Sound Transit’s Lynnwood Link Extension Launches August 30th

Sound Transit employees greet an approaching test train operator during a station tour in March 2024.

Courtesy of Sound Transit

SEATTLE – Sound Transit will welcome riders onboard the Link 1 Line extension later this summer.

Sound Transit’s Link 1 Line extension will be open to passengers on August 30^th. The agency announced it is entering the pre-revenue service phase of testing starting on April 15^th. This phase includes “training for operators and maintenance staff, plus continued testing to ensure stations, tracks, utilities, and vehicles work together as expected in preparation for the start of service.”

The line will extend 8.5 miles and add four new stations north of the current 1 line endpoint at Northgate. These will be at Shoreline South/148^th, Shoreline North/185^th, Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood City Center.

Sound Transit stated that another light rail project (the full 2 Line from downtown Seattle to Mercer Island, Bellevue, and Redmond) will likely open in 2025. Originally, this line was supposed to open before Lynnwood Link. The agency reports the reason for this schedule change lies in the fact that the 2 Line connection over Lake Washington “will allow trains to access our new storage and maintenance base in Bellevue.” This connection is “critical” in achieving the frequency goal that Sound Transit had planned for Lynnwood. 

Currently, Sound Transit says it plans to keep ST Express Route 510 in service running every 15 minutes. Additionally, it has proposed a temporary Route 515 from Lynnwood every 10 minutes. These will continue until the 2 Line opens, and then it will “double Link service between Lynnwood and Seattle, with 15 trains per hour (every 4 minutes) during peak hours.”

On September 14^th, partners Community Transit and King County Metro will enact fall service changes. This is to allow for a smoother launch of the extended 1 Line service. Sound Transit encourages riders to visit Community Transit’s website for information about the Swift Orange and Blue Line and local bus route connections to Link stations.