Ride light rail in Snohomish County
Sound Transit's Lynnwood Link Extension offers four light rail stations North of Northgate Station. Community Transit's many services can make catching the train at Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, and Shoreline easy and light rail makes for faster local and regional connections for anyone taking transit.
Getting to light rail
You can take a bus light rail stations with more connections than ever before. See our lists of bus routes that can connect you to light rail below or use our Plan My Trip online tool to determine the best route and schedule for you. You can also take Zip Shuttle Alderwood to connect to light rail at Lynnwood City Center.
Parking at stations fills up quickly early in the day, so avoid the hassle by taking the bus to light rail!
Regularly ride light rail?
Sign up for Sound Transit rider alerts to know about changes that may affect your ride.
Taking your bike to light rail?
Riders can travel with their bike on the train by following Sound Transit's guidelines. Learn more about bringing your bike on Link and what to expect, from Sound Transit's web site.
Connect with Zip Shuttle Alderwood
You can take Zip to connect to light rail at Lynnwood City Center Station or connect to other transit options in the Alderwood service area.
About the Lynnwood Link light rail extension
Click the map to view larger
Lynnwood extension light rail stations:
- Lynnwood City Center Station
- Mountlake Terrace Station
- Shoreline North/185th Station
- Shoreline South/148th Station
Lynnwood City Center Station is the final stop until light rail extends to Everett. Community Transit is providing even more direct bus service to the Shoreline North/185th Station, Mountlake Terrace Station, and Lynnwood City Center Station.
With light rail’s fast connections, you can ride from:
- Lynnwood to Westlake in Downtown Seattle in 28 minutes
- Mountlake Terrace to SeaTac in 56 minutes
- Shoreline to UW in 11 minutes
Future light rail projects that will serve our region:
East Link Extension
The initial segment serves eight stations between South Bellevue and Redmond Technology stations and opened in April 2024. The full line is scheduled to open in 2025. It will serve 18 miles from west to east with service at 12 stations in Downtown Seattle, Mercer Island, Bellevue, and Redmond. The Link 2 Line will continue through the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel and share stations with the Link 1 Line extending to Lynnwood City Center station.
Everett Link Extension
The Everett Link Extension will add 16 miles of light rail and six new stations connecting Snohomish County residents to the regional light rail network. These changes will open between 2037 and 2041.
Riding light rail
Light rail fares
ORCA Card
When you use your ORCA card to transfer from a bus to light rail, you don’t have to pay two full fares — your first-leg fare counts toward the second leg of your trip within a two-hour window.
Flat fares for light rail
The Lynnwood Link opening marked big shift in light rail fares, going from a structure based on distance traveled to a $3 flat fare per ride. This means light rail riders with an ORCA card no longer need to “tap off” at the end of their ride.
When arriving at the station, just find the closest ORCA Card reader and “tap on” by placing your card flat against it. One beep and a green light mean you’re good to go.
Tickets & Day Passes
Buy Link tickets or day passes from the station ticket machine with cash, or most debit/credit cards.
Transit Go Ticket App
You can also pay your fare using your smartphone and the Transit Go Ticket app.
Riders pay a flat fare for light rail service:
| Adult (Ages 19–64) | Youth (Age 19 and younger) | Reduced Fare (Seniors / People with Disabilities / Medicare) | ORCA LIFT (Low-Income fare) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $3.00 | FREE | $1.00 | $1.00 |
Light rail hours and schedules
Link light rail trains run every eight minutes during peak hours and every 10 to 15 minutes during non-peak hours.
Trains run from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday and from 6 a.m. to midnight on Sunday and select holidays. Check your local bus schedule if you plan to connect to light rail by bus, especially for late-night trips.
Visit the Sound Transit Website for schedule details.
In case of a Link service disruption
There may be times where Link service is temporarily interrupted, either due to planned maintenance or an emergency. In those instances Link service will be replaced by Link Shuttle bus service until light rail is restored. Learn more about Link Shuttle service and what to do in the event of service disruption. Information about upcoming planned disruptions is also available on Sound Transit's web site.
If you regularly ride the light rail, sign up for Sound Transit rider alerts to get notified about changes that may affect your ride.
Sound Transit service information
Light rail service is operated by Sound Transit.
Use the info below to find more info on Link light rail, the Sounder train, Sound Transit bus service, trip planning, lost
& found, holiday schedule, and general information:
- SoundTransit.org
- (888) 889-6368
- TTY Relay: Dial 711
Related News
No Parking? No Problem!
Pictured above: Parking at Lynnwood City Center fills up quickly early in the day as bus riders park and board the Link light rail to Seattle.
Struggling to find parking at the new Lynnwood City Center light rail station? You’re not alone. Parking fills up fast, but there’s a stress-free alternative: the bus.
“Taking the bus to light rail is easier than you think,” said Annmarie Gibson, assistant manager of Customer Care at Community Transit.
Parking frustrations
Many people are excited to try out light rail now that it has arrived in Snohomish County, which also means many people are driving to park at a light rail station.
Lynnwood City Center Station, managed by Sound Transit, has 1,900 parking spaces — 1,670 in its new five-story garage and 226 stalls in nearby surface lots.
“The garage has been full nearly every day. With many spaces blocked off due to construction, there is less parking for light rail riders. People are frustrated,” Gibson said.
Parking spaces also fill up during major athletic events and concerts at venues in Seattle.
Take the bus to connect with light rail
“If you’re going to a big event, the light rail is a great way to get there and can help you save on parking, but don’t count on finding an open parking spot at the station. At the Ride Store, we can help you find the best way to connect by bus,” Gibson said.
Community Transit’s new Ride Store is conveniently located near the bus bays at Lynnwood City Center Station.
There are 15 Community Transit bus routes and four Sound Transit bus routes that serve Lynnwood City Center. It is easy to take a connecting bus from your home area or by driving to a less-used park and ride lot and making that easy connection to Link light rail. Review a list of bus routes to nearby light rail stations to plan a connecting trip that is convenient to you.
Pay with your ORCA card
Riders can pay for bus and light rail fares with an ORCA card. Your ORCA fare transfers when switching between rides. With an ORCA card, pay $2.50 for adult bus fares, $1.25 for discounted fares, and ride free if you’re 18 or younger.
“You can get an ORCA card at the Ride Store. If you’re driving to the Ride Store, look for parking spots reserved for Ride Store customers. We’ve also helped customers find the best options to connect to light rail from their homes and other park & rides.”
Accessibility on the bus
“Our ADA-accessible parking spaces at Lynnwood City Center have also been at capacity, and some are blocked off due to construction,” says Gibson. “At the Ride Store, we can help you find options for connecting to light rail that meet your unique needs,” Gibson said.
All Community Transit buses are accessible, with ramps and wheelchair lifts, low floors, and kneeling features to assist in boarding. Riders who are unable to ride fixed-route buses may qualify for Community Transit’s DART paratransit service.
For people who want to connect to transit by bike, every bus has a bike rack. Bike lockers are also available to rent at select transit centers, including Lynnwood City Center.
Ready to plan your trip and learn more about connecting to light rail? Visit communitytransit.org/lightrail to get started.
