Transit Alert – Metro's spring service revisions begin March 23; tunnel buses move to surface streets, there are routing revisions to some routes and new fare payment options for riders along Third & Westlake avenues

On Saturday, March 23, Metro’s spring service revisions begin.

Revisions include new blue timetables, buses moving from the transit tunnel to surface streets, a new downtown Seattle transit pathway on 5th and 6th avenues, all-door boarding and off-board fare payment on Third and Westlake avenues, and other adjustments to improve service and reliability.

For fast information, visit Metro’s website or regional Puget Sound Trip Planner, or text your stop ID to 62550 for scheduled and estimated departure times, as well as known individual trip cancelations.

Service Revisions
Tunnel buses move to surface streets
Metro bus routes 41, 74, 101, 102, 150 and 255, and Sound Transit Express Route 550 are revised to permanently operate via surface streets. Bus service is shifting from the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel to make room for the expansion of Link light rail service and the Washington State Convention Center.

Bus tunnel fans are invited to indulge in and enjoy a bit of “DSTT” nostalgia.

There is a new transit pathway on 5th & 6th avenues
Metro bus routes 74, 76, 77, 252, 255, 257, 301, 308, 311 and 316 are revised to operate on a new transit pathway on 5th and 6th avenues to increase reliability during peak commutes times.

Try off-board fare payment and all-door boarding on Third & Westlake avenues
Starting March 23, King County Metro bus riders can tap their ORCA cards to pre-pay their fare for all routes that serve any of 30 designated stops along Third and Westlake avenues, then board through all doors, making boarding faster and more efficient in one of the busiest transit corridors.  Because Metro has no ‘fare zones’, it is only necessary to tap once when boarding buses, and not a second time when exiting, as is required when riding trains.  A second tap within two hours is treated as a transfer with no extra charge.

Of the 30 bus stops where off-board fare payment is available for all service, 21 stops currently have ORCA machines already installed.  During the next few months, machines will be installed at the remaining 9 stops.  Until then, boarding assistants in Metro uniforms will be available to assist riders with ORCA cards during weekday afternoon peak commuting hours.

This new method of off-board fare payment for all routes is only applicable to the 30 designated stops along Third and Westlake avenues. At all other locations, or where ORCA readers are not available, or when paying with cash, tickets, transfers or Transit GO tickets, please pay a fare when entering buses at the front door. 

Metro customers who board non-RapidRide buses at RapidRide stops outside of the downtown Seattle area should continue to pay on-board the bus when they board.

Off-board fare payment and all-door boarding for RapidRide routes (A through F) is not affected and continues to operate as usual at all RapidRide stops.

Proof of fare payment
Riders should note that payment of a valid fare is required upon boarding.

As is the case with Metro’s RapidRide service and Sound Transit’s Link and Sounder rail service, all bus passengers must be able to show their recently tapped ORCA card, a valid Transit GO ticket, or - in the case of Metro buses only - a paper transfer as proof of payment after boarding buses.  Metro recommends that riders who pay cash always keep the paper transfer issued by the driver as a receipt and proof of payment until their ride is complete.

If stand-alone ORCA readers are not available or working, or at times when ORCA boarding assistants are not available, riders should either tap their ORCA card at an existing machine at one of the 30- designated stops, or otherwise pay their fare when boarding at the front door.

Metro fare inspection personnel may check for proof of payment of fares on any route.

Metro offers several reduced fare options, including ORCA LIFT, ORCA Youth fares, and Regional Reduced Fare Permits, that help eligible riders to use transit.

Metro’s Westlake Station Customer Service Office is now closed
The Westlake Customer Service Office that was formerly in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel is permanently closed.

Ticket vending machines are still available at Westlake Station, and ORCA cards are available at the nearby Bartell Drugs at 1404 3rd Avenue.

ORCA cards can also be purchased online at orcacard.com, at participating retailers or at ticket vending machines located at transit centers, Link light rail stations and Sounder commuter rail stations.

There are new bus stops in Pioneer Square
All routes that previously operated on the Alaskan Way Viaduct will serve new stops on 1st Avenue South in Pioneer Square. 

Metro bus routes 21 Express, 55, 56, 57, 113, 120, 121, 122, 123, 125 and the RapidRide C Line to downtown Seattle will serve the stop northbound on 1st Avenue S just north of S King St.

Heading toward West Seattle, routes 21 Express, 37, 55, 56, 57, 113, 120, 121, 122, 123, 125 and the RapidRide C Line will serve the stop southbound on 1st Av S just south of S King St. 

Mercer Island service revisions
Route 201 is discontinued & Route 204 is converted to DART service.

Service improvements
The following Metro routes have added trips or have had their schedules adjusted to reduce crowding and improve reliability: Routes 15, 40, 41, 50, 55, 70, 106, 111, 120, 158, 169, 204, 224, 252, 312, 316, the RapidRide E Line, and School routes 891, 892, and 894.

Find information
Spring service revisions are posted online, and are also included in new blue timetables and in the special rider alert brochure.

Visit Metro’s website for complete information about Metro and regional transportation services.

Visit Metro’s Service Advisories page for information about revised bus service, routing and stops for planned events. 

Text your stop ID to 62550 for scheduled and estimated departure times, as well as known individual trip cancelations.

Sign up for Transit Alerts.

Call Metro Customer Information at 206-553-3000.

When Metro’s Customer Service offices are closed, transit customers can use online resources to find transit information, submit comments, manage their ORCA account, or to access Metro’s regional Puget Sound Trip Planner desktop or iOS and Android apps.

When planning a trip in Metro’s online Puget Sound Trip Planner, use a date of March 23 or later to find a route or schedule, find a stop, track your bus or plan a trip that uses the new spring information.

Find out about other transit revisions in the greater Seattle and Puget Sound area by visiting Metro’s transit partners at Community Transit, Everett Transit, King County Water Taxi, Pierce Transit, Seattle Streetcar, Sound Transit and the Washington State Ferries. Visit the Community Transit, Pierce Transit, Sound Transit or Washington State Ferries websites for information about services provided by Metro’s regional transit partners.

For non-transit traffic or other local updates, check media sources, follow @seattledot or visit

- https://twitter.com/seattledot
- https://twitter.com/SeattlePD

Thank you for riding and for using Metro’s services.