Seattle-Tacoma

Table of Contents

Overview - Seattle-Tacoma

Located between Lake Washington and the Puget Sound, Seattle is the seat of King County and the largest city by population in Washington. It has approximately 724,000 inhabitants in the city proper as of 2017. Further south, Tacoma is the seat of Pierce County and is the third largest city by population in Washington with approximately 213,000 inhabitants in the city proper as of 2017. The Seattle metropolitan area (Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue) comprised 3,939,363 residents as of the 2017 US Census Bureau Estimate.


The Puget Sound's rapid transit network consists of a light rail service. It also has two commuter rail services. Seattle is also served by two modern streetcar services and a short straddle beam monorail people mover, while Tacoma is served by a modern streetcar service. It also has two arterial bus rapid transit services in Snohomish County. There is also a rapid bus network within Seattle, which is not covered on this website.

Link Light Rail

Opened 2003, Link Light Rail consists of a light rail service and a modern streetcar service that serve the Seattle Metropolitan Region (Puget Sound).

The Link 1 Line of the Link Light Rail is a light rail service on a North-South alignment, running from the Northgate in the north to Angle Lake in the south via the Seattle Transit Tunnel in Downtown Seattle and Seattle Tacoma International Airport, serving 19 stations.


The Link 1 Line was opened in July 2009 and the last extension to the line was in October 2021 to Northgate. The Link 1 Line is owned by Sound Transit and operated by King County Metro.


Headways
ServiceM-F MiddayM-F RushSat.Sun.Notes
Link 110'8'10'10'

Schedules -- Last Updated: Sept 09, 2023

The Tacoma Link T Line of the Link Light Rail is a modern streetcar service on an upside down U-shaped alignment. It runs from St Joseph in the southwest to Tacoma Dome in the southeast, serving 12 stations.


The Tacoma Link T Line was opened in August 2003 and the last expansion was the extension to St Joseph in September 2023. The Tacoma Link T Line is owned and operated by Sound Transit.


Headways
ServiceM-F MiddayM-F RushSat.Sun.Notes
Tacoma Link T12'12'12'20'

Schedules -- Last Updated: Sept 20, 2023

Seattle Center Monorail

Opened March 1962 for the Century 21 Exposition, the Seattle Center Monorail consists of a single straddle beam monorail people mover service in downtown Seattle.

Seattle Center Monorail

The Seattle Center Monorail is a straddle beam monorail people mover service shuttling between two stations - Seattle Center in the northwest and Westlake Center in downtown Seattle.


The Seattle Center Monorail was opened in March 1962.


Headways
ServiceM-F MiddayM-F RushSat.Sun.Notes
Monorail10'10'10' 10'

Schedules -- Last Updated: Sept 09, 2023

Seattle Streetcar

Opened December 2007, the modern Seattle Streetcar consists of two modern streetcar services in downtown Seattle.

As of July 2019, a city center connector between the two lines is being considered.

South Lake Union Streetcar

The South Lake Union Streetcar is a modern streetcar service. It runs from the Westlake transit center to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and serves 11 stops.


The South Lake Union Streetcar was opened in December 2007. The South Lake Union Streetcar is owned by the City of Seattle and operated by King County Metro.


Headways
ServiceM-F MiddayM-F RushSat.Sun.Notes
South Lake Union12'12'15'15'

Schedules -- Last Updated: Sept 09, 2023

First Hill Streetcar

The First Hill Streetcar is a modern streetcar service. It runs from Pioneer Square to Capitol Hill and serves 10 stops.


The First Hill Streetcar was opened in January 2016. The First Hill Streetcar is owned by the City of Seattle and operated by King County Metro.


Headways
ServiceM-F MiddayM-F RushSat.Sun.Notes
First Hill15'12'15'18-25'

Schedules -- Last Updated: Sept 09, 2023

Swift Bus Rapid Transit

Opened November 2009, Swift Bus Rapid Transit consists of two arterial bus rapid transit services serving Snohomish County.

Swift Blue Line

The Swift Blue Line is an arterial bus rapid transit service on a north-south alignment. It runs from Everett Station in the north to Aurora Village Transit Center in the south primarily along Evergreen Way and serves 24 stations of which 12 are comprised of offset station pairs and two of which are in a single direction only.


