Holiday travel? Metro will help you get there

The holidays are coming! Whether you are going to holiday events, shopping or celebrating with friends and family, it’s a great time to explore your transit options.

We have some schedule adjustments to bus, water taxi and other services during the upcoming holidays and sharing them here to help you more easily make travel plans.

Tips for holiday travel

• How do I pay my fare? Tap your ORCA card, show your Transit Go Ticket or tap your Android Google Pay app. Insert correct amount of cash into the farebox. Link tickets can be purchased at Link rail stations. ORCA day passes, monthly passes and standard and reduced fare prices are available.
• Where to? Plan your trip:Visit Trip Planner or a third-party app and enter when and where you want to travel. Metro Customer Service can also help. Call 206-553-3000 weekdays, excluding holidays, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Press 1 for an interpreter.)
• When is my bus departing? At the bus or transit stop, text your bus stop number to 62550 or use a third-party app like “One Bus Away” or Google Maps (using transit mode) to see when your bus is departing.
• Customer information, pass sales, and lost and found: hours and location information are posted online.
• Sign up for transit alerts: If your bus faces construction or other roadway disruptions, we will text or email you with information. Subscribe online.
• Regional transit: If you’re using one of our regional transit partners, be sure to check their holiday schedule:
  • Community Transit/Holiday
  • Everett Transit/Holiday
  • Kitsap Transit/Holiday
  • Pierce Transit/Holiday
  • Sound Transit/Holiday
  • Washington State Ferries/Holiday

Metro’s holiday season service schedule

Thursday and Friday, Nov. 27 and 28 (Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday) Turkey and shopping!  

• Access Paratransit: Service on Thursday, Nov. 27, will operate on its Sunday schedule and on Friday, Nov. 28, will operate a weekday schedule; with no Subscription Service on both days.
• Metro buses: Buses will operate on a Sunday schedule for Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 27. On Friday, Nov. 28 (Metro’s Mark McLaughlin Day and Black Friday), buses will operate a regular weekday schedule.
• Metro Flex: Metro Flex, our on-demand service available in locations throughout King County, will run on its Sunday schedule Thursday, Nov. 27, Thanksgiving Day, and on its weekday schedule Friday, Nov. 28.
• Seattle Streetcar:
  • The First Hill line will operate on its Sunday schedule on Nov. 27, Thanksgiving Day, and on its regular weekday schedule on Friday, Nov. 28.
  • The South Lake Union line will not be in service on Thanksgiving Day but will operate its regular weekday schedule on Friday, Nov. 28.
  • Go to the Seattle Streetcar website for additional schedule details.
• Sound Transit Link light rail: Link 1 and 2 lines will operate a Sunday schedule on Nov. 27, (Thanksgiving) and a Saturday schedule Friday, Nov. 28.
• Water Taxi
  • King County Water Taxi routes will not sail on Thursday, Nov. 27, Thanksgiving Day, however Metro bus service is a good alternative between West Seattle and Downtown Seattle.
  • Regular weekday water taxi service will operate to West Seattle and Vashon Island on Friday, Nov. 28, along with West Seattle shuttle routes 773 and 775.
• King County Metro offices are closed Nov. 27 and 28.

Thursday, Dec. 25 (Christmas Day – Ho Ho Ho, here we go!)

• Access Paratransit: Service will operate on a Sunday schedule with no Subscription Service.
• Metro buses: Buses will be operating on Sunday schedules.
• Metro Flex: Metro Flex will run on its Sunday schedule.
• Seattle Streetcar:
  • The First Hill line will operate on its Sunday schedule.
  • The South Lake Union line will not be in service Christmas Day.
  • Details on the Streetcar webpage.
• Sound Transit: Link 1 and 2 lines will operate on a Sunday schedule.
• Water Taxi: King County Water Taxi routes will not sail on Christmas Day, however Metro bus service will operate between West Seattle and Downtown Seattle.
• King County Metro offices are closed Dec. 25.

Wednesday, Dec. 31 (New Year’s Eve) Counting down to the New Year!

All transit services will be operating on their regular weekday schedules. More information on late night service for New Year’s celebrations will be available in December.

Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026 (New Year’s Day) Start the New Year riding transit!

• Access Paratransit: Service will operate on a Sunday schedule with no Subscription Service.
• Metro buses: Buses will be operating on their Sunday schedules.
• Metro Flex: Metro Flex will run on its Sunday schedule.
• Seattle Streetcar: Both the First Hill and South Lake Union lines will operate on their Sunday schedules.
• Sound Transit: Link 1 and 2 lines will operate on a Sunday schedule.
• Water Taxi: King County Water Taxi routes will not sail New Year’s Day, however Metro bus service will operate between West Seattle and Downtown Seattle.
• King County Metro offices are closed Jan. 1.

Metro is a convenient and reliable way to get where you need to go, especially after a holiday night on the town. You enjoy the holidays—we’ll do the driving.