Light Rail Expansion, Metro Service Changes Set for Seattle This Weekend
Seattle, WA – March 26, 2026 – Major light rail expansion and Metro service updates arrive March 28, reshaping cross-lake travel and bus routes.
Seattle’s transit network reaches a major milestone this weekend, with expanded light rail service and several Metro route adjustments taking effect March 28.
2 Line Connects Seattle to the Eastside
Beginning Saturday, Link light rail will officially connect Seattle and Bellevue via the 2 Line extension across Lake Washington. The expansion adds service through Judkins Park in Seattle and Mercer Island, completing the long-anticipated cross-lake segment along Interstate 90.
The new connection allows riders to travel by rail between Downtown Seattle, Mercer Island, Bellevue and Redmond. Trains are expected to run every 8 to 10 minutes during most of the day, giving commuters a reliable alternative to bridge traffic.
The opening marks the first time light rail trains will regularly cross Lake Washington, using the I-90 floating bridge infrastructure that was designed decades ago to support future rail.
Judkins Park Station Comes Online
In Seattle’s Central District, the new Judkins Park station opens in the I-90 corridor near Rainier Avenue South and 23rd Avenue South. The station is expected to improve access for nearby neighborhoods and connect with several King County Metro bus routes.
City and regional leaders have framed the station as a key investment in equitable transit access, linking Southeast Seattle residents more directly with job centers on both sides of the lake.
Metro Adjusts Bus Service
King County Metro is rolling out service updates timed to the rail expansion. Revised schedules, including changes to Route 24 serving Magnolia, Seattle Center and Downtown, take effect March 28 and run through late August.
Transit agencies say the bus updates are designed to better align with light rail schedules and reduce duplication, while maintaining connections to neighborhoods not directly served by rail.
Together, the rail extension and bus revisions represent one of the most significant regional transportation shifts since the Lynnwood and Federal Way light rail openings. For Seattle commuters, this weekend signals a new phase in how the city moves across Lake Washington.
