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Tukwila Voyage Tips and guide

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    Tukwila is a city in King County in the Puget Sound region of Washington State.

    Get in

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    Map
    Map of Tukwila

    By plane

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    Main article: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
    • 1 Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA IATA; nicknamed "Sea-Tac"). The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is located 2 miles away in neighboring SeaTac. There are numerous transit options linking Tukwila with the airport. Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (Q14295) on Wikidata Seattle–Tacoma International Airport on Wikipedia (updated Jun 2019)

    By train

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    See also: Rail travel in the United States

    By car

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    • Interstate 5 (I-5) Tukwila is accessed from exits #152 ("S 188th St") through #156 ("S Interurban" from SB Side and "SR 599 Tukwila" from NB side ) along I-5. There are four exits from I-5 into town. Southcenter (closest thing to a 'downtown') can be accessed from Exit #153 from the northbound side and 154B from the southbound side of I-5.
    • Interstate 405 (I-405) from I-405 serves as an auxiliary highway, around Lake Washington, from I-5 in Tukwila to I-5 in Lynnwood, through Newcastle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Bothell and Woodinville. From its intersection with I-5, I-405 becomes SR-518 going west towards SeaTac/Tukwila (International Blvd) and the airport access road (next exit after International Blvd) and ending at its intersection with SR-509 in Burien. From I-405 Tukwila is only accessed along Interurban Ave/West Valley Highway at exit #1. From SR-518 Tukwila is accessed from International Blvd, Klikitat Ave (EB side only).
    • & begins from the northbound lanes of I-5 at exit 156. SR-599 become SR-99 after the International Blvd and eventually goes under downtown Seattle in a tunnel. There are three exits from SR-599/99 into Tukwila.
    • Connects from Renton and Exit #2 of I-405 to Puyallup through Kent, Auburn and Sumner as a freeway. It divides Tukwila from Renton and northern part of Kent on the eastern city limits. SB traffic would get off at "SW 43rd/East Valley Rd" while NB traffic exit off "SW 43rd/S 180th". SW 43rd becomes S 180th west of East Valley Highway.
    • West Valley Highway connects Tukwila to Kent as a major boulevard, east of the Southcenter shopping district. West Valley (SR-181) officially ends under I-405 underpass but the road itself continues north as S Interurban Ave.

    By bus

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    Most intercity bus routes that operate beyond the region stop in downtown Seattle and a few stop at airport.

    • Wheatland Express, (bus stop) Westfield Southcenter by Nordstroms, ☏ +1 509 334-2200, toll-free: +1-800-334-2207. Every Friday, the Weekend Express takes you from Pullman (where Washington State University is at), Ellensburg (Central Washington University) and Moscow (University of Idaho) to Seattle, and the other way around every Sunday. A special service is also deployed during the holiday season. Journeys take more than 6 hours. Next local stop is at Factoria Square Mall by Novilhos Brazilian Restaurant. $99 one way (weekend express), $210 one way (vacation service). 

    Get around

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    By public transit

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    • Sound Transit, toll-free: +1-888-889-6368. Has regional public transit routes including Sounder trains, Link light rail, and express bus in King County (e.g. Bellevue, Federal Way, Kent, Renton, Seattle), Snohomish County (e.g. Everett, Lynnwood), and Pierce County (e.g. Puyallup, Tacoma). Sound Transit (Q3965367) on Wikidata Sound Transit on Wikipedia (updated Jun 2023)
      • Sounder train, a commuter route, stops at Tukwila station (see "By train" above for location) on its way between Seattle King Street Station and Lakewood. The station's platform is unstaffed.
      • 3 Link light rail, Tukwila International Boulevard station, 15426 35th Avenue S. Line 1 of the Link light rail transit services Tukwila, with a stop at Tukwila International Boulevard station. (updated Jun 2019)
    • 4 Tukwila Transit Center is at the eastside of the mall along Andover Park W in opposite directions from its intersection with Baker Blvd/mall entrance and along Baker Blvd. (Rapid F, 128, 150, 156, DART 906)
    • 5 Tukwila International Blvd Station (Link Line 1, Rapid A, Rapid F, 124, 128) The notable routes in the area serving one or two of the above stations are:
    • Rapid Ride 'A' Line Tukwila International Blvd Station to Federal Way via Des Moines along SR-99.
    • Rapid Ride 'F' Line Burien to Renton via Tukwila International Blvd Station, Tukwila Transit Center (adjacent to Southcenter Mall), Tukwila Sounder Station
    • 124 Goes up to Georgetown (neighborhood) along SR-99 (International Blvd, E Marginal Way) from Tukwila International Blvd Station. Continues to Downtown Seattle along Airport Way S from Georgetown. Quicker to take the Link Light Rail if going to downtown Seattle.
    • 128 West Seattle to Southcenter via White Center, Tukwila International Blvd Station
    • 150 Downtown Seattle to Kent via Tukwila and Southcenter Mall along I-5, Interurban, Andover Park W and West Valley Hwy (SR-181). Main bus line through Kent Valley.
    • 156 Highline Community College in Des Moines to Southcenter via Airport Link Light Rail Station
    • DART 906 Connects Southcenter Mall to SE 177th & 140th Ave SE in the Fairwood (residential) neighborhood.

