Moving to the Des Moines/Kent area worried about commuting (bus) to seattle and back. (Burien: buses)

[iamthefuture]

I am moving to Des Moines within the next year, and I will be going to downtown Seattle/capitol hill area, for work almost everyday of the week. I don't have a vehicle so I will be relying on the bus transit.. King County Metro Station I believe it is called. How reliable are the buses from des moines to seattle? Will I be able commute back and forth everyday, including holidays? Few more questions: is it safe to walk around downtown seattle alone, and is it also safe to walk through des moines alone? Anything I should keep with me for emergency? thanks!!

[microwavable]

Transit to and from communities that are a little bit further out, like Des Moines, can be a little tricky at times. What you'll likely want to do is take routes that head to the Burien Transit Center, and take one of the several local Des Moines routes from there. You'll probably want to try out different routes to see which works best for you, as there are several between downtown Seattle and Burien that take different routes, especially if you're doing your travel during off-peak hours.

Routes 121/122 provide express service between Des Moines/Burien and downtown Seattle during peak hours.
Routes 121, 122, 123 - King County Metro Transit

Route 166 provides half-hourly local service between Burien, Des Moines, and the city of Kent to the east.
Route 166 - King County Metro Transit

Downtown Seattle safety is discussed in this forum, but to be brief, it's not bad. Any major city has seedy spots and characters, but as long as you keep your wits about you, especially at night, you'll be just fine. Just remember, walking down any street with your face buried in your smartphone makes anybody an easy target, regardless of where you are and what time of day.

I don't personally carry any self-defense weapon on me, and I walk downtown frequently at night (I, like you, travel exclusively by bike/bus.) My girlfriend does as well, but she carries "blast knuckles," which is a 950,000 volt stun gun in the form of brass knuckles. They're about $30 on Amazon, and they help her feel safe when she goes to and from work alone at night, which is in an uncomfortable industrial area.

I don't know enough about walking in Des Moines to judge, but I wouldn't worry about it. It's a small town connected to Seattle by a series of small towns. Most areas around here are relaxed and safe.