Summary

Metro will usher in 2018 with free rides for all customers on New Year’s Eve. People celebrating or working late will also be able to take the Seattle Streetcar for free, and Sound Transit Link light rail will be extending service.

Story

For the first time, King County Metro will offer free rides on New Year’s Eve between 4 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31, and 4 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1, including DART and Access service. In addition, Metro will add service to its night routes. The Seattle Streetcar will also be free on New Year's Eve and Sound Transit will extend Link light rail service between Angle Lake and the University of Washington. 

"As we put the finishing touches on 2017, we want you to be able to get out on the town and come home safe," said King County Executive Dow Constantine. "Whether you are heading to the Seattle Center or other King County destinations on New Year’s Eve, Metro will get you there and back, all for free. It’s our way of saying thank you for making Metro the nation’s best transit system, and we look forward to riding with you next year." 

"We want people to go have a good time and know they can get home safely, affordably, and reliably," said King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove, who proposed the idea. 

Metro will operate regular Sunday schedules on New Year’s Eve with extra buses as needed on several routes serving destinations such as Seattle Center, Capitol Hill and downtown. New Year’s revelers can take advantage of Metro’s recently expanded Night Owl network, with added service on major routes between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. 

Sound Transit will operate extended Link light rail service with trains running northbound from Angle Lake Station every 30 minutes until 1:30 a.m. Southbound trains from the University of Washington will run until 2 a.m.

The Seattle Streetcar will operate until 1 a.m.

Metro routes with added service as needed will include 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 14, 24, 32, 36, 40, 41, 62, 65, 70, 101, 106, 120, 124, 150, 255, RapidRide A, B, C, D and E Lines, and ST 550, ST 554. The fareboxes and ORCA card readers on Metro buses will be covered to remind customers not to pay. A regular valid fare will be required on Sound Transit Express buses.
 
On New Year’s Day, Jan.1, transit customers are reminded that buses and rail service will operate on Sunday schedules, and that a regular valid fare will be required on all service.  Details are posted on Metro’s holiday and reduced service page. New Year’s Day, Sound Transit will operate ST Express, Link light rail and Tacoma Link on a Sunday schedule. There will not be any Sounder service New Year’s Day.
 
Metro offices, including the Customer Information center, Lost and Found and Pass Sales counters, will be closed Monday, Jan. 1.  The Customer Information Office at 206-553-3000 will reopen Tuesday morning.
 
A Sunday schedule also will be in effect on Christmas Day, December 25. Visit Metro’s website for more transit information, or call the Customer Information Office at 206-553-3000. Sound Transit will operate all services, except Sounder trains, on a Sunday schedule on Christmas Day. Visit soundtransit.org or call Sound Transit at 888-889-6368 for more schedule information.

Relevant links

• Metro's regional online trip planner
• Metro's holiday and reduced service page
• Sound Transit trip planner
• Sound Transit holiday schedule

Quotes

As we put the finishing touches on 2017, we want you to be able to get out on the town and come home safe. Whether you are heading to the Seattle Center or other King County destinations on New Year’s Eve, Metro will get you there and back, all for free. It’s our way of saying thank you for making Metro the nation’s best transit system, and we look forward to riding with you next year.

We want people to go have a good time and know they can get home safely, affordably, and reliably.

For more information, contact:

Alex Fryer, Executive Office, 206-477-7966

Scott Thompson, Sound Transit, 206-903-7838

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