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Sound Transit Express

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sound Transit Express
A double-decker Sound Transit Express bus on Route 513 at Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station
ParentSound Transit
Founded1996 (1996)
HeadquartersSeattle, Washington
LocalePuget Sound region
Service areaKing, Pierce, and Snohomish
Service typeExpress bus service
Routes25
Hubs8
Fleet240 buses (details)
Daily ridership
30,000 (weekdays, Q1 2026)[1]
Annual ridership
9,809,600 (2025)[2]
Fuel typeCNG, Diesel, and Diesel-electric hybrid
OperatorCommunity Transit, King County Metro, and Pierce Transit
Websitewww.soundtransit.org

Sound Transit Express (ST Express) is a network of regional express buses operated by the multi-county transit agency Sound Transit. The routes connect major regional hubs throughout 53 cities in three counties (King, Pierce, and Snohomish) in the Puget Sound region. Sound Transit Express ranks first in the nation in the number of commuter bus passengers carried and in vehicle miles driven.[3] The first nine routes and 114 buses began carrying passengers on September 19, 1999.[4][5] In 2025, the system had a ridership of 9,809,600, or about 30,000 per weekday as of the first quarter of 2026.

Unlike a typical transit bus service, Sound Transit Express routes typically make limited stops as they travel longer distances on the freeways. Most routes operate seven days a week, with runs throughout the day. Where available, buses use transit-only lanes, high-occupancy vehicle lanes, high-occupancy toll lanes, express lanes, bus bypass shoulders,[6] and direct access ramps to speed travel times. The enabling legislation for Sound Transit requires the eventual replacement of interim express bus routes with forms of high-capacity transit, including Link light rail and bus rapid transit. As a result, many routes have been truncated or discontinued to accommodate expansions of the regional transit system.[7]

While Sound Transit oversees, plans, and funds the service, operation and maintenance of the buses is contracted out to Community Transit (who subcontracts with Transdev), King County Metro and Pierce Transit.[8] There are 240 buses in the system's fleet.[7]

Fares

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ST Express uses a flat fare system, where each ride costs the same regardless of distance.

The fares are as follows:

Fare typeAll
Adult$3.00
Senior (65+) / Disabled / Medicare
(Regional Reduced Fare Permit required)		$1.00
Low-income
(ORCA LIFT card required)		 $1.00
Youth
(6–18 years)		Free
Children
(0–5 years, with fare paying passenger)		Free

Paper transfers are not accepted or issued on Sound Transit routes. Passengers who use ORCA may transfer between ST routes or routes operated by most other agencies within two hours of initial payment. If the fare for the second route is higher, the difference will be charged.

Sound Transit reduced the base fare to match the Link light rail's flat $3 fare in March 2025.[9]

Routes

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Sound Transit Express route 545 serving the Montlake Freeway Station

25 Sound Transit Express bus routes are overseen by the agency.[10] Buses are operated under contract by King County Metro, Pierce Transit and Community Transit (who subcontracts with Transdev).[11] When Sound Transit implements a new bus route, changes are frequently made to existing routes that serve the area to avoid overlapping.

The ST Express routes and operators as of March 28, 2026 are:[12]

Route Off-peak service[7] Weekend service[7] Start Via End Operator
510 No
(use route 512)		 No
(use route 512)		 Downtown Seattle I-5, South Everett Freeway Station, Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station Everett Station

Downtown Everett (select trips only)

 Community Transit
512 Yes Yes Lynnwood City Center Station Ash Way Park & Ride, South Everett Freeway Station
513 No No Ash Way Park & Ride, Eastmont Park & Ride Seaway Transit Center
515 No No I-5, Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station Downtown Seattle
522 Yes Yes Roosevelt Station Lake City Way, Bothell Way NE, Ballinger Way, Kenmore Park & Ride University of Washington, Bothell/Cascadia College

Woodinville Park & Ride (select trips only)

 King County Metro
532 No
(use routes 535 & 512)		 No Downtown Bellevue Bellevue Transit Center, Totem Lake Freeway Station, Brickyard Freeway Station (reverse peak only), I-405 & NE 195th (reverse peak only), Canyon Park Park & Ride, Ash Way Park & Ride, South Everett Freeway Station Everett Station Community Transit
535 Yes Saturday only Bellevue Transit Center, Totem Lake Freeway Station, Brickyard Freeway Station, Bothell Park & Ride, University of Washington, Bothell/Cascadia College, Canyon Park Park & Ride, Alderwood Mall Lynnwood Transit Center
542 Yes Yes U District Station University of Washington, University of Washington Station, Evergreen Point Freeway Station, Yarrow Point Freeway Station, Overlake Transit Center, SR 520 & NE 51st Freeway Station, Downtown Redmond Redmond Transit Center King County Metro
545 Yes Yes Downtown Seattle Capitol Hill (select trips), Montlake Freeway Station (closed since 2019),[13] Evergreen Point Freeway Station, Yarrow Point Freeway Station, Overlake Transit Center, SR 520 & NE 51st Freeway Station, Downtown Redmond, Redmond Transit Center Bear Creek Park & Ride
550 Yes Yes Mercer Island Park & Ride, South Bellevue Park & Ride, Bellevue, Bellevue Transit Center Bellevue (Library)
554 Yes Yes Mercer Island Park & Ride, Eastgate Freeway Station, Issaquah Transit Center, Issaquah Highlands Park & Ride Issaquah Highlands Park & Ride

