ORCA Fare Payment Card
ORCA Saves Time and Money
Traveling the Puget Sound region by bus, train and ferry is even easier with ORCA. The ORCA card works like cash or a pass, automatically tracking the value of different fares and transfers so you don't have to.
The electronic fare card works for all seven of the major public transportation agencies serving King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties:
- Community Transit
- Everett Transit
- King County Metro Transit
- Kitsap Transit
- Pierce Transit
- Sound Transit
- Washington State Ferries
ORCA is your transfer
If you take more than one bus or train to complete your trip, or if you ride the bus frequently, get an ORCA card.
Paying with ORCA automatically gives you a two-hour transfer that credits the fare you've already paid when you transfer to another bus.
New ORCA is here
We've recently upgraded the ORCA system. That means a better payment experience and more choices for managing your account. You are now able to add value to your account in real-time and manage your account from anywhere with the ORCA App. Visit myORCA.com to learn more.
How to buy ORCA
Adult customers can buy an ORCA card and load transportation value or passes onto existing cards in the any of the ways listed below.
- ORCA app:
Starting on May 16, 2022, you can use the ORCA app to manage your ORCA card balance.
Click one of the links below to download the app.
- Online: Manage your ORCA account online at MyORCA.com. Online purchases
require a valid Visa or MasterCard. Load funds instantly to your ORCA card online, check your car balance, and more. An adult ORCA card costs $3 to purchase.
- By phone: 1-888-988-6722 or TTY Relay: 711 (1-888-889-6368). Phone purchases require a valid Visa or MasterCard.
- Customer Service Office: such as the RideStore or Everett Station. Adult, youth (ages 6 to 18), senior (ages 65+) and disabled Regional Reduced Fare Permit ORCA cards are available at these locations. Most forms of payment are accepted
at customer service offices.
- Ticket vending machines: Ticket machines are located at Everett Station (inside the building as well as on the train platform and just north of the Swift terminal), Mukilteo and Edmonds Sounder stations and at King Street
and light rail stations in downtown Seattle. Ticket machine purchases require cash, Visa or MasterCard, and only adult cards are sold at machines.
- By mail: Mail purchases may be made with a check, credit card or money order.
- Participating retail pass outlets: Add value to an existing ORCA card or purchase a new adult card. Cash accepted, check with the retailer for other options. Between May and late 2022, while we make improvements to our retail network, you’ll experience temporary changes to how you use ORCA cards at stores. Once the expanded retail network is launched, you will need a new re-designed card to use ORCA at stores. From May through July, 2022, there will be a one-hour loading delay on fares added to ORCA cards through retailers.
Free Youth Transit Pass, youth 18 and under ride for free. To get a youth ORCA card, customers must provide proof of age in person at a Customer Service Office or by visiting freeyouthtransitpass.org.
To pay a reduced fare, seniors (ages 65+) and people with disabilities need to get
a reduced fare ORCA card in person at a Customer Service Office. Bring proof of age or
Once you have your ORCA card, all customers can load a pass or E-purse value online,
by mail, at an ORCA Customer Service Office or at a ticket vending machine. Cards last 3-5 years.
ORCA Products
ORCA E-purse
Best for: new or infrequent transit riders
E-purse is loaded pre-paid value on your ORCA card, like a pre-paid coffee card. The
E-purse value may be purchased in dollar increments with a minimum purchase of $5 and a maximum of $300. You can add value at any time by phone, online or in person, or set the card to “autoload”
whenever the balance falls to zero.
Tap your ORCA card to activate E-purse added online or by phone. If you do not tap within 60 days, reactivate that E-purse by contacting ORCA customer service at 888-988-6722 or contactus@orcacard.com.
Monthly Pass or Monthly Pass/E-Purse combination
Best
For those who take more than 18 roundtrips a month, we recommend a monthly pass (see pass prices).
A monthly pass on an ORCA card is good for unlimited rides on transit systems throughout the region. Pick a pass value based on the fare of your most frequent trip. For instance, buy a $2.50 pass if you’re an adult who takes local Community
Transit buses.
If you make transfers to a bus or train with a higher fare, you can pay the cost difference with cash or with
You can set your ORCA account to automatically load a new pass every month. When we begin the upgrade to a new system on May 16, 2022, you will need to renew your auto-load information
on the app or on myorca.com.
If you ride the Washington State Ferries, you can load a WSF monthly pass on your ORCA card (creating your own "Ship to Shore" pass), or use your
E-purse to pay for individual ferry rides (walk-on fare only).
ORCA LIFT
Best For: Low-income residents
Community Transit offers a reduced fare for low-income residents through the ORCA LIFT Program.
An ORCA card allows riders to pay a reduced bus fare because their household income is less than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty level, established by the US Dept. of Health & Human Services.