Popular Sounder "Homerun" train returns with five new stations to get Mariners fans to Seattle home games

As Seattle Mariners fans enjoy opening day of the 2001 season, the popular Sounder Homerun train returns to give fans a stress-free way to get to all regular Sunday home games, plus service to the All-Star FanFests on Saturday July 7 and Sunday July 8.

With all Sounder stations between Tacoma and Seattle now in service, Mariners fans from Puyallup, Sumner, Auburn, Kent, Tukwila and Tacoma will now be able to directly board the Sounder Homerun train conveniently right in their own communities, compared to last year when all fans boarded in Tacoma.
The Sounder Homerun train begins on Sunday April 22 and service continues for every Sunday Mariners home game: May 6 and 20; June 3, 10 and 24; July 15 and 29; Aug. 12 and 26; and Sept. 9, 16 and 30. The Sounder Homerun train will also offer service to All-Star FanFests on Saturday July 7 and Sunday July 8.

The train leaves Tacoma at 11 a.m., Puyallup at 11:13 a.m., Sumner at 11:18 a.m., Auburn at 11:27 a.m., Kent at 11:34 a.m., Tukwila at 11:41 a.m. and arrives around noon at Seattle's King Street Station, just a short walk to Safeco Field. In the afternoon, the Homerun train leaves King Street Station at 5:35 p.m. sharp and fans may begin boarding at 5 p.m. Due to railroad track schedules, the train must depart at 5:35 p.m., even if the game goes into extra innings.

Only 1,200 tickets are available for each date. Tickets go on sale Monday, April 9 and must be purchased in advance. Ticket sales are managed by Pierce Transit, and can be ordered by phone with a MasterCard or Visa by calling 1-800-562-8109. Tickets can also be purchased in person at Pierce Transit's Bus Shop locations: Lakewood Mall weekdays 6:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Downtown Tacoma at l Oth and Commerce, weekdays 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; and the Tacoma Dome Station, 610 Puyallup Ave., weekdays 5 a.m. - 1 p.m. Purchases are limited to 20 tickets per person and no refunds or replacements will be issued. For more information call 1-800-201-4900.

Roundtrip train fares are the same as regular Sounder service. A roundtrip ticket for adults from Tacoma, Puyallup and Sumner is $8; $6 if you board in Auburn, Kent or Tukwila. For youths 5 - 18 years, roundtrip from Tacoma, Puyallup and Sumner is $6; $4.50 if you board in Auburn, Kent or Tukwila. Children under five ride free with a fare¬paying passenger. Seniors 65 years or older and disabled passengers roundtrip ticket from Tacoma, Puyallup and Sumner is $4; $3 from Auburn, Kent and Tukwila.

With service to all seven Sounder stations between Tacoma and Seattle now underway, Sounder has continued to surpass opening day ridership projections with more than 9,000 passenger boardings a week, averaging more than 1,800 daily riders on just two round trips, far exceeding the original projection of 1,500 riders per day on three round trips. Ridership numbers are for regular weekday service only and do not include the Mariners Homerun trains or other special service. By 2003, Sounder service is planned to extend north to Everett, Edmonds and Mukilteo and south of Tacoma to Lