Bellevue

Bellevue is a city in the Puget Sound region of Washington state, and often considered a satellite or suburb of Seattle. Bellevue had a population of 150,000 in 2021.

Bellevue is perhaps the most ritzy district of the Seattle metro area, mainly due to the presence of Microsoft at nearby Redmond and other tech companies occupying the downtown office towers. It also results in neighborhoods mostly comprising families or retirees with large houses and excellent vistas of the water for the lucky few; which reflects on many of the family-friendly attractions especially parks. It is generally considered more pleasant and safer to walk here than in Seattle proper. On the flip side however, the experience is somewhat blander than the latter due to a lower variety of sightseeing options, although the shopping experience is said to be better here.

By plane
The nearest airport is Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. To get to Bellevue, take eastbound State Route 518 and continue straight towards Interstate 405.

By train
Amtrak provides service to Seattle's King Street Station. To get to Bellevue, take Sound Transit Express bus route 550 (see ), which stops just around the corner from the station, on 4th Avenue South.

The Link Light Rail from Seattle is being extended into Bellevue, but completion is not expected until 2025.

By car

 * WA-520.svg State Route (SR) 520 connects Bellevue to Seattle, via the Evergreen Point floating bridge on Lake Washington. The bridge is tolled, hence less busier than Interstate 90. SR-520 serves as the northern border between Bellevue and Kirkland between the shores of Lake Washington and Interstate 405.
 * The more modern and capacious I-90.svg Interstate 90 (I-90) provides another route from Seattle across Lake Washington, via Mercer Island. For Bellevue, exit to Bellevue Way SE or Interstate 405.
 * I-405.svg Interstate 405 (I-405) is the outer loop of Interstate 5 that runs from Lynnwood to Tukwila (and the airport), through Bellevue. Rush hour traffic can be very daunting: expect a 45-minute to 1-hour drive from each end of the freeway to Bellevue.

King County Metro

 * From Kenmore and Kirkland, take route 234 and 235, respectively.
 * Route 271 passes through Bellevue on its way between University District in Seattle and Issaquah.
 * RapidRide Line B terminates at Bellevue from Redmond and Kirkland

Sound Transit
Express Bus fare is $2.75 per trip within King County and $3.75 to go into Snohomish or Pierce Counties.
 * From Snohomish County, route 532 operates during rush hour from Everett Station and Route 535 Monday to Saturday from Lynnwood
 * Route 550 runs frequently between Downtown Seattle and Downtown Bellevue via Mercer Island.
 * During the rush hour, Route 556 goes towards Issaquah via Bellevue from Northgate and the U District (University of Washington) in Seattle
 * Route 560 runs every half hour between Westwood Town Center in West Seattle via downtown Bellevue, Renton, SeaTac Airport, Burien.

Intercity bus services



 * Greyhound, Amtrak and most other ground transport services to Vancouver BC; Portland, Bellingham, Spokane and other parts of the state are available in Downtown Seattle and at the airport.

Get around
Bellevue has reliable transportation access to Seattle and the Puget Sound area.

For trips outside of the core city, you'll probably want a car.

By public transit

 * Almost every King County Metro and Sound Transit bus that runs through Bellevue stops at the on 6th Street between 108th Ave NE & 110th Ave NE in Downtown Bellevue. Bike lockers are available for rental during regular business hours.
 * Some of its useful routes are:
 * Route 221 runs from Bellevue Transit Center to Redmond
 * Route 226 from Bellevue Transit Center to Eastgate Park & Ride, via Crossroads Mall and Lake Hills Park
 * Route 240 travels south from Bellevue Transit Center and passes Factoria before continuing to Renton.
 * Route 271 continues from Bellevue TC to Bellevue College, via Kelsey Creek Park & Wilburton Hill Park to Bellevue College before continuing to Issaquah.
 * RapidRide Line B operates frequently to Redmond, with numerous stops along NE 8th St and turns left at Crossroads Mall.
 * Link Light Rail Line 2 from Bellefields Nature Park in South Bellevue to Redmond Technology Center via downtown Bellevue (along 12th Ave SE & 10th NE) and Overlake.
 * Link Light Rail Line 2 from Bellefields Nature Park in South Bellevue to Redmond Technology Center via downtown Bellevue (along 12th Ave SE & 10th NE) and Overlake.
 * Link Light Rail Line 2 from Bellefields Nature Park in South Bellevue to Redmond Technology Center via downtown Bellevue (along 12th Ave SE & 10th NE) and Overlake.

(See above under "Getting in" for a list of Sound Transit bus routes serving Bellevue). Construction is underway to extend Link Line 2 into downtown Seattle and SODO via I-90 from South Bellevue.

See
Nestled between two lakes, Bellevue is blessed with high terrain that offers beautiful natural vistas at its parks and a chance to unwind into natural habitats.

Buy
If you want to find something luxurious that Seattle doesn't offer, chances are Bellevue might have it (i.e. the only Neiman Marcus in the metro area)

Eat
Bellevue contains a whole lot more Chinese & Japanese restaurants than Seattle. You may also have better luck finding Indian dishes here, where its tech workers would typically flock for lunch.

Due to the nature of the district however, prices tend to be a tad more expensive than Seattle.

Sleep
As Bellevue mainly houses business & industrial meetings, a few hotel rooms may be sold out on some weekdays; the cheapest prices are actually easier to be found on weekends, with prices half of those of weekdays!

Due to the generally cheaper price than Seattle, travelers can make Bellevue as an alternative place to stay, and head down to Seattle using public transportation or a car.

Go next

 * Seattle, the largest city in the Pacific Northwest
 * Visit the Microsoft campus at Redmond.
 * Mercer Island for breathtaking vistas of Lake Washington and opulent houses.
 * In the Eastside, Kirkland hosts beautiful parks and a couple cheaper options, while Issaquah is a stone's throw away from multiple hiking trails.