News

King County Metro’s commitment to improving the safety of our employees and riders remains unwavering. We have a clear-eyed focus on what people, process, technology, and other resource investments we need to make to make a meaningful impact on transit safety.

Marking ongoing positive ridership growth, King County Metro posted a silver medal win among the 10 largest transit agencies nationwide.

Metro had an estimated 63 million boardings this year through Aug. 31, which is increase and 4.5 million higher than the same time last year. Comparing August 2024 and 2025, we’re seeing about 5,000 more morning boardings, 6,600 more midday boardings and 9,500 more afternoon boardings on an average weekday.

Read More

By the end of 2026, Sound Transit’s regional Link light rail will provide expanded service to areas now served by buses. Link expansions include the 2 Line Crosslake Connection, which will complete the 2 Line from Lynnwood City Center to Downtown Redmond, and the 1 Line to Federal Way Downtown.

If you currently ride ST Express, your trip could look different when Link opens. Sound Transit is conducting this survey to gather public feedback on our ST Express bus service proposals. Your participation will help inform the final 2026 Service Plan!

Join the City of Bellevue for its upcoming Eastgate and Factoria Neighborhood Scans! The walks will occur on October 4, 2025, from 10 AM–12 PM at Newport Way Library for the Eastgate scan and at the Newport Covenant Church for the Factoria scan. Bellevue’s Great Neighborhoods program is designed so that city staff can hear directly from community members on their values and vision for the future of their neighborhood. This work helps the city develop plans that will allow for future growth. Make your voice heard by attending this great event and let city officials know your thoughts on how best to improve your neighborhood.

Getting around the Overlake community just got easier! Today, King County Metro launched its popular Metro Flex service in the area, offering riders a new way to travel on their own schedule with affordable, on-demand rides that connect neighborhoods, transit hubs, shopping and more — all with just a few taps in an app.

The Bellevue 2030 District is excited to announce Transportation Week, a focused event series dedicated to decarbonizing commutes, enhancing transportation infrastructure, and providing tenants with sustainable options for getting to work. This week will explore strategies for reducing the carbon footprint of commutes, including the integration of electric vehicles (EVs) and EV charging infrastructure. By collaborating with property owners, transportation professionals, and community stakeholders, we aim to advance cleaner, greener mobility solutions. Transportation Week will feature webinars, site tours showcasing innovative transportation practices, networking events, blog posts, and roundtable discussions to inspire actionable change for sustainable urban mobility. Join us in shaping the future of transportation in our communities.

A purple wave is ready to wash college football’s best into Lake Washington! Coach Jedd Fisch and the University of Washington Huskies are fired up for the new season which begins with a game against Colorado State August 30.

You have lots of options for leaving your car at home and take transit to and from Husky Stadium to root on the Purple and Gold!

The Huskies second year in the Big 10 Conference includes visits by Illinois, Purdue, some daffy ducks from Oregon and the opportunity to knock the “O” out of the defending National Champion Ohio State.

For complete game-day transportation information, visit the Huskies gameday transportation website.

Take your pick
Fans can ride Metro shuttles from two Eastside park-and-ride lots, as well as contracted non-Metro shuttles from some park-and-ride lots. You can also jump on the Sound Transit Link light rail 1 Line, riding Metro buses that connect with Link. There are also regular Metro bus service that travels near Husky Stadium.

Park-and-Ride express shuttle bus service
Metro buses will operate express shuttle service on Husky home game days from two designated park and ride lots:

• Eastgate Park-and-Ride
• South Kirkland Park-and-Ride

The Shoreline and Kingsgate Park & Ride routes will no longer be operational. Shoreline riders are strongly encouraged to utilize Link Light Rail and Kingsgate riders are strongly encouraged to utilize the South Kirkland Park & Ride route.

The Redondo Heights Park & Ride bus service route will only be available to fans who purchase a full-season pass for this route. Single-game bus passes will not be available for purchase.

With the purchase of a UW season bus pass or UW game day bus pass, fans can park in the park-and-ride lots and travel stress-free to and from Husky Stadium.

After the game, pass holders can board buses in front of the stadium for the return trip.

• To the game
• From the game

Dawgs on the Bus
There are routes north and south that will take you to Sound Transit Link light rail, that will bring you right to the stadium. There are also ONE DOZEN (12) Metro routes that will bring you to within a short distance of the stadium—just follow the purple and the gold!

Plan your trip: By using Trip Planner  and see the next trip arriving at your stop with our Text for Departures tool (text your bus stop number to 62550)

Pay for your ride: Be sure to have your ORCA card or Transit GO ticket ready to go to avoid long delays, because you want to be there for kickoff! Remember, fans 18 and younger ride to the game for free.

WOOF!!! We’ll see you on board!

King County Metro:

SUMMARY

Another boost in King County Metro bus service begins Aug. 30. New and improved routes will better serve Eastside communities and help facilitate connections to Sound Transit’s 2 Line light rail stations. Metro also is adding bus service in Seattle on Route 106 funded by the voter-approved Seattle Transit Measure. On-demand service Metro Flex is expanding to Bellevue on Sept. 15.

STORY

Metro is enhancing bus service to better connect riders with the light rail stations on the 2 Line and throughout Seattle. Starting Aug. 30, there will be more frequent access both on the Eastside and in Seattle. Full details are on Metro’s Service Change webpage.

“We’re delivering what riders and residents asked for: more frequent bus service, better evening and weekend options, and improved connections to Sound Transit 2 Line stations on the Eastside,” King County Executive Braddock said. “With 900 more trips per week across Metro’s system, regional travel options keep improving.” 

