With the opening of the new Northgate light rail station on Oct. 2, people traveling from Snohomish County will have more travel options to and from destinations in Seattle, King County, and beyond. Taking the bus to light rail is easy, with frequent routes serving many areas of Snohomish County.
Community Transit and Sound Transit buses will bring riders right to Northgate Station, making the connection to the 1 Line (Link) light rail fast and easy. With over 48 new bus trips added to the routes serving Northgate Station, riders will enjoy more trip options and efficient transfers.
The 1 Line will serve 19 stops on a north/south route between Northgate Station and Angle Lake station, just south of SeaTac Airport. Along with Northgate, two other stations — Roosevelt and U District — will also open on Oct. 2. Learn more about Northgate Station and the bus connections to take you there by visiting communitytransit.org/northgate.
Whether riders are going to class at the UW, a job or event in downtown Seattle, or SeaTac Airport, a combined bus-light rail trip provides frequent, easy connections that may decrease overall travel time. With light rail’s fast connections, riders can get from Northgate to the University of Washington in 6 minutes, Northgate to Westlake in 14 minutes, and Northgate to SeaTac in 49 minutes — all without the added unpredictability of traffic.
People taking the bus will find their fare takes them farther, too. When paying with an ORCA card, a rider’s bus fare includes their light rail trip within a two-hour window. Riders will still need to tap their ORCA cards at the light rail station.
The 1 Line Northgate extension is the first step in expanded light rail service throughout the region. In 2023, riders will be able to travel directly from Northgate Station to Bellevue and the Microsoft campus. In 2024, light rail will expand north to Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, and Shoreline.
Community Transit is expanding bus service to meet light rail and to continue to provide fast, frequent service throughout Snohomish County. The new Swift Orange line bus rapid transit will launch in 2024 and connect with light rail at Lynnwood City Center Station. Learn more about Community Transit’s Swift Orange line at communitytransit.org/swiftorange2024.
To learn more about the bus routes serving Northgate Station, tips for taking the bus to light rail, and what you need to know before you go (don’t forget your mask!), visit: communitytransit.org/northgate.
