Transit Alert – Stay home, stay healthy: ride transit only for essential trips; Metro, Water Taxi and Sound Transit are operating with reduced schedules

King County, Washington sent this bulletin at 04/08/2020 07:40 PM PDT

Metro thanks everyone who is staying home and leaving seats on transit for those who must travel for essential work, medicine or groceries.

King County Metro Transit and Water Taxi, and Sound Transit, are operating with temporary schedule reductions designed for necessary trips, and have implemented added measures to support physical distancing in an effort to keep riders and employees safe while providing essential services. No payment of fare is required.

Watch for updates, as conditions may change.

If you must go, please know:
Please only ride transit for essential trips.

Do not travel if you are sick.

Board and exit by the rear door if you are able to.

Safety straps have been installed to provide separation on buses and other transit vehicles.  Informational signs and decals are posted. 

Maintain distance from other passengers and from drivers.
Observe and abide by all signs, decals and guidelines.

Cover coughs and sneezes. Wear a mask.

‘Reduced Schedule’ operation
Metro’s temporary Reduced Schedule operation helps to maintain a sustainable transit system that is keeping our region moving for necessary trips until full service can be restored. Some routes are not affected, a few routes are completely canceled, and most routes have some trips that are canceled.

 The following service reductions are in effect:

Routes with few or no changes
Routes 22, 60, 63, 64, 71, 73, 105, 106, 118, 119, 128, 131, 148, 164, 166, 168, 193, 221, 269, 303, 309, 331, 345, 348, ST 554, the RapidRide A Line, 628 - Snoqualmie Community Shuttle, 631 - Burien Community Shuttle, 901, 903, 906, 908, 914 and 916 all have two or fewer trip revisions.

Weekday routes & services that are completely canceled
While many routes have two or more individual trips canceled, the weekday routes and services listed below are completely canceled until further notice.

Most routes that are canceled have at least some alternative service. 

  • Metro routes 5X, 9, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21X, 29, 37, 47, 55, 56, 57, 74, 76, 77, 78, 102, 111, 113, 114, 116, 121, 122, 123, 125, 143, 154, 157, 158, 159, 167, 177, 178, 179, 186, 190, 192, 197, 200, 208, 212, 214, 216, 217, 218, 219, 224, 232, 237, 246, 252, 257, 268, 301, 304, 308, 311, 312, 316, 330, 342, 355, 630 - Mercer Island Community Shuttle, 773, 775, 823, 824, 886, 887, 888, 889, 891, 892, 893, 894, 895, 907, 910, 913, 930, 931, 952, 980, 981, 982, 984, 986, 987, 988, 989, 994 & 995;
  • Black Diamond/Enumclaw Community Ride, Shoreline/Lake Forest Park Community Ride,
    Normandy Park Community Ride, Sammamish Community Ride, Juanita Community Ride
    & new Bothell/Woodinville Community Ride;
  • Sound Transit Express Bus routes 541, 555 and 556;
  • The South Lake Union Streetcar;
  • The Seattle Center Monorail, and
  • Via to Transit.

Find specific canceled trips
Routes that are not listed above are operating, but have several trips that are canceled.

To identify whether a specific trip is operating or canceled, the following tools are available:

Watch for updates, as conditions are subject to change.

Other services
Metro customer services
Metro’s Customer Information phone line at 206-553-3000 is available during its regular weekday hours of 6:00 AM-8:00 PM for trip planning and general information, and from 8:00 AM-5:00 PM for ORCA transactions and submitting comments.

Metro’s walk-in fare media sales and lost-and-found offices in Pioneer Square are currently closed.

ORCA queries and transactions, submitting comments and reporting lost items can all be done on Metro’s website, or you are welcome to call the number above during regular operating hours for assistance.

King County Water Taxis
The King County Water Taxi will operate with one vessel for six roundtrip sailings per weekday.

Water Taxi shuttle routes 773 and 775 are discontinued until further notice.

City of Seattle First Hill Streetcar
The first Hill Streetcar is operating
- Monday-Saturday every 15 minutes from 5:30 AM-8:30 PM, and
- Regular Sunday hours and schedule

The South Lake Union Streetcar is canceled until further notice.

Link light rail
Link service is currently operating every 20 minutes.

Additional Information
King County resources

Other transit agencies

Thank you for following all safety guidelines, and for staying home if you can.

Be safe.