Following a comprehensive review of bus service across 21 cities on the Eastside and parts of Seattle, Metro is rolling out service improvements in phases as part of the Eastside Link Connections project. Extensive engagement from Eastside communities and the thousands of riders who rely on public transit guided Metro’s plan, which was approved by the King County Council this past spring.

“You’ll be seeing more Metro bus service, meeting the needs of riders and providing new, faster connections every day, all day,” Metro General Manager Michelle Allison said. “Some of these upgrades are laying the groundwork for the further expansion of the 2 Line coming next year and we invite everyone to explore the new places you’ll be able to go on transit.”

Highlights of Aug. 30 service updates

New bus routes improve connections

• Route 203: Connecting Issaquah Highlands, North Issaquah, Issaquah Transit Center, Newport Way, Factoria and the 2 Line at South Bellevue Station.
• Route 222: Connecting Overlake, Idylwood, downtown Redmond, Education Hill and Cottage Lake, and the 2 Line at Downtown Redmond and Redmond Technology Stations.
• Route 223: Connecting Eastgate, Lake Hills, Overlake and 2 Line service at Downtown Redmond Station, with more frequent 20-minute weekday service.
• Route 256: Direct peak-only service connecting Woodinville, Brickyard Park & Ride, Totem Lake, Kingsgate Park & Ride, Yarrow Point Freeway Station, Evergreen Point Freeway Station, South Lake Union and downtown Seattle.

More frequent buses on weekdays

• DART Route 224 between Duvall and Redmond will improve to service every 60 minutes.
• Route 226 in Bellevue will provide peak service every 20 minutes connecting Downtown Bellevue, Lake Hills, Bellevue College, Eastgate and the 2 Line at South Bellevue Station.
• Route 240 will improve to service every 20 minutes during peak and midday times on a revised pathway connecting Downtown Bellevue to the South Bellevue Station, Factoria, Newcastle and Renton.
• DART Route 249 will improve to service every 30 minutes on weekdays with hourly service added from 7 to 9 p.m. connecting Redmond Technology Station, Overlake, downtown Bellevue, and South Bellevue Station.

More frequent Route 106 service in Seattle

The voter-approved Seattle Transit Measure (STM) is funding 30 new bus trips per week in early mornings and mid-day on Route 106, which connects Chinatown-International District in Seattle to Mount Baker, Rainier Beach, Skyway and Renton. These 30 new trips mean that Route 106 buses will now arrive every 15 minutes from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Prior to this investment, buses arrived every 20-30 minutes. These investments will support better access to services along this route, and to the new Judkins Park Link light rail station when it opens next year on Sound Transit’s Line 2.

STM was approved by voters in November 2020 and is funded by a 0.15% sales tax through early 2027. The Seattle Transit Measure supports transit access and frequency across Seattle.

“Seattle Transit Measure investments are a testament to our commitment to equitable and accessible transit for all,” SDOT Interim Director Adiam Emery said. “We are supporting our King County Metro partners’ regional service investments with more service on Route 106, ensuring that our neighbors who depend the most on transit have more frequent, reliable connections to essential services and new Link light rail stations in the future. These improvements reflect the power of collaboration and the voices of our residents. They are part of a set of bold investments we’re making as a City to enhance transit for everyone.”

Enhanced Eastside service that launched in June will continue

• Route 204 (Mercer Island): Metro launched all-new Sunday service, providing 10 round trips and matching the number of trips provided on Saturdays. Riders can request off-route trips in the DART service areas northeast of I-90 and on the south end of the island.
• Route 930 (Kirkland, Redmond): Metro added evening trips to create steady hourly service from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. Riders can request off-route trips in the Route 930 DART service areas along Willows Road.
• Route 931: (UW Bothell, Woodinville, Cottage Lake and Duvall): This reinstated and revised weekday peak-only DART route launched in June. Service runs every 30 minutes from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Riders can request off-route trips in the Route 931 DART service areas in Bothell and Duvall. Reservations can be made via phone (1-866-261-3278), TTY (1-800-246-1646) or online form.

New Metro Flex coming to Overlake in Bellevue Sept. 15

Metro Flex’s upcoming service area in Bellevue will allow riders to connect to and from 2 Line service at Overlake Village Station. Metro Flex is your on-demand neighborhood transit service. With one simple app or booking by phone, a vehicle will take you anywhere in the service area, all for the same cost as a bus trip. Metro Flex is convenient, fast, affordable transit at your fingertips.  Metro will pilot electric vehicles in Bellevue. Details and the service area map will be available soon on the Metro Flex webpage.

More details and help for riders online, via customer service

Riders can review the route updates on Metro’s web page in English, 简体中文 (Simplified Chinese), Русский (Russian), Español (Spanish) and Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese). Additional languages are available by using an online translation tool. Bus trip schedules will be updated across most bus routes, and new orange timetables will soon be available on buses and at popular transit locations.

Metro’s customer information office can answer questions from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday at 206-553-3000. Also, Metro’s Trip Planner will be updated before Aug. 30 so riders can plan future travel.

Fare changes coming Sept. 1

As Metro has previously shared, fares are increasing to $3 for its buses, Metro Flex, and Seattle Streetcar starting Sept. 1, 2025. King County Water Taxi adult fares using an ORCA card will increase by 25 cents, and ORCA LIFT discounted fares on water taxis will be reduced to $1. Riders are encouraged to update their ORCA card autoloads and monthly PugetPass. Reduced fare options are available for riders with lower incomes, and for seniors and riders with disabilities.

Relevant links

• King County Metro home page
• King County Metro service change web page

Grand Connection approaches new milestones plus, code amendment for e-scooters, Sustainable Bellevue plan update and tourism area budget