Plan Your Trip

Pay Your Fare

How To Ride Transit

Now that you’ve learned how to plan your trip and purchase your fare, you’re ready to hop on board. Here are some helpful tips to help make your trip effortless and enjoyable.

How to Ride a Bus

1)Check for the street sign indicating the route number to make sure you wait on the correct side of the street. 
2)An ORCA card reader is located just inside the front door of the bus to your right.
3)The reader board at the top front of the bus displays route numbers and destination.
4)To request a stop, pull the yellow cord inside the bus that runs down each side.

 

How to Ride a Train

 

1) Check the overhead sign at each station to make sure you are on the correct side of the platform.
2) An ORCA Card reader is located on the station. Use it to scan your card before you board.
3) The reader board at the top front of the train displays the final destination of the line.
4) To help you identify your stop, refer to the line diagram located inside the train above the windows.

Steps to Help You Ride

Plan Your Trip

Before you travel, use one of the trip planning resources available to find the best route for your trip and where to get on and off. Plan to arrive before your bus is scheduled, as buses sometimes run a few minutes early.  

 

Find Your Bus or Train

Identify your bus or train by checking the route numbers along the top and side of the vehicle. Signs on the street or in transit stations will list which routes are served by the stop you are using. Timetables are available at most stops to show you the estimated arrival times for different stops along the route.

 

Enter and Pay Your Fare

Upon entering the bus or train, you will be required to pay the fare for the trip. To pay the fare on the bus, tap an ORCA card, insert a bus ticket (tickets can be purchased at a ticket vending machine) into the on-board fare box, or insert an exact amount of cash or coins into the fare box to cover the fare. Remember,  drivers cannot give change. 
 

To pay the fare on the train, tap an ORCA card on the station platform fare payment readers before boarding the train. Fare Ambassadors will periodically check fare payment on platforms and trains. You can also use the Transit GO Ticket app to purchase a ticket and show the driver. 

 

Request Your Stop

(Bus only) Upcoming stops are usually displayed on the reader board inside the bus or train, near the exits. Stops will often be announced inside the bus as well. When your stop is next, pull the yellow cable near the window or push the red “stop” button on the edge of some seats or near the rear door handrail. This lets the driver know you want to get off.

 

Transit etiquette

At the stop or platform:

• Let riders exit before boarding.
• Spread out along the platform or at the bus stop.
• Do not hold the doors.
   

On board the bus or train: 

• Have your fare ready to speed up boarding for everyone.
• Leave the seats at the front open for families, older adults and persons with mobility assistance devices.
• Unless you need the handicap ramp, exit to the rear of the bus when feasible.
• Remove your backpack on crowded buses or trains.
• Hold your purse, backpack and other personal items on your lap, at your feet or in the overhead luggage areas if available. No eating, smoking or littering; carry food and drinks in closed containers.
• Wear headphones and listen at a low volume.
• It is polite not to talk on the phone while you ride the bus, but if you must, try to keep it respectful, quick and quiet.
• Move aside and let other riders exit the train or bus.

Apps and Technology

Accessibility

Riding transit is a great option for people with special needs.

• Seniors, people with disabilities and those on Medicare are eligible for Regional Reduced Fare Permits.
• ORCA provides a discounted daily per-ride rate for riders with disabilities.
• All public transit buses are outfitted with wheelchair ramps and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• The Trip Planner (for transit trips) allows you to specify how far you’d like to walk and filter routes based on accessibility.
• Free transportation training is available to people with disabilities who are 14 years or older or seniors who are 65 years or older to support independent transit trips on Metro and Sound Transit.
• Service animals and personal care assistants ride with you for free on Sound Transit and King County Metro.
• Access Transportation is a paratransit service that takes you anywhere a Metro bus, Seattle streetcar, or Sound Transit light rail goes at the time it is scheduled.
• The Transportation Resources Line (a service of Hopelink Mobility Management) can provide you with one-on-one support in finding unique transportation options that fit your needs. The Mobility line is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. If you leave a voicemail, Hopelink will return your call within two business days. To learn more, please email mobility@hopelink.org; call 425-943-6760; or complete Hopelink's online form.
• The Hyde Shuttle program provides door-to-door van service for older adults and adults with disabilities throughout many communities in King County.
• FindARide, a service of Hopelink, helps people with special mobility needs get around King County. Type information about your origin and destination, together with your accessibility needs, and the tool will display a list of transportation services.
• King County Metro Neighborhood Pop-up brings Metro information, ORCA card services and more to customers throughout King County.

Learn more by viewing the accessibility pages for King County Metro and Sound Transit, as well as the King County Mobility Coalition web page.