Sound Transit light rail ridership grew 6.1 percent and Sounder 4.5 percent in 2018

Regional ridership gains contrast sharply with national reductions 

In 2018 Sound Transit continued to see significant growth in rail ridership, as Link light rail ridership increased 6.1 percent over 2017 and Sounder ridership increased 4.5 percent. 

“Our steady ridership growth further confirms the urgency of the light rail, commuter rail and bus rapid transit expansions our region’s voters approved,” said Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff. “These gains benefit all commuters and will keep coming as more people seize the opportunity to escape congestion and as light rail reaches Northgate in 2021, the Eastside in 2023 and Lynnwood and Federal Way in 2024.”

According to the most recent data available from the American Public Transportation Association, transit ridership nationally declined 1.75 percent in the third quarter of 2018 compared to the same quarter 2017, with light rail ridership dropping more than 3.5 percent. 

Overall, Sound Transit ridership for 2018 grew 2.9 percent to more than 48 million riders. ST Express service decreased slightly, while Tacoma Link ridership was negatively affected by the closure of the Tacoma Dome for renovations last summer.

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