Pasco is a city in the Columbia River Plateau in Washington State. Pasco together with Kennewick and Richland are known as the "Tri-Cities" of Washington.
Get in
By plane
Tri-Cities Airport 📍 (IATA: PSC) is the major airport for the Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, and Richland), Walla Walla and the Columbia River Basin area 3½ mi (5.6 km) northwest of downtown Pasco. The airport is accessed from I-182/US Hwy 12 at Exit #12B (along N 20th Ave). Major airlines serving the Tri-Cities are:
- Avelo : (Burbank)
- Alaska/Horizon Air (Portland, Seattle-Tacoma)
- Allegiant: (Las Vegas, Mesa AZ, Los Angeles (seasonal))
- Compass and Skywest as Delta Connection: (Salt Lake City, Seattle, Minneapolis/St Paul)
- Skywest operating as United Express: (Denver, San Francisco)
The Grape Line Bus operates regularly scheduled (bus) service to Walla Walla from the airport via Amtrak/Greyhound station in Pasco (see below under By bus) while Ben Franklin Transit (local public transportation company) operates a taxi feeder (on contract with Tri City Taxi) to the 22nd Ave Transit Center in Pasco for connections to their fixed route buses. See this link for a list of car rental companies at the airport (recommended) and local taxi companies for door to door service.
By train
- Pasco Intermodal Train Station, 535 North 1st Avenue (N 1st Ave & Sylvester on the east side of Pasco by the railroad yard.), 46.236944°, -119.0875°. Tri-Cities is served once daily by Amtrak on its Empire Builder train, running between Chicago, Spokane and Portland. Westbound trains are split in Spokane with half going towards Portland and the other going towards Seattle. Both halves, going towards Chicago, are joined in Spokane. Therefore, Tri-Cities is served by the Portland to Spokane branch of the Empire Builder. 2018-07-05
By bus
Except for Fronteras del Norte which has its own bus station, the bus station for the other long distance buses is at the Pasco Intermodal Train Station at 531 N 1st Ave. See below:
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Fronteras del Norte, (bus station) 202 S 4th St (W Columbia and S 4th St), +1 509 545-6161. Connects Pasco, Sunnyside & Yakima WA in eastern Washington (state) to Los Angeles and the Mexican border in San Ysidro in Southern California via Portland, OR. 2020-05-29
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Greyhound, (depot) Intermodal Station @ 535 N 1st Ave, +1 509 547-3151. Travels on Interstate 90/82 (Seattle, Ellensburg, Sunnyside, Pasco and Stanfield/Hermiston OR at I-84) and I-84/US 395/I-90 (Portland, Hood River, The Dalles, Pasco and Spokane). Greyhound no longer goes to Walla Walla but does sell ownward tickets on the Grapeline bus to Walla Walla (See below).
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Travel Washington Grape Line & Amtrak Thruway (operated by Bellaire Charters), (bus stops) Intermodal Station @ 535 N 1st Ave; Tri-Cities Airport; Pasco Transit Center on N 22nd, +1 509 529-7442. It goes east along US Hwy 12 to Walla Walla.
Get around
By bus
- Ben Franklin Transit, 22nd Ave Transit Center (N 22nd Ave between W Sylvester & Park Ave, behind Supermex), 46.2357°, -119.1195°, +1 509 735-5100. M-F 6AM-10PM; Sa 7AM-10PM; Su 8AM-6PM. Operates fixed route buses within the Tri Cities area and to Benton City, West Richland and Prosser. They also offer a dial a ride taxi feeder service to/through areas not served by regular buses from designated bus stops and/or outside of fixed schedules. $1.50 cash fare
See
- Gesa Stadium, 6200 Burden (NE of the I-182/US-12 junction w/ N Road 68 (Exit #9). Burden Blvd & Homerun Rd), 46.2666°, -119.1720°, +1 509 544-8789. Featuring the Tri-City Dust Devils. 2020-09-10
- HAPO Center, 6600 Burden Blvd (NE of the I-182/US-12 junction w/ N Road 68 (Exit #9). Burden Blvd & Convention Pl, Next to Gesa Stadium), 46.2693°, -119.1766°, +1 509 543-2999. M-F 8AM-5PM. Expo center.
- Franklin County Historical Society and Museum, 305 N. 4th (N 4th & W Bonneville St), 46.2328°, -119.0931°, +1 509 547-3714. Tu–F noon – 4PM.
- Sacajawea Historical State Park, 2503 Sacajawea Park Rd, 46.2001°, -119.041°, +1 509 545-2361. March 31 – November 1: 10AM-5PM daily. Sacajawea State Park is a 284-acre inland waters, day-use park at the confluence of the Snake and Columbia rivers. It features 9,100 feet of freshwater shoreline. The area is spread out with a big sky and excellent views of the two rivers as they flow together. $10–30 motor-vehicle access fee 2015-09-17
- McNary National Wildlife Refuge, Administration Office @ 64 Maple Street, Burbank (a few miles southeast of Pasco on US 12), 46.1971°, -118.955°, +1 509 547-4942. A haven for migrating birds. Trails and education center.
Do
Buy
Eat
- Chinese Gardens, 1520 N. 4th (N 4th & W Ruby), 46.2420°, -119.0955°, +1 509 545-6324. M - Sa 11AM to 10PM, Su noon to 10PM.
- Lee's Tahitian, 2724 W. Lewis (W Lewis & N 28th, first exit from US-395 going north after crossing the Columbia River from Kennewick), 46.2327°, -119.1271°, +1 509 380-0398.
Drink
Sleep
- Best Western Pasco Inn & Suites, 2811 N 20th Ave (N 20th & St Andrews Loop, down the road from the airport terminal), 46.2533°, -119.1164°, +1 509 543-7722.
- Hampton Inn & Suites Pasco/Tri-Cities, 6826 Burden Blvd, 46.269952°, -119.180689°, +1 509 792-1660. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. 2018-01-02
- Holiday Inn Express & Suites Pasco-TriCities, 4525 Convention Pl, 46.268386°, -119.176980°, +1 509 543-7000, kcole@hotelsa1.com. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. 2018-01-02
Go next
- Yakima is a quick drive northwest on I-82.
- The Columbia River Gorge is half an hour south, drivable on the north side along SR-14, and the south (Oregon) side along I-84.