Sound Transit requires paying fares on all buses and trains, except for youth 18 and under. Use your ORCA card or the Transit GO Ticket app for touch-free payment. Scroll down for a list of Fares by service.
Types of fares
Adult fares (age 19-64)
Riders aged 19 to 64 pay a fare depending on the type of trip.
See below for a list of adult fares by service.
Low-income adult fares (ORCA LIFT)
One-way low-income fares on Sound Transit services are $1, regardless of the distance traveled. The ORCA LIFT card helps income-qualified adult riders save significantly on ST Express buses, Sounder, and Link fares. Learn more about ORCA LIFT.
Senior/disabled fares (age 65+ or qualifying disability)
One-way senior/disabled fares on Sound Transit services are $1, regardless of the distance traveled. Riders 65+ or riders with a disability can qualify for a reduced rate with a Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP). You receive an RRFP on an ORCA card. When applying for an RRFP, bring either proof of age (65+) or proof of a qualifying condition or a Medicare card. The permit is free, but a replacement will cost $3. Learn if you qualify for reduced fares and where to get an RRFP.
Youth fares (18 and under)
Regional monthly pass values
Ride on all buses and trains for one calendar month with a regional pass. Buy a pass that represents the per-trip value of the trip you usually take. The pass is good for rides up to the per-trip value. If the cost of your trip exceeds the value of the pass, the system deducts the remaining amount from your E-purse balance. Find more information on how to add passes and E-purse value to your ORCA card here.
| Trip value | Pass total cost per month |
|---|---|
| $0.50 | $18.00 |
| $0.75 | $27.00 |
| $1.00 | $36.00 |
| $1.25 | $45.00 |
| $1.50 | $54.00 |
| $1.75 | $63.00 |
| $2.00 | $72.00 |
| $2.25 | $81.00 |
| $2.50 | $90.00 |
| $2.75 | $99.00 |
| $3.00 | $108.00 |
| $3.25 | $117.00 |
| $3.50 | $126.00 |
| $3.75 | $135.00 |
| $4.00 | $144.00 |
| $4.25 | $153.00 |
| $4.50 | $162.00 |
| $4.75 | $171.00 |
| $5.00 | $180.00 |
| $5.25 | $189.00 |
| $5.50 | $198.00 |
| $5.75 | $207.00 |
Find your ORCA fare
Worried about the cost when riding transit? From youth and seniors to riders with disabilities and lower incomes, there’s an ORCA card for every budget.
Fares by Sound Transit service
1 and 2 Line light rail fares
Adult fares (age 19-64)
One-way adult fares are $3.00. Day passes are twice the one-way fare and are valid for travel only on the date purchased.
Low-income adult (ORCA LIFT)
One-way low-income adult fares are $1.00. Learn if you qualify for an ORCA LIFT card and where to get one.
Youth Fares (18 and under)
Youth 18 and under ride for free on all Sound Transit services. Learn more and apply for a Free Youth Transit Pass here.
Senior/disabled fares (age 65+ or qualifying disability)
One-way senior/disabled Link fares are $1.00 for all trips. Riders 65+ and riders with disabilities can ride at a reduced rate with a Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP). An RRFP is given to you on an ORCA card. Learn more about the Regional Reduced Fare Permit.
How to pay
Tickets must be purchased prior to boarding. Pay your Link fare with:
ORCA card - Tap the ORCA before you enter the platform.
Transferring between services is easy with the ORCA card. Transfer fare is calculated and applied automatically between services. Remember, when transferring from Link to Sounder train, Sounder fares are distance-based. Tap on at your starting station and tap off at your destination for Sounder to calculate an accurate fare. When switching to the bus, you only need to tap your card once you enter the bus.
Ticket - Buy Link tickets from the station ticket machine with cash, Visa or MasterCard.
Transit Go Ticket app - Download the app from the store, set up your account, and buy tickets in advance. Activate your purchased tickets before boarding the train. If asked, show your screen to the fare enforcement officer.
ST Express bus fares
| Fare type | All ST Express routes |
|---|---|
| Adult (age 19-64) | $3.25 |
| Low-income adult* (ORCA LIFT) | $1.00 |
| Senior/Disabled** (age 65+ or qualifying disability) | $1.00 |
| Youth (18 and under) | Free |
* Requires ORCA LIFT card.
** Requires Regional Reduced Fare Permit.
How to pay
Pay as you enter the bus with the following options:
ORCA card - Tap your card as you board.
Transferring to another service is easy with the ORCA card. Transfer fare is calculated automatically between services. When transferring from bus to train, Remember that train fares are distance-based. Just tap on at your starting station and tap off at your end destination to calculate your fare.
Cash - Bus drivers do not carry change, so you will need exact fare.
Transit Go Ticket app - Download the app from the store, set up your account, and buy tickets in advance. Activate your purchased tickets before boarding the train. If asked, show your screen to the fare enforcement officer.
Bus tickets
Sound Transit does not have a regional bus ticket program. Community Transit bus tickets are valid only on the ST Express routes operated by Community Transit (510, 512, 513, 532, 535). King County Metro Bus (KCM) tickets are valid only on ST Express Routes operated by KCM. (522, 542, 545, 550, 554, 555, 556, 566). Neither are valid on Sounder trains or Link light rail.
Sounder train fares
Adult fares (age 19-64)
One-way adult fares range between $3.25 and $5.75, depending on how far you travel. Day passes are twice the one-way fare and are valid for travel only on the date purchased. Available from ticket machines, they're only for the stations printed on the ticket.
