Getting To WWU

Western Washington University is located in Bellingham at the northwest corner of the state, 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, B.C.

Download printable directions to popular destinations. Each sheet has turn-by-turn directions by bike, bus and foot to and from WWU with time and distance information.

Options for getting to campus include:

Parking

Parking is free during Back2Bellingham in all non-reserved lots from 4:30pm on Friday, May 17 to 7:00am on Monday, May 20. Accessible parking for persons with disabilities is always available. Contact Parking Services for further details about parking at B2B. 

To see a parking map, click here.

Car

When approaching Bellingham from the north or south on Interstate 5, take Exit #252, marked Samish Way and WWU. Turn west onto Samish Way and follow the signs to Bill McDonald Parkway and the University campus.

Walk

Western’s campus is located within a mile of the Bellingham Central Business District and is surrounded by friendly residential neighborhoods. The campus is accessible via trails and an extensive sidewalk network through the neighborhoods.

Walking is the cheapest way to go, and for trips of less than a mile, walking from door to door is usually just as fast as driving, parking and walking.

Bike

Bellingham is recognized as a silver level Bicycle-Friendly City by the League of American Cyclists. Western is accessible by bike on the street system, and every city bus is equipped with a rack that will carry up to three bikes. There are over 900 bike parking spaces throughout the academic core of campus. Bikes must be walked in some on-campus areas, speeds are restricted on campus, and pedestrians always have the right of way on campus walkways and plazas. For more biking information, please click here.

Public Transit

Local Bus
Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) serves Western with convenient multiple routes Monday-Saturday. Routes serving Western connect with other routes at the Downtown Bellingham Transit Station. Western is on the WTA BLUE Line, with buses stopping every 15 minutes on weekdays, between Bill McDonald/Samish Way and Downtown, via WWU. The GREEN, GOLD, and RED Lines connect at the Downtown Transit Station, which means you can get from other parts of town to Western with just one transfer. Service from other parts of Whatcom county including Blaine and Ferndale make it easy and inexpensive to get to Western by bus, and the buses drop you off and pick you up in the center of campus! See the WTA website for more details.

Regional Transit
"County Connector" express service between Bellingham and Skagit Station in Mount Vernon links Western to the Puget Sound region via public transit bus, light rail and ferry. More information on the student website.

Bolt Bus

One of the newest ways to get to and from Belllingham is Bolt Bus! With stations in only Portland, Seattle, Bellingham, and Vancouver, B.C., Bolt is a fast and affordable way to travel to WWU.

Greyhound Bus

Greyhound provides frequent service to Bellingham's Fairhaven Transportation Center, located about 2 miles from Western, with connections to Western provided by WTA and several taxi services. Click here to download WTA bus directions from the Fairhaven Transportation Center to campus. Taxi fare from Fairhaven Station to WWU runs about $7.00.

Train

Amtrak Cascades provides daily service between Bellingham, Vancouver BC and points south to Eugene, Oregon. The Amtrak station is located about 2 miles from WWU, with connections to WWU provided by WTA and several taxi services. Click here to download WTA bus directions from the Fairhaven Transportation Center to campus. Taxi fare from Fairhaven Station to WWU runs about $7.00.

Air

Bellingham International Airport is served by Allegiant, Alaska, Horizon and San Juan Airlines. Ground transportation is provided by several taxi services and several car rental agencies. There is no regular transit service to/from Bellingham International Airport. Taxi fare from Bellingham Airport to Western runs about $20-$25. Connection to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is provided by Airporter; connection to Vancouver International Airport is provided by Quick Shuttle.

Taxi

Yellow Cab of Whatcom Skagit at 360-734-TAXI / 800-281-5340 (Central Dispatch) (toll-free number within Washington only) Taxi fare from Fairhaven Station to Western runs about $7.00. There is no regular transit service to/from Bellingham International Airport. Taxi fare from the airport to WWU runs about $20-$25.

Taxi Service is also available all weekend long to ensure safe transit to and from your hotel.