The 2 Line: How to transfer

Get ready to ride the 6.6-mile route between South Bellevue and Redmond Technology stations!

The 2 Line starts revenue service on April 27. Make sure you're checking our website for more information about our opening plans and how to ride the “East Link Starter Line,” as it unofficially has come to be known. 

It's being called the "Starter Line" because when it is fully open, the 2 Line will go all the way from Lynnwood to Downtown Redmond. 

Until then, there are still ways to connect from the Eastside to the rest of the region; they just require a transfer between transit services. 

For example, if you want to travel from South Bellevue to Seattle, you can transfer to ST Express Route 550 (which uses I-90) or 556 (which uses SR-520) to get across the lake. 

Here's a map with more bus to rail connections:

And here are a few tips to help you make the connection and get where you need to go!

1. As Link light rail expands to serve more of our region, bus routes will change to better connect you to fast, frequent, reliable trains. Remember to build in extra time the first few times you make the transfer.
2. Sometimes, you may have to travel a block or two between your bus stop and rail station (for example, between Bellevue Downtown Station and the Bellevue Transit Center). Look out for signs, or even try using technology, to help you navigate! 
3. An ORCA card is the only way to pay for transfers between different services such as trains, buses and streetcars. As long as you transfer within 2 hours, your original fare will be credited toward the next leg of your journey.
4. Remember to tap on, tap off! ORCA calculates the cost of your trip and deducts that amount from your account. Link and Sounder fares are calculated by how far you travel, so remember to tap your ORCA card on the yellow card reader at the start of your trip and at your destination, or you'll be charged the highest fare from your origin.