Free Youth Transit Pass | Community Transit

Free Youth Transit Pass

Starting in September, Youth Ride Transit for Free!Two teens riding a public transit bus. Youth ages 13-18 can ride transit for free starting September 1.

Starting September 1, 2022, people 18 and younger can take transit for free thanks to Move Ahead Washington, a statewide transportation funding package. We are excited to bring the freedom of transit to a new generation!

How it works

Starting Sept 1, all youth can ride transit for free. Riders age 13-18 are encouraged to use an ORCA card if they have one. If you don’t have one, you can get one from your school at the start of the school year.

Youth ORCA Card

  • Please “tap” your card when you board your bus or at the Swift station before the bus arrives. On Sound Transit light rail, please also “tap” when you exit.
  • If you kept the Youth ORCA card issued by your school during the 2021-22 academic year, it will continue to work through June 30, 2023.

Youth who do not have an ORCA card can still ride for free. Children age 12 and under do not need an ORCA card.

In 2023 and beyond, youth will be directed to get a Free Youth Transit Pass that allows them to tap a card—or eventually their smartphone—to access transit across the region for free.

A young boy and girl riding the bus.

Your passport to the Puget Sound

Across the Puget Sound region, youth can ride free on any of the following transit agencies. (Free youth transit starts on Sept. 1 unless otherwise noted.)

  • Community Transit
  • Everett Transit (began July 1)
  • King County Metro
  • King County Water Taxi
  • Kitsap Ferries
  • Kitsap Transit
  • Pierce Transit
  • Sound Transit
  • Washington State Ferries (including cyclists, pedestrians, and vehicle passengers, but not vehicles – starting Oct. 1)

Skagit Transit also allows free rides for youth 18 and under but does not use the ORCA card.

How this came to be

The Washington State Legislature passed the Move Ahead Washington transportation package in spring 2022. As part of this package, transit agencies are awarded new funding provided they adopt a policy that passengers 18 years of age and younger may ride free of charge on any mode operated by the transit agency.

On August 4, the Community Transit Board of Directors voted to allow passengers ages 18 and under to RIDE FREE on all Community Transit services starting Sept. 1.

This means free rides to get to school, meet up with friends, get to work, go shopping… where will your Free Youth Transit Pass take you?