     
Trip Planner Tips - Fare and transfer information
Revisions to local and regional fares and transfer polices take effect on January 1, 2010.
Information available
Please use the updated fare information online or the information on the page below to calculate adjusted fares for trips planned on or after January 1.
The information on this page applies when you are paying a cash fare, not when you use a pass or ORCA card. When your transit trip requires you to transfer, this information explains cash fares and how to use transfers where applicable.
When to pay
Most of the time, pay your fare upon boarding.
When riding Sounder commuter rail, Link light rail, Washington State Ferries, the Seattle Center Monorail and some other service as noted below, purchase your ticket before boarding, or otherwise be prepared to show a valid fare upon request.
For trips on Metro Transit and Sound Transit Express buses that originate in downtown Seattle between 6:00 AM and 7:00 PM, pay your fare upon leaving the bus, with the exception of Metro Transit routes 116, 118 and 119. For these routes, pay upon boarding when leaving downtown Seattle. When traveling north into Seattle, pay when you exit.
Between 7:00 PM and 6:00 AM pay as you board at all locations.
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Using Transfers
Effective January 1, 2010, paper transfers are being discontinued by some agencies. For agencies that still issue paper transfers for cash fare, the transfers are only accepted on that agency's service and are no longer accepted by other agencies or on other modes or service.
If your trip involves two or more buses or trains, and you do not pay the full fare with a pass or ORCA Card [external link], a fare is required on each agency's service. See Who's Who for a list of the agencies included in the Trip Planner.
On Metro only, ask for a transfer even when your itinerary is only on one bus if it starts outside of downtown Seattle, continues through downtown, and ends on the other side of downtown. On trips like this, you pay when you board and pass through the Ride Free Area. Your transfer is proof that you have paid your fare. As of January 1, paper transfers issued on Metro are only accepted on other Metro routes.
Transfers are not available between the Monorail or Washington State Ferries and buses or trains. Transfer policies change significantly after December 31, 2009.
Please see the table below.
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Paying split fares
In most cases you can pay the full fare all at once, but there are times when you may pay part of the fare on the first vehicle, and the rest upon transferring.
The online Trip Planner calculates and displays the total cash fare for the trip, taking into account the transfer policies and fare structures of the various transit agencies. Use the table below to determine how to pay split fares depending on the details of your trip.
Effective January 1, 2010
If you are paying a cash fare and your trip is on |
During |
You should |
Metro |
One zone any time |
Pay the full cash fare on the first bus. Ask for a transfer only if you are transferring to another Metro bus. |
Metro |
Two zone peak |
Pay the full cash fare on the first bus. Ask for a two-zone transfer only if you are transferring to another Metro bus. |
Community Transit |
Any time |
Pay the full cash fare on each bus. Effective January 1, 2010, Community Transit no longer issues or accepts any paper transfers. |
Everett Transit |
Any time |
Pay the full cash fare on each bus. Everett Transit does not issue or accept any transfers. |
Pierce Transit (except Olympia Express) |
Any time |
Pay the full cash fare on the first bus. Ask for a transfer only if you are transferring to another Pierce Transit bus. |
Pierce Transit and Olympia Express |
Any time |
Pay the cash fare or use a valid Intercity Transit ticket or pass and pay any necessary difference from the face value. |
More than one of the Transit agencies listed in Who's Who. See Link light rail and the South Lake Union Streetcar below |
Any time |
Pay the cash fare due on each vehicle. Effective January 1, 2010, there are no interagency paper transfers issued or accepted. |
Sound Transit Regional Express Bus |
Any time |
Pay the full cash fare on each bus. Effective January 1, 2010, ST does not issue or accept any paper transfers. |
ST Express, Link light rail, and Sounder commuter rail |
Any time |
Pay the cash amount due on each vehicle or use ORCA.
Effective January 1, 2010, there are no paper transfers issued or accepted.
- Sounder and Link tickets are valid
only between the stations printed
on the ticket.
- One-way Sounder and Link tickets
are valid for 2 hours.
|
Washington State Ferries or the Seattle Center Monorail and any other transit service |
Any time |
Pay the full cash WSF or Monorail fare in addition to the fare due on other transit. Neither WSF nor the Monorail issue or accept any paper transfers.
|
Routes 116, 118 and 119 Express and the Fauntleroy-Vashon ferry |
Any time |
Pay the full cash bus fare when you board the bus, and the ferry fare to WSF staff at the dock if you are travelling onto Vashon Island.
- The Trip Planner shows the
bus fare only, but you must
also pay the ferry fare.
- On trips leaving Vashon Island, no
ferry fare is required.
|
South Lake Union Streetcar and Metro Transit |
Any time |
Pay the full cash fare on the first vehicle. A Metro bus transfer is valid for the streetcar fare and a streetcar ticket is valid for a one-zone Metro fare. |
South Lake Union Streetcar and any other transit agency |
Any time |
Pay the full cash fare on the streetcar in addition to any other fare paid. The streetcar does not accept transfers from other non-Metro agencies or service. |
King County Water Taxi and any other transit agency |
Any time |
Pay the full cash fare on the Water Taxi. Otherwise use a valid ORCA card or PugetPass. |
Other transit systems not listed in Who's Who |
Any time |
Pay the required full cash fare. The trip planner includes only the transit systems listed in Who's Who. |
Metro Custom Bus Fares
Effective January 1, 2010 there is a 25-cent fare increase on
Metro's Boeing Custom Bus Route 952.
Metro Route 952 is a Custom Bus serving the Boeing Everett plant. It has a special fare structure that is different from other Metro Routes. Beginning with the first day of service in the New Year, Monday, January 4, 2010, Route 952 cash fares are:
- Auburn to or from Everett - $3.75
- Auburn to or from Kennydale - $3.25
- Kennydale to/or from Everett - $3.25
If you transfer from Metro routes to a Boeing Custom Bus, pay the minimum cash fare due on the first bus. Your transfer is valid only on another Metro bus for the amount you paid toward the Custom Bus fare. If you pay more than the one-zone fare, ask that the transfer be punched for two zones. Effective January 1, 2010, Metro paper transfers are only good on other Metro routes and are not accepted or issued by any other agency.
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For more information on paying fares, visit What and How to Pay on Metro Transit.
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