Community Transit

Take Transit Downtown

Community Transit has 16 bus routes offering more than 100 roundtrips each weekday between Snohomish County communities and downtown Seattle. Free park & ride lots throughout Snohomish County make it easy to catch a bus and avoid I-5 traffic.

Buses use the HOV (carpool) lanes and have priority on Seattle streets, saving you time as well as money and stress.

Commuter Service

• Peak-hour service: Buses arrive in Seattle between 6-9 a.m. and depart between 3-6 p.m.
• Clean, comfortable buses: With cushioned high-back seats, climate control and easy, low-floor boarding. Plus, the Double Tall double-decker buses operate on Seattle routes.
• Limited stops: Buses make limited stops in Snohomish County and Community Transit buses inbound to Seattle stop only at the request of on-board passengers (new passengers may board only if the bus is already stopping).
• Off-peak options: For those late mornings, days you need to get home early or evenings you want to stay in Seattle see Route 414 and Sound Transit Express Routes 510 and 511.

Connections

• Transfer to King County Metro Transit buses to complete your trip to First Hill, South Lake Union, Belltown or other destinations.
• Head into the Seattle Transit Tunnel  to catch Link light rail to SeaTac Airport and other south Seattle stops.
• Community Transit has separate commuter service to the University of Washington.
• To plan a bus trip anywhere in the Puget Sound region, simply click on Trip Planner at the top of the page and enter your starting point and destination.

Fares & Passes

Community Transit commuter fares are based on distance, so adult passengers boarding in south Snohomish County pay $3.50 per trip; passengers in north and east county pay $4.50 (Routes 421, 422, 424, 425, 821).

Many Downtown Seattle employers offer incentives for employees to carpool or take transit such as an ORCA card valid on buses throughout the region. Check with your employer to find out if they offer transit incentives.

Ride Free Area

You can ride free on any public bus within Downtown Seattle’s Ride Free Area (RFA) between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. When boarding in the RFA, passengers may enter at either front or rear doors. Pay when you get off the bus, unless your entire trip is within the RFA.

The RFA is shown in yellow on commuter route maps, and Seattle bus stops within the zone are marked.

Routing

Commuter buses serve downtown Seattle using different routing in the morning (to Seattle) than they do in the afternoon (to Snohomish County).

•  Downtown Seattle map

There are also two different routing patterns for how buses enter and leave downtown Seattle.

• Access downtown Seattle from the north end via Stewart on Routes 401, 402, 405, 410, 414, 415, 417, 422, 424.
• Access from the south end via Cherry, with the first stop near Seattle City Hall, on Routes 406, 412, 413, 416, 421, 425, 435.

Downtown Bus Stops

There are so many buses and such busy bus stops in downtown Seattle, that bus routes serve only designated stops every few blocks. Other stops are "skipped." Look for your route number posted on the stop to confirm that it will pick-up there. If it's not listed, walk a block to the next stop.

Drop-off bus stops are not posted with route numbers. Bus drivers call out the street names for the next stop when they are in Seattle so passengers are ready to deboard when they stop.

Visit our Bus Stop List page or the route schedule page to see a list of stops by route.

Bikes Downtown

Bicycles are able to be loaded and unloaded at any stop in downtown Seattle. Please make sure to catch the coach operator's attention before stepping in front of the bus. Bicycles may also be loaded in the Seattle Transit Tunnel - be aware the curb is extra-high.

Service from Lynnwood Transit Center

• Transit Center Bay Map
• Location Map (Google)

Lynnwood Transit Center (LTC) is the hub of Community Transit's bus service in Snohomish County. Southbound commuters can take either a bus that accesses downtown Seattle from the north end via Stewart (Routes 401, 402, 422, 511) or from the south end via Cherry, with the first stop near Seattle City Hall (Routes 421, 425). Northbound commuters get the same options in reverse.

• Bay D3: Route 511
• Bay D4: Routes 421, 425
• Bay D5: Routes 401, 402, 422

Substantial local bus service as well as connections to the Eastside and the University District are available at Lynnwood Transit Center. While parking is available at LTC, it is often full. Carpooling, getting dropped off or taking a local bus are recommended.

Additional services at Lynnwood Transit Center:

• Lost & Found
• ORCA card sales
• RideStore
• Coffee stand

Downtown Seattle Routes

To view bus schedules and maps for the following downtown Seattle routes, click on the route number, then smile & ride!