Sound Transit expands Sounder commuter rail options and announces brand new “reverse commute” City of Destiny service

Today Sound Transit announced expanded Sounder commuter rail service starting September 24th that includes two new weekday round trips on the south corridor and one on the north corridor. The new south corridor trains include the introduction of a new “reverse commute” train that will run from Seattle to Tacoma in the morning and return northbound in the evening.

The reverse commute train will for the first time enable commuters to ride Sounder to jobs in South King County and Pierce County. The additional runs expand Sounder service hours in both the north and south corridors, with the first train starting at 5 a.m. and the last train making its final stop at 6:55 p.m.

More trains, more hours, and the new reverse commute train all add up to more choices for commuters who want to ride Sounder commuter rail and leave traffic behind.

“The introduction of this reverse commute train is a huge milestone in Sound Transit’s progress,” said U.S. Senator Patty Murray. “As we saw during I-5 construction, Sound Transit is doing a great job of giving commuters options that help us reduce congestion. I'm proud to continue to support their work to keep Washington moving.”

“The economic opportunities in Pierce County and South King County are getting the spotlight they deserve with this reverse train,” said U.S. Congressman Norm Dicks. “We face congestion and delays throughout our region, not just getting into downtown Seattle, and this reverse train is a big step in recognizing this new growth pattern and tackling it with new commute choices.”

To celebrate and promote the brand new reverse commute route Sound Transit unveiled a special locomotive wrapped in a vintage design dubbed the “City of Destiny train,” a moniker chosen to honor Tacoma’s motto of more than 100 years. This wrapped locomotive will pull seven Sounder cars from Seattle to Tukwila, Kent, Auburn, Sumner, Puyallup, and into Freighthouse Square where passengers can connect with Sound Transit’s Tacoma Link light rail service as well as Pierce Transit and Sound Transit Express bus service. The flashy red and gold locomotive was the visual highlight of a celebration of the service enhancements that will roll out on Monday, September 24th.

“Increasing our commute choices in Puget Sound is not just good for commuters, it’s good for our economy,” said Pierce County Executive and Sound Transit Board Chair John Ladenburg, who served as the master of ceremonies for the event. “The rail improvements we’ve put in place with our partners at Burlington Northern Santa Fe help ensure the long-term freight mobility of our region while opening up new options for thousands of the region’s commuters.”

“There’s no such thing as a bedroom community in our region anymore, and while dispersed job growth is certainly great for our smaller cities, it presents new transportation challenges” said Sumner Mayor and Sound Transit Board member David Enslow. “The reverse train is a big step in offering incoming commuters the same option our outbound commuters have had for years, and that is the option to choose transit and forget traffic.”

Along with the City of Destiny reverse commute train, Sounder will also be adding a fifth peak-direction round-trip train each weekday between Seattle and Tacoma with stops in Puyallup, Sumner, Auburn, Kent, Tukwila and Seattle beginning Monday, September 24th. The north corridor will also see new service on September 24th, with a third round-trip train between Everett and Seattle with a stop in Edmonds.

“This is a great day for Sounder commuters in the north line, as well as the south,” said Snohomish County Executive and Sound Transit Board member Aaron Reardon. “The more service we can provide, the more transportation options people have for getting around our region without having to drive.”

These enhanced Sounder services are a big step towards full Sounder service offerings, which Sound Transit hopes to have on line by the end of 2008. By the end of next year, Sounder expects to have four round-trip trains running in the north corridor, and nine round-trip trains running in the south corridor. Of those nine south line trains, Sound Transit currently is planning for two to be reverse commute trains.

Detailed schedule and fare information can be found at online or by calling 1-888-889-6368 or 1-888-713-6030 TTY. Customers can also use the trip planner feature to plan their commute and find out how to connect Sounder trains with regional bus and Link light rail service.

*Rail Plus Trains 510, 513, 516 and 517 are operated by Amtrak as part of the Rail Plus program serving Seattle, Edmonds and Everett stations, but only accept monthly passes valid on Sound Transit services. Pass upgrades, Day Passes and Single-Trip tickets are not accepted by Amtrak.

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Sound Transit’s regional network of express buses, commuter rail, light rail and transit facilities connects communities in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties.