If you’ve ever ridden the Sounder train before – whether from Lakewood or Everett or anywhere in between – you know it’s a great way to get to work.
Between stunning views of Mount Rainier to the south and a waterfront ride to the north, these commuter rail lines (the S Line and the N Line) provide a stress-free way to travel to Seattle.
What you might not know is that these trains also occasionally run on the weekends!
When there’s a big event or sports game in town, like the Seahawks New Year's Eve matchup or the NHL Winter Classic, we run special Sounder event service.
You can check out the schedule here.
Last year, we rode from down to Lumen Field when our Seattle Sounders (Sounder to Sounders – get it?) took on the Portland Timbers.
A sunny day in Seattle is a great day to hop on the train, walk to the waterfront and ride the King County Water Taxi over to West Seattle for the afternoon.
We’ve been so inspired by people who use transit to take cool trips – like taking the bus to hiking trails or the Seattle Transit Blot excursions touring our region via boat, train and the streetcar, racing to ride seven modes of Seattle transit in four hours or combining bikes and transit for multi-wheeled adventures.
Got any amazing transit-only trips, a cool reverse commute or another fun way to move around the Sound? We want to hear it!
Find us on social media on @SoundTransit or email your trip plan to lifestyle@soundtransit.org.
The details
A one-way adult Sounder fare would costs $4.
ORCA is the best way to travel around the Sound – find more information on how to pay, including reduced fare options, here.
The train drops passengers off at King Street Station, a short walk away from the water taxi facility at Colman Dock.
Adult fare on the water taxi is $5.75 one way ($5 with an ORCA card). Check the schedule and plan your next adventure!
King County offers a free shuttle service on the West Seattle side, so you can head to the Alaska Junction or over to the main part of Alki Beach.
There’s so much to do – rent a kayak, go for a swim (the most notorious get in the water year-round!), grab an ice cream or coffee – or just enjoy a snack with one of the best views in the city!
How to ride Sounder
People often ask why Sounder doesn’t run all day and every weekend, similar to light rail.
The reason is that the railroad tracks Sounder uses between Tacoma and Seattle are owned by Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) and are heavily used by freight trains as well as Amtrak.
So take advantage when event service is offered! Or, try Sounder for your next commute:
And no worries if you don't have an ORCA card - you can buy transit passes for Metro, Water Taxi, Link light rail and more on your phone with Transit Go Ticket. It can be a time saver, especially on game days!
If you're headed to a match, even if it's not on Sounder, check out more of our game day travel tips.
See you on board!