Bike transportation in Seattle Area

[alessandra]

Hello,

I will have to go from Seattle to Auburn, to join the SC.
I found a train line (Sounder Train), it carries bicycles but its schedules are pretty weird (I must leave in the morning, and no train circulates between 6:50AM and 2PM).
Or a bus line (578) but I can't see if the bus has bike racks.
Anyone may help me?

[aggie]

According to the bus line web site bicycles are carried on all the lines.  However they are probably carried on a rack in the front of the bus that typically only carries 2 bicycles.  The web site states to arrive early to ensure you can find a spot for your bike.

If you need more information, contact bicycles@soundtransit.org

[adventurepdx]

From what I remember, both the King County and Sound Transit buses have racks that fit three bikes. You'll need to remove most of your stuff from the bike, though.

[alessandra]

Thank you! That's great, I'll just have to find the bus stop in Seattle, I hop it won't be too hard.
I'm also looking for buses carrying bicycles on the Oregon/North California Coast, to spare some days to go up to Crater Lake and/or to rest if it rains, and as far as I see, almost all the lines have bike racks.

I will surely skip the Portland-Astoria stretch. I read the thread about it in this forum: the only way is still to carry the bikes on the amtrak bus?

[aggie]

If you aren't going to Astoria there is a bus the runs between Portland's Amtrak station and Tillamook twice per day.  (It' holds about 20 people.) It has a bicycle rack on the front and a compartment for baggage in the rear.  Although I've never had a problem it is recommended you make a "reservation".  I can't remember the cost but it wasn't very expensive, maybe $10.  Nice ride through the countryside.  It drops you off at the bus station close to downtown.

[adventurepdx]

If you aren't going to Astoria there is a bus the runs between Portland's Amtrak station and Tillamook twice per day.  (It' holds about 20 people.) It has a bicycle rack on the front and a compartment for baggage in the rear.  Although I've never had a problem it is recommended you make a "reservation".  I can't remember the cost but it wasn't very expensive, maybe $10.  Nice ride through the countryside.  It drops you off at the bus station close to downtown.

The bus is currently $15 for a one-way ticket, or $20 for a round trip. The nice thing is the "return" ticket doesn't expire. I've used the "return" ticket years later for a one-way return from the coast! And sometimes the rack on front fills up, but the driver does let bikes inside (if there's room) and there is a back hold that could fit maybe two bikes.

The other bus mentioned is the NW Point bus that goes between Portland, Astoria, Seaside, and Cannon Beach. It's about $20 one way plus $5 for a bike. These bikes go in the baggage hold underneath.

[alessandra]

Excellent!
The option with bike racks sounds better than putting the bike in the baggage storage, you never know. I would just be a shame to miss Cannon beach and Manzanita, wouldn't it? But I see that the Tillamook County Transit has a coastal line, maybe I can catch it to go north and back