New Year, same awesome deal: Youth ride ree!
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All youth 18 and younger can ride transit for free until their 19th birthday.
They can enjoy unlimited free adventures all year – whether going to school, meeting friends, or exploring the city. Youth can hop on buses, Link light rail, streetcars, the Water Taxi, and ferries at no cost.
Visit FreeYouthTransitPass.com to get a free Youth ORCA card and start riding into the new year with confidence, freedom, and fun!
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Federal Way Link Extension now open
Big news for people in South King County:
Link light rail now goes all the way to Federal Way. Three new stations opened on December 6: Federal Way Downtown, Kent Des Moines, and Star Lake. King County Metro and other transit partners are also running more buses that connect to these stations, making it easier than ever to get from your place to the light rail. Metro will make more service changes this fall, through our South Link Connections project.
Other great news: The Crosslake connection, which will connect Seattle with Bellevue and the Eastside, is expected to open by May 31.
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Green Jobs conversation: 4
Help youth get started on their future careers!
Sustainability Ambassadors is hosting a Winter Green Jobs Career Conversation. This is a free online event for high school and college students and their teachers. Students will hear stories from people who work in green jobs and learn what skills they need to enter the workforce. Whether they like science, art, community work, or building new technology, there are green jobs for everyone who wants to protect our planet.
Save the date: Wednesday, February 4, 4 pm to 5:30 pm
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Winter travel tips from
Winter weather can make travel tricky, but Metro has you covered with tools and tips to ride safely and comfortably!
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Metro’s Transit Education in
 Metro educator Hannah teaches a workshop to 7th graders at Dimmitt Middle School in December.
King County Metro’s Classroom Transit Education Program brings fun and interactive lessons into schools. Students can learn how to plan a trip, how to ride safely and confidently, and how transit helps our planet and community. During fall 2025 Metro gave 38 workshops in schools around King County, reaching over 1,000 students.
Here is what students and teachers love about this program:
“The supportive teaching style made the learning experience both engaging and accessible, empowering the young adults to apply what they learned in real-world situations.” - teacher at Auburn High School
“I liked learning about Metro since I do not usually go on public transit.” - 7th grade student, Dimmitt Middle School
RapidRide I Line will improve travel for Renton, Kent, and Auburn residents
King County Metro is building the RapidRide I Line, a faster and more frequent bus that will replace Route 160 on a 17‑mile route through Renton, Kent, and Auburn. Riders will enjoy better bus stations, transit signal and lane priority, and safer pedestrian crossings that make trips more comfortable and reliable. Construction is expected to start soon, and impacts will include parking restrictions, lane closures, detours, and temporary bus stop relocations.
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I-5: WSDOT Ship Canal Bridge repairs underway
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WSDOT’s Revive I-5 project is in progress to repair the Ship Canal Bridge, which has been carrying traffic for decades. The work began on January 9 to keep the bridge safe and strong for the future. During construction, trips will take longer and some lanes will close, so it is important to plan ahead. To help riders, King County Metro is adding up to 17 buses on key routes on weekdays and 12 buses on weekends.
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Youth ORCA card partnerships
Metro is partnering with several school districts and community groups in King County to distribute Youth ORCA cards to students. What’s involved? The organization must sign an agreement that covers staff training, card registration, and reporting. Metro then provides training and a supply of Youth ORCA cards.
This fall we’ve have trained over 40 schools and organizations who have distributed over 2,000 cards. As a counselor at an Auburn school noted, “The students have loved receiving their ORCA cards.”
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