Staying cool and safe on Metro during the heat
Puget Sound summers can see temperatures soar into the 90s (and beyond) and stay for several days. When the heat arrives, King County Metro can help connect you to community cooling centers, and Public Health – Seattle & King County has tips for protecting yourself as you travel.
Riding with Metro
Stay out of the heat if you can
Metro does not waive fares during heat events, and those who board are expected to pay. Our operators will never make fares a barrier to people in safety situations, such as a ride to a cooling center.
All Metro buses have air conditioning (AC). If you are riding, the best way to help keep the buses cool is to keep the windows on the buses closed to increase the efficiency of the AC. Air conditioning systems remove heat from a space, so bringing outside air from an open window into the bus makes the AC work harder and could cause it to overheat and shut off.
While we have air conditioning, sometimes that isn’t enough during the hottest parts of the day. If you have the choice, we encourage you to travel during cooler parts of the day if you can and skip unnecessary trips.
Before you go
Extreme heat can impact roads and bridges and create potential delays. Using Metro Transit Alerts, you can find out about potential delays by email or text message. Even if you haven’t signed up for alerts, you can also find the latest alerts for each route on the RSS feeds webpage
Real-time (while waiting for transit)
Our real-time updates can let you know when a bus trip is operating, when it is due to depart, or if it was canceled:
- Next Departures information is available at TripPlanner. Trip Planner is also a great tool to plan your trip to cooling centers in your community.
- Use Text for Departures by texting your bus stop number to 62550. The next bus trips will be displayed with an estimated time, an “s” for scheduled or “canceled.”
- Follow @KingCountyMetro on X.
Shade and water
Hot weather means that buses may be behind schedule. Be sure to pack a water bottle, stay out of the direct sun as best as you can, and be prepared for possible delays.
Staying safe in the sun
- Cooling centers: Metro is ready to get you to the cooling center in your community, be sure to check for the nearest center in your community. The King County Office of Emergency Management will share a list of regional cooling centers during heat events.
- Forecasts and tips: The National Weather Service Seattle Forecast Office is a great resource for alerts on conditions as well as heat safety tips and resources.
- Your health during heat: There are several resources available through Public Health-Seattle and King County on ways to protect yourself during extreme heat:
Pet safety
Don’t forget your pets need protection, too! Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) reminds you to keep your pets out of cars when it’s hot.
Transit partners
For riders who connect with Metro through our partner transit agencies, here are links to their sites for heat event information: