It's almost time! New routes and easy connections start Sept. 14

Pictured above: King County Metro General Manager Michelle Allison, Community Transit CEO Ric Ilgenfritz, and staff from both agencies meet with members of the media at Shoreline North/185th Station on Sept. 11, 2024.

Community Transit is making major changes and improvements to bus service starting Sept. 14. It’s critical that current riders check schedules for new trip times and upcoming route changes to avoid any surprises.

Riders can expect more frequent service, shorter wait times, and an overall increase in service. That includes more all-day, evening, and weekend service. This historic restructure of the bus system is designed so that people can take advantage of new, regional public transit options. This includes new connections to Sound Transit Link 1 Line in Snohomish County which helps people avoid I-5 congestion and get onto traffic-free light rail.

Here’s a quick look at upcoming changes:

Regional connections
Commuter bus routes from Snohomish County to Northgate and Seattle are being replaced with local and express routes that connect to Sound Transit Link 1 Line and other major transit hubs for easy travel between counties. Some of these routes will provide an increase in all-day, bi-directional service, including some with weekend service. Swift Blue Line bus rapid transit is also extending south to connect to the Shoreline North/185th Link station. There are also local routes that connect to light rail at Lynnwood City Center Station and Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station.

New destinations
Several new routes will help people get to key locations in Snohomish County. Here are a few highlights:

• Route 909 will provide all-day service between the Edmonds ferry and Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station seven days a week. This provides an easy connection to light rail for Seattle-bound travelers from Kingston.
• Route 117 will provide all-day service between the Mukilteo ferry and Lynnwood City Center Station seven days a week. This provides an easy connection to light rail for Seattle-bound travelers from Whidbey Island.
• Route 121 will serve new areas along North Rd and Hwy 524, including Lynnwood High School and UW Bothell/Cascadia College.
• Riders from King County looking for a new shopping experience can combine a ride on Link 1 Line to Lynnwood with a quick trip on Swift Orange Line or Zip Shuttle to Alderwood Mall.
• Route 905 will provide all-day, weekday service between Stanwood and Lynnwood City Center Station.
• Several new express routes will serve South Everett Freeway Station, so that people traveling from Everett have more options to connect with light rail.

Simple bus fares
Community Transit has made bus fares simple. It’s $2.50 for all adult fares, $1.25 discounted fares for those who qualify, and kids 18 and under ride free. Using an ORCA card is the easiest way to pay and you get a two-hour transfer window so you can apply your fare to rides on other transit systems.

Here’s more information so riders can get ready for Sept. 14:

• Check Maps & Schedules on Community Transit’s website to view the Sept. 14 preview schedules.
• Use the Plan My Trip tool to build a customized trip plan any time. Be sure to set the arrival or departure date to on or after Sept. 14.
• Sign up for Rider Alerts.
• Visit the Service Change web page to see maps and videos for changing routes.
• Contact Customer Care at riders@commtrans.org or (425) 353-RIDE (7433) for personalized trip planning or printed materials, now open on Saturdays.