfront, including Pier 50, next to the Washington State Ferries terminal at Pier 52.

Destinations can include West Seattle, Vashon Island and Bremerton, depending on the service.

🏔️ And Finally… “The Mountain”

If you're in Seattle and hear someone say:

“The mountain is out today!”

They're talking about Mount Rainier.

On a clear day, the massive snow-covered mountain appears on the horizon and can seem almost unreal.

So if someone tells you “the mountain is out,” grab your camera—you've got a good Seattle weather day!

📌 Seattle Lingo Cheat Sheet

The Market / Pike Place → Pike Place Market

Light rail → Link light rail, including service between SEA Airport and downtown

Airport train → Underground people mover inside SEA Airport

Train → Amtrak or Sounder commuter rail

Monorail → Westlake Center ↔ Seattle Center

Streetcar → Street-level rail transportation

Metro → King County Metro buses

Trolley → Electric Metro buses connected to overhead wires

Tram → Not a standard Seattle transit term

Ferry → Large vehicle and passenger ferries

Water Taxi / Foot Ferry / Fast Ferry → Passenger-only boat services

The Mountain → Mount Rainier 🏔️

✈️ Visiting Seattle Before an Alaska Cruise?

Seattle can feel a little confusing on your first visit—especially when you're trying to figure out how to get from SEA Airport to downtown, Pike Place Market, your hotel or the cruise terminal.

Learning these few Seattle terms before you arrive makes reading directions, asking locals for help and navigating the city's transportation options much easier.

And remember the most important Seattle vocabulary lesson:

It's Pike Place—never “Pike's Place”! 😉