Sound Transit system-wide ridership jumped 23 percent in 2016

Nearly 43 million people rode Sound Transit trains and buses, with light rail ridership up 65.8 percent for the year

Nearly forty-three million people rode Sound Transit trains and buses in 2016, a 23.1 percent system-wide increase over 2015. Link light rail ridership surged 65.8 percent with the opening of new stations serving Capitol Hill, the University of Washington and Angle Lake. 

“It is encouraging to see such dramatic increases in ridership,” said Board Chair and Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers. “Every time someone chooses Link, Sounder or ST Express, they are helping our region’s economy and the environment. As we expand the regional rail network in the years ahead we will enable more and more people to climb aboard.” 

Ridership growth particularly picked up late in the year. Average weekday ridership during the fourth quarter increased 27.9 percent over the same period in 2015, with light rail weekday ridership growing 83.8 percent. 

The fourth quarter ridership report can be found here: soundtransit.org/ridership