Redmond (185th Avenue NE & Redmond/Fall City Road, select weekday trips only)

556 No No U District Station University District (Seattle), University of Washington, University of Washington Station, Evergreen Point Freeway Station, Yarrow Point Freeway Station, Bellevue Transit Center, South Bellevue Park & Ride, Eastgate Freeway Station, Issaquah Transit Center Issaquah Highlands Park & Ride
560 Yes Yes Bellevue Transit Center Newport Hills Park & Ride, Kennydale Freeway Station, Renton, Renton Transit Center, Sea-Tac Airport, SeaTac/Airport Station, Burien Transit Center Westwood Village Pierce Transit
566 Yes No Redmond Technology Station (select trips)

State Route 520 & NE 40th St (select trips)

 Bellevue Transit Center, Newport Hills Park & Ride (off peak only), Kennydale Freeway Station (off peak only), Renton, Renton Transit Center, Kent Station (select trips), Auburn Park & Ride (select trips) Kent Station (select trips)

Auburn Transit Center

 King County Metro
570 (owl route) Yes Yes Downtown Seattle Tukwila International Boulevard Station SeaTac/Airport Station
574 Yes Yes Sea-Tac Airport SeaTac/Airport Station, Kent/Des Moines Freeway Station, Star Lake Freeway Station, Federal Way Transit Center, Tacoma Dome Station, SR 512 Park & Ride Lakewood Transit Center Pierce Transit
577 Yes Yes Downtown Seattle I-5 Federal Way Transit Center
578 Yes Yes Federal Way Transit Center, Auburn Station, Sumner Station Puyallup Station
580 No No Puyallup Station 9th St SW South Hill Park and Ride
586 No No University District (Seattle) University of Washington Medical Center, SR 520, I-5, Federal Way Transit Center Tacoma Dome Station
590 No
(use route 594)		 No
(use route 594)		 Downtown Seattle SODO Busway, Tacoma Dome Station Tacoma Dome Station

Downtown Tacoma (one early morning trip only)

592 No No SR 512 Park & Ride, Lakewood Station DuPont Station
594 Yes Yes SODO Busway, Tacoma Dome Station, University of Washington Tacoma, Downtown Tacoma, SR 512 Park & Ride Lakewood Station

DuPont Station (select trips only)

595 No No SODO Busway, Tacoma Community College Transit Center, Narrows Park & Ride, Kimball Drive Park & Ride Gig Harbor (Purdy Park & Ride)
596 No No Sumner Station SR 410 Bonney Lake Park & Ride

Fleet

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Sound Transit owns a fleet of 240 buses operated by three different local transit agencies: Community Transit, King County Metro, and Pierce Transit. These buses are maintained at the respective bases for the agencies in Everett, Bellevue, and Lakewood.[7] The fleet includes articulated, double-decker, and high-floor coach buses.[14] Sound Transit buses are painted white with aqua, turquoise, and blue waves along the sides, representing the Puget Sound region ST Express serves, and most feature a freely-adapted representation of the Sound Transit bus and train system map on the seating fabric.

Occasionally, vehicles that are not in Sound Transit livery are used on Sound Transit routes by the operating agencies. Also, Sound Transit vehicles may also be used by the local agencies for other commuter routes.

References

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  1. ↑ "Transit Ridership Report First Quarter 2026" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. May 28, 2026. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2025" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. February 20, 2026. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
  3. ↑ Rogoff, Peter (January 29, 2016). "CEO Report for January 29, 2016". Sound Transit. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  4. ↑ Collins, Eric (September 20, 1999). "Sound Transit's airport bus hits road". The News Tribune. pp. A1, A10. Retrieved November 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Regional transit history 1997 - 2003". Sound Transit. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  6. ↑ Gutman, David (November 9, 2018). "Buses can avoid morning congestion by using I-5 shoulder lane in Snohomish County". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "Transit Development Plan 2025–2030" (PDF). Sound Transit. August 2025. pp. 7–8, 20–21, 25–26. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  8. ↑ Johnson, Matthew (December 10, 2015). "Q. Who's driving those Sound Transit buses and trains?". The Platform. Sound Transit. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  9. ↑ https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/news-releases/sound-transit-approves-st-express-fare-change
  10. ↑ "Sound Transit: ST Express Regional Bus Service". Sound Transit. Retrieved November 10, 2009.
  11. ↑ "Lost and found". Sound Transit. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Spring service change in effect beginning March 28" (Press release). Sound Transit. March 22, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Montlake Freeway Station closure begins June 22, 2019" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. May 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Draft 2015 Service Implementation Plan - Appendix B: Fleet Plans" (PDF). Sound Transit. p. 111. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 8, 2014. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
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