Cross-posted from the SDOT Blog
Seattle Public Schools and the City of Seattle are partnering to provide an additional 8,000 ORCA cards to Seattle Public Schools’ middle school students. ORCA cards are valid through Aug. 31, 2022, and work 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The ORCA card provides no-cost, unlimited transit rides on Community Transit, Everett Transit, King County Metro, King County Water Taxi, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit, Seattle Streetcar, Sound Transit, and Seattle Center Monorail, creating a passport to the city and beyond.
Announced in 2018, Seattle’s ORCA Opportunity program will now be available to 24,000 students including 8,000 additional middle school students, 15,000 high school students, and more than 1,000 Seattle Promise students.
ORCA Opportunity empowers students to use transit to access schools and services, reduces traffic congestion, and builds a better future for young Seattleites.
Get your ORCA card:
- Middle school students: NEW! All Seattle public middle school students are now eligible for a free, unlimited use ORCA card. Middle school students must apply for an ORCA card on the application website. Cards are delivered to schools every Tuesday and Wednesday, starting Nov. 9, 2021. Even if you previously applied for an ORCA card for your middle school student and were denied, please reapply on the application website.
- High school students: All Seattle public high school students are eligible for a free, unlimited use ORCA card. Before picking up an ORCA card, all high school students must complete the 2021-2022 Conditions of Use Form. School administrators have the most up-to-date information on when students can pick up a card.
- Seattle Promise Scholars: ORCA cards are available for all first-year Promise Scholars who complete a registration form and remain active through their second year in the program.
Once you have your ORCA card, helpful travel resources include the “Tips for Seattle Public School students on using Metro to get to school” Metro Matters blog post and the “King County Metro welcomes students back to school” video.