EVERETT — Changes to Sound Transit’s express bus service could introduce new overnight buses along its Link light rail route, filling a late-night gap in service for the regional transit agency.
Currently, transit users looking to get from downtown Seattle to Snohomish County need to catch the final train just before 1 a.m. on most nights. Otherwise, they’re out of luck. The same goes for travelers looking to travel from Snohomish County to an early flight at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport — the earliest Southbound Link light rail trains typically leave the Lynnwood station around 5 a.m. most mornings.
Although the exact times of night the buses may run and how frequent they may be is still to be determined, the new bus connection could remedy the existing gap in service during late-night hours, allowing people to travel freely between Seattle and Everett at all times of the day. Another overnight bus route, traveling from downtown Seattle to Federal Way with stops at the Sea-Tac airport, is also planned for implementation in 2026.
The proposed overnight service is also dependent on operational capacity at Sound Transit’s partner agencies, and could be partially implemented or deferred, the agency wrote.
Other changes to Sound Transit express service that could be coming to Snohomish County include new bi-directional service along Route 513, which connects the Lynnwood City Center station to the Seaway Transit Center near Boeing. Route 535, connecting Lynnwood to Bellevue, would run more frequently on Saturdays and also begin operating on Sundays. Route 522, connecting Roosevelt station to Woodinville while passing by the University of Washington Bothell campus, would see a change in its starting and end points. The route would run from Shoreline South to Woodinville, instead of beginning at Roosevelt.
As part of the proposed changes, the agency would also discontinue the Route 515 express bus, a temporary peak-only route between Lynnwood City Center and downtown Seattle. That route is already served by the Link light rail, which will see trains arrive every 4 to 5 minutes once the 2 Line connecting Lynnwood to Bellevue opens in early 2026. The 510 express bus connecting Everett to downtown Seattle will continue to operate.
Sound Transit’s survey on the proposed changes is open until Nov. 7. More info: soundtransit.org/2026serviceplan.
Will Geschke: 425-339-3443; william.geschke@heraldnet.com; X: @willgeschke.
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