The Swift Blue Line was opened in November 2009 and the latest expansion to the line was the opening of 196th St SW station in August 2023. The Swift Blue Line is operated by Community Transit.


Headways
ServiceM-F MiddayM-F RushSat.Sun.Notes
Swift Blue10'10'15'20'

Schedules -- Last Updated: Sept 09, 2023

Swift Green Line

The Swift Green Line is an arterial bus rapid transit service on a north-south alignment. It runs from Seaway Transit Center in the north to Canyon Park Park & Ride in the south primarily along Airport Way and serves 18 stations of which one of which is in a single direction only.


The Swift Green Line was opened in March 2019. The Swift Green Line is operated by Community Transit.


Headways
ServiceM-F MiddayM-F RushSat.Sun.Notes
Swift Green 12'12'20'20'

Schedules -- Last Updated: Sept 09, 2023

Sounder Commuter Rail

Opened Sept 2000, Sounder Commuter Rail consists of two commuter rail services serving the Seattle Metropolitan Region.

Sounder S Line

The Sounder S (South) Line (Lakewood-Seattle) is a commuter rail service on a North-South alignment. It runs from Seattle in the north to Lakewood and Tacoma in the south, serving four stations.


The S Line was opened in September 2000. The S Line is operated by BNSF.

Sounder N Line

The Sounder N (North) Line (Everett-Seattle) is a commuter rail service on a North-South alignment. It runs from Everett in the north to Seattle in the south, serving nine stations.


The N Line was opened in December 2003. The N Line is operated by BNSF.

References & Helpful Links

Link Light Rail at Wikipedia

Seattle Streetcar at Wikipedia

Swift BRT at Wikipedia

Sounder Commuter Rail at Wikipedia

Official Website for Sound Transit: Sound Transit

Official Website for Seattle Center Monorail: Seattle Monorail

Official Website for Seattle Streetcar: City of Seattle

Official Website for Swift BRT: Community Transit


Maps

Official System Map - Sound Transit [PDF] [Last Accessed Sept 09, 2023]

Official System Map - Seattle Streetcar [Last Accessed Sept 09, 2023]


Unofficial Map - Seattle by Oran Viriyincy (seattletransitmap.com)


Other Sources

Seattle, USA at Urbanrail.net

Tacoma, USA at Urbanrail.net

Asset Notes

Colors used for Link Light Rail and Sounder Commuter Rail taken from Sound Transit Brand standards as of October 2, 2021 (colors prior to October 2, 2021 taken from official Sound Transit System Map as of April 2019. Sounder text color taken from official logo as of April 2019).

Color used for Seattle Streetcar taken from Seattle Streetcar System Map as of April 2019.

Colors used for Swift Blue and Green Lines taken from Swift System Map as of September 2020. Color used for Swift Orange Line taken from planning map


Last Updated: Sept 20, 2023

Old Maps
Note: Not all maps reflect changes in service. Older maps may contain inaccuracies.
2019 05 v22019 10 v12020 09 v12021 10 v12023 09 v12023 09 v2

+ : Line/Station Extension/Opening | x : Line/Station Closure | = : Other Service Change | ! : Map change unrelated to service changes

Changelog:

2019 05 v1 - 2019 10 v1: = Rebrand: Sound Transit (Line Colors)
2019 10 v1 - 2020 09 v1: ! Addition: Snohomish County Swift
2020 09 v1 - 2021 10 v1: + Opening: Northgate Link | = Rebrand: Sound Transit (Lines and Colors) | ! Adjustment: Map Template Change
2021 10 v1 - 2023 09 v1: + Opening: Swift Blue 196th St SW (northbound) | x Cutback: Tacoma Link to Commerce Street | ! Addition: Swift Orange Line (u/c) | ! Adjustment: Adjusted spacing and scaling of most of map to fit future lines and stations. This allowed for 5th & Jackson label to fit.
2023 09 v1 - 2023 09 v2: + Opening: Tacoma Link Hilltop extension | = Rename: Commerce St/S 11th -> Theater District; dropping street names from Convention Center and Union Station to be in sync with Sound Transit official maps