Lakewood - Seattle
| Lakewood | South Tacoma | Tacoma | Puyallup | Sumner | Auburn | Kent | Tukwila | Seattle | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood | $3.25 | $3.50 | $4.00 | $4.00 | $4.50 | $4.75 | $5.00 | $5.75 | |
| South Tacoma | $3.25 | $3.25 | $3.75 | $4.00 | $4.25 | $4.50 | $5.00 | $5.50 | |
| Tacoma | $3.50 | $3.25 | $3.50 | $3.50 | $4.00 | $4.25 | $4.50 | $5.25 | |
| Puyallup | $4.00 | $3.75 | $3.50 | $3.25 | $3.50 | $4.00 | $4.25 | $4.75 | |
| Sumner | $4.00 | $4.00 | $3.50 | $3.25 | $3.50 | $3.75 | $4.00 | $4.75 | |
| Auburn | $4.50 | $4.25 | $4.00 | $3.50 | $3.50 | $3.25 | $3.75 | $4.25 | |
| Kent | $4.75 | $4.50 | $4.25 | $4.00 | $3.75 | $3.25 | $3.25 | $4.00 | |
| Tukwila | $5.00 | $5.00 | $4.50 | $4.25 | $4.00 | $3.75 | $3.25 | $3.75 | |
| Seattle | $5.75 | $5.50 | $5.25 | $4.75 | $4.75 | $4.25 | $4.00 | $3.75 |
Everett - Seattle
| Everett | Mukilteo | Edmonds | Seattle | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everett | $3.25 | $4.00 | $5.00 | |
| Mukilteo | $3.25 | $3.75 | $4.50 | |
| Edmonds | $4.00 | $3.75 | $4.00 | |
| Seattle | $5.00 | $4.50 | $4.00 |
Low-income adult (ORCA LIFT)
One-way low-income adult fares are $1.00, regardless of distance traveled. Learn if you qualify for an ORCA LIFT card and where to get one.
Youth Fares (18 and under)
Youth 18 and under ride for free on all Sound Transit services. Learn more and apply for a Free Youth Transit Pass here.
Senior/disabled fares (age 65+ or qualifying disability)
One-way senior/disabled Sounder fares are $1, regardless of the distance traveled. Riders 65+ and riders with disabilities can ride at a reduced rate with a Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP). An RRFP is given to you on an ORCA card. Learn more about the Regional Reduced Fare Permit.
How to pay
Tickets must be purchased prior to boarding. The conductors do not sell tickets. Pay with:
- ORCA card - Tap ORCA before boarding the train and after you get off the train.
- Transferring between services is easy with the ORCA card. Transfer fare is calculated and applied automatically between services. Remember to tap on at your starting station and tap off at your end destination for both Link and Sounder to accurately calculate your total fare. When transferring to bus or Link light rail, you only need to tap your card once as you enter the bus or station.
- Ticket - Buy a Sounder ticket from the ticket machine with cash, Visa or MasterCard. Ticket machines are located all Sounder stations.
- Transit Go Ticket - download in the app store, set-up your account and buy tickets ahead of time. Activate your purchased tickets prior to boarding the train, and show your screen to the fare enforcement officer if asked.
T Line light rail fares
Tacoma Dome - St. Joseph
| Fare type | T Line Fare |
|---|---|
| Adult (age 19-64) | $2.00 |
| Low-income adult* (ORCA LIFT) | $1.00 |
| Senior/Disabled** (age 65+ or qualifying disability) | $1.00 |
| Youth (18 and under) | Free |
* Requires ORCA LIFT card.
** Requires Regional Reduced Fare Permit.
Adult fares (age 19-64)
One-way adult fares are $2, regardless of how far you travel. Day passes (good for round-trip or multi-trip rides) are also available from ticket machines. They are twice the one-way fare and are valid for travel only on the date purchased.
Youth Fares (18 and under)
Youth 18 and under ride for free on all Sound Transit services. Learn more and apply for a Free Youth Transit Pass here.
Senior/disabled fares (age 65+ or qualifying disability)
One-way senior/disabled Link fares are $1 for all trips, regardless of the distance traveled. Riders 65+ and riders with disabilities can ride at a reduced rate with a Regional Reduced Fare Permit. An RRFP is given to you on an ORCA card. Learn more about the Regional Reduced Fare Permit.
Low-income adult (ORCA LIFT)
One-way low-income adult fares are $1, regardless of distance traveled. Learn if you qualify for an ORCA LIFT card and where to get one.
How to pay
Tickets must be purchased prior to boarding. Pay your fare with:
ORCA card - Tap your ORCA card on the yellow card reader before you board.
Transferring to another service is easy with the ORCA card. Transfer fare is calculated automatically between services. When transferring from bus to train, remember that Sounder fares are distance-based. When riding these services, tap on at your starting station and tap off at your end destination for an accurate fare.
Ticket - Buy Link tickets from the station ticket machine with cash, Visa, or MasterCard. Show your ticket to a Fare Ambassador when asked. Tickets are not transferable.
Transferring
An ORCA card is the only payment method for transferring between trains, buses, and streetcars.
If you transfer within 2 hours, your original fare will be credited toward the next leg of your journey.
For example, if you use your ORCA card to pay the $3.25 ST Express bus fare and then transfer to Link, the fare you've already paid will also count toward your ride on Link. Instead of paying two separate fares, most passengers enjoy completely free transfers with their ORCA card. If the second leg of your journey costs more than the first, you'll pay only the difference.
Tap on, tap off
ORCA calculates the cost of your trip and deducts that amount from your account. 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 your destination, or you'll be charged the highest fare from your origin. On buses and Link, tap the reader by the driver when you board or at the station. No need to tap off a bus or light rail ride.