What Seattle-area light rail stations are coming, and when
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Light rail trains pull into the Mount Baker station in Seattle. Photo: Melissa Santos/Axios
Sound Transit's light rail system is expanding, with new service to Federal Way the latest of several additions planned in the coming decades.
Why it matters: Since 2008, Seattle-area voters have approved more than $65 billion to grow the region's light rail system. But some projects are behind schedule, making it hard to track what's next.
The big picture: The projects are expected to grow the local light rail system from 26 miles as of 2022 to about 116 miles by 2041, adding dozens of stations from Everett to West Seattle to Tacoma.
Here's a look at what's coming and when, according to the latest timelines.
Federal Way
Plans to build light rail to Federal Way were originally part of the Sound Transit 2 ballot measure Puget Sound voters approved in 2008.
- The new extension opened Dec. 6, with new stations planned in Kent, Star Lake and downtown Federal Way.
Eastside
Light rail service over I-90 to Mercer Island and Bellevue was once expected to start in 2023, but construction quality problems have delayed the opening, Sound Transit says.
- Service from Seattle to the Eastside is now slated to open March 28, 2026.
Yes, but: The agency opened a shorter, 6.5-mile line on the Eastside between the South Bellevue and Redmond Technology stations in April 2024, then opened two new stations in Redmond in May 2025.
What's next: Once the full East Link route opens in March, it will serve Seattle's Judkins Park, Mercer Island, Redmond and multiple stations in Bellevue.
Lynnwood
The light rail extension north to Lynnwood opened in August 2024.
- It includes four new stations — two in Shoreline, one in Mountlake Terrace, and one in Lynnwood — and connects to Sea-Tac Airport and Federal Way.
- Another station at Northeast 130th Street is scheduled to open in 2026.
- Eventually, Lynnwood riders will also be able to connect to the East Link line.
West Seattle
The schedule is less firm with the rest of the planned projects, which are bankrolled by the Sound Transit 3 ballot measure voters approved in 2016.
- Service connecting SoDo and West Seattle's Alaska Junction neighborhood is tentatively scheduled to start in 2032.
- Officials are still looking at multiple potential routes as the project goes through an environmental review.
- Sound Transit is also analyzing how to complete this project and others within budget amid a spike in projected construction costs.
Ballard
Service isn't expected to begin from downtown Seattle to Ballard until 2039.
Zoom in: Significant debate has focused on where to place stations around the Chinatown-International District (CID).
- Sound Transit spokesperson John Gallagher told Axios that the agency "is really cognizant of what the construction impacts are going to be to the community," which has been affected by several major building projects over the years, including I-5 and stadiums.
State of play: One option would be to put a new station north of the CID, at the site of the mostly vacant King County Administration Building at Fifth and Jefferson, plus a second station slightly south of the historic neighborhood.
- Sound Transit's board and Seattle's outgoing mayor, Bruce Harrell, said they'd prefer this setup. But transit advocates argued it would require riders to walk too far to switch trains.
- Another option under review would place a station near Madison Street/First Hill (Midtown station) and another at Fourth and Jackson, in the heart of the CID.
Tacoma and Everett
Light rail service from Seattle to Tacoma won't start running until around 2035, while the line to Everett has a 2037–2041 opening date.
Editor's note: This story was updated on Dec. 11, 2025 to include information about the opening of the Federal Way extension and the planned 2026 opening date for the East Link.