Youth Ride Transit for Free!

Transit is free for riders 18 and younger thanks to Move Ahead Washington, a statewide transportation funding package.

How it Works

All Youth 18 and Younger Ride Transit for Free

Riders aged 13 and older are encouraged to bring one of the following when they ride, if they have it:

Youth ORCA Card

• Cards issued by schools and organizations may expire.
• Register your card to ensure it works until your 19th birthday.

Current High School ID or Middle School Student ID

• Show your student ID to the driver as you board and to any transit official upon request.

Youth who do not have a Youth ORCA Card or Student ID can still ride for free. Just get on board!*

Tapping your Youth ORCA card allows transit agencies to better understand how many young people are riding transit, including where and when. Transit agencies use this information to make future improvements to your service.

Riding transit is as easy as 1, 2, 3!

Plan your trip to find the best route(s) and track your upcoming bus, train or ferry! Be sure to arrive at your stop a few minutes early. Always have a plan for how you will return home, too.

Tap your ORCA card on the card reader inside when boarding the bus, or on the dock or platform before boarding rail, streetcar or water taxi. If you don’t have an ORCA card, youth can always just get on board (except on the Monorail, where a Youth ORCA card is required to access free fares).

On buses, pull the yellow cord or press a red stop button when approaching your stop to let the driver know you want to get off at the next stop. Exit through the bus’s back doors, if possible. Trains and boats stop at all scheduled stops, so be ready to get off when your stop is next. If you rode Link light rail or the Sounder train, tap your ORCA card when exiting to complete the trip.