    By shuttle bus

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    • South Side Express, ☏ +1 206 571-9588. Hotel pick-up times daily 10AM-6PM. Operates free shuttle connections from certain hotels in SeaTac (near airport) to Westfield Southcenter Mall. (updated Feb 2020)

    See

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    • 1 Museum of Flight, 9404 E. Marginal Way, ☏ +1 206-764-5700. Daily 10AM-5PM. A private non-profit air and space museum at the southern end of King County International Airport (Boeing Field). The Museum of Flight has more than 150 aircraft in its collection The Museum of Flight (Q1402597) on Wikidata Museum of Flight on Wikipedia (updated Sep 2024)

    Do

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    Buy

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    • 1 Westfield Southcenter (formerly Southcenter Mall) (near the I-5/I-405 interchange; take exit 153 (I-5 northbound), exit 154B (I-5 southbound), or Southcenter Blvd (I-405 southbound)), ☏ +1 206-246-0423. M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su 11AM-7PM. the largest shopping center in Washington and the Pacific Northwest, with over 200 shops and services. There is also a foreign exchange booth by CXI inside the mall too. Westfield Southcenter (Q7988747) on Wikidata Westfield Southcenter on Wikipedia (updated Jun 2019)

    There are a number of other strip malls surrounding Westfield's Southcenter mall which consist of storefronts lined up next to each other, under a single roof, surrounded by large parking lots. Unlike Westfield's Southcenter Mall they don't have indoor walking spaces except a single sidewalk to connect the storefronts. Some of the establishments are in separate buildings or kiosks that are separated from the rest of the mall by a huge parking lot. Each business keeps their own hours and are not conformed to mall hours as they have their own separate entries from the parking lot. They are located north-south along Southcenter Pkwy from S Strandler (at SW corner of mall parking lot) to S 180th; and south along Andover Park W which parallels Southcenter Pkwy from next to the mall down through S 180th:

    • 2 Parkway Super Center, 17300-17750 Southcenter Pkwy. Next largest shopping center in the area after Southcenter Mall. It consists of Best Buy, buy buy Baby, Burlington Coat Factory, Dick's Sporting Goods, Michaels, Macy's Furniture Gallery, Old Navy, Ross Dress for Less, Ulta, World Market, Applebee's, Red Robin, Lam's Asian Seafood Market, Dave's Famous BBQ, etc. (updated Apr 2022)
    • 3 Park Place Shopping Center, 17501-17585 Southcenter Pkwy. Joann, Petsmart, Ashley Furniture, Homegoods Dept. Store. (updated Apr 2022)
    • 4 Segale Properties, 300 Andover Park W (SE of the corner of Andover Park W & Strandler Blvd). Barnes & Noble, Office Depot/Office Max, Total Wine, Mattress Firm (updated Apr 2022)
    • 5 Southcenter Plaza, 301-393 Strandler Blvd (across the street (S Strandler Blvd) from the main Southcenter Mall). Target, Chase Bank, Dollar Tree, Mizu Japanese Steak House, Bakery Corner, Starbucks, Xfinity/Comcast, etc (updated Apr 2022)
    • 6 Southcenter Square, 17100-17250 Southcenter Pkwy (along Southcenter Pkwy between Wink and Minkler Blvd). Kohl's, Nordstorm Rack, PetCo, Old Spaghetti Factory, DSWShoes, Five Guys, Panera Bread, Sumi Korean Grill, Chipotle, Panda Express, etc. (updated Apr 2022)
    • 7 Costco, 400 Costco Dr, Suite #100 (S 180th & Andover Park E. Located behind Home Depot if coming in from S 180th & Sperry Dr), ☏ +1 206 575-9191. M-F 10AM-8:30PM; Sa 9:30AM-7PM; Su 10AM-6PM. Here you can buy large quantities for low prices. 

    The linked websites of the strip malls are from the real estate or property management company who are leasing empty spaces to prospective tenants. To the average traveler they provide a directory of the businesses (tenants) in there.

    Eat

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    Drink

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    Sleep

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    Being near to the airport the hotels surrounding Westfield Southcenter may offer shuttle connections from the airport terminal to their property surrounding Southcenter. Ask:

    Connect

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    • 1 Southcenter Library Connection (King County Library System), 1386 Southcenter Mall (Inside mall at east entrance, next to JC Penney), ☏ +1 425 226-4522. M 10AM-6PM, Tu W noon-8PM, Th-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 1PM-5PM. Library Connection @ Southcenter (Q69764285) on Wikidata (updated Feb 2020)
    • 2 Tukwila Post Office (US Postal Service (USPS)), 225 Andover Park W (a small brick building between Firestone Auto Repair and Key Bank towards SE part of mall grounds), ☏ +1 206 244-9592, toll-free: +1 800 275-8777. M-F 8:30AM-6PM; Sa 8:30AM-3PM. Serves zip codes 98168 and 98188. A convenient place to mail gifts to someone or mail your purchases back home after shopping. (updated Feb 2020)

    Go next

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    Routes through Tukwila
    Vancouver ← Seattle ←  N  S  → SeaTac → Portland
    Bellevue ← Renton ←  N  S  → becomes
    Everett ← Seattle ←  N  S  → SeaTac → Tacoma
    Burien ← SeaTac ←  W  E  → becomes
    Vancouver ← Seattle ←  N  S  → Tacoma → Portland


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