Last March the Washington State Legislature passed the Move Ahead Washington transportation package, which incentivized transit agencies to offer free fares for youth. And one by one, local transit agencies have begun to offer it. Here are the agencies that are participating, and the effective dates:
July 1, 2022
- Everett Transit
September 1, 2022
- Community Transit
- King County Metro
- Kitsap Transit
- Pierce Transit
- Seattle Streetcar
- Sound Transit (includes light rail)
October 1, 2022
- Washington State Ferries (includes pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicle passengers but does NOT exempt the vehicle fee)
How do kids get a free transit pass?
Youth must be age 18 and under to qualify for the free fare. Here’s how to take advantage of this benefit:
- Youth age 0-12 do not need to present anything but can get a youth ORCA card, if desired
- Youth age 13-18 can get a free youth ORCA card. Parents can visit myORCA.com to create an account and upload one of three documents: student ID, state ID, or birth certificate. The card will be sent in the mail and you will tap your card as usual when you ride.
- Any youth ORCA card issued during the 2021-2022 school year will be valid until June 30, 2023.
- If you don’t have a youth ORCA card, show your middle school or high school ID.
- If a youth doesn’t have one of these items, they can still ride free.
- Starting sometime in 2023, the pass will be available electronically with a smartphone.
Learn more at Youth Ride Free.
What is an ORCA card?
An ORCA card stands for “One Regional Card for All” and was created in partnership with local transit agencies. Instead of needing different tickets, cash, or passes for each separate transit agency, it makes riding easier. Fares are paid automatically with the card, and transfers are seamless.
How do I learn to ride public transit?
It can feel intimidating if you’ve never taken public transit before, but once you do it, you’ll find out how easy it is. You don’t have to worry about traffic or parking and you can even get some reading done on your ride! One way to plan your trip is through Sound Transit’s Trip Planner. Click “plan your trip,” punch in your start/end points, and it will give you all your options (including transfers) and even tell you which agencies service your trip. Or, download the app! Make it an adventure and plan a family outing via transit today. After all, kids ride free!
