Sound Transit moves to flat Link light rail fares and boosts rate for fall 2024
Saturday, December 16, 2023
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| Photo courtesy Sound Transit |
The new fare, $3.00 per trip for adults, takes effect in the fall of 2024, coinciding with the opening of the Lynnwood Link Extension.
Currently, Sound Transit charges between $2.25 and $3.50 for adults traveling one way based on distance. Sound Transit last raised Link fares in 2015. The new fare structure will not affect low-income adult (ORCA LIFT) fares or senior/disabled fares.
Extensive community engagement found the public almost evenly split on whether to continue with distance-based fares or move to flat fares. In making the change, board members emphasized increased simplicity and the potential for fare capping in the future, as well as equity concerns.
The implementation of a flat fare will eliminate the need for Link passengers to tap off at the end of their trip. Today, if passengers fail to tap off, they pay the highest possible fare from their originating station. Forty-six percent (46%) of Link passengers pay the adult fare with the remainder using employer-funded passes or reduced fare products. Youth 18 and under ride free.
Extensive community engagement found the public almost evenly split on whether to continue with distance-based fares or move to flat fares. In making the change, board members emphasized increased simplicity and the potential for fare capping in the future, as well as equity concerns.
“With easy-to-understand pricing, and ORCA programs to match every income, there’s never been a better time to get on board Link,” said King County Executive and Sound Transit Board Chair Dow Constantine.
“Link is expanding to serve more and more communities over the next few years, and this simple pricing will make getting where you need to go even easier.”
The implementation of a flat fare will eliminate the need for Link passengers to tap off at the end of their trip. Today, if passengers fail to tap off, they pay the highest possible fare from their originating station. Forty-six percent (46%) of Link passengers pay the adult fare with the remainder using employer-funded passes or reduced fare products. Youth 18 and under ride free.
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1 comments:
This new policy should be simpler for riders, as the other services are only "tap on," while today those who forget or don't have time to tap off for Link are overcharged.
Riders should also be aware of the regional fare-sharing agreement and the incredible incentive to have and use an ORCA card. If a rider uses an ORCA card and transfers from one bus or service to another within a two-hour timeframe, they only pay 1 fare, not 2, though where there are two transit agencies involved, it's the higher fare of the two services (Metro Transit, Community Transit, Sound Transit, Everett Transit, Seattle Streetcar, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit, King County Water Taxi, Seattle Monorail, and for e-Purse in some cases, the state ferries). Examples for adult passengers: transfer from Metro ($2.75) or Community Transit's Swift bus ($2.50) to Link ($3.00), under this new policy, your total trip cost will be $3.00. Transfer from Sound Transit's express bus ($3.25) to Link, your total trip cost under this policy will be $3.25.
If you are using a monthly pass, the cost for those are calculated based on 36 trips per month times whatever the value you choose, e.g. $3.00 x 36, which allows one to take as many trips in a month at (in my example) $3.00 fare or less. If the fare is higher, e.g., an ST bus in my example, one pays the difference, or 25 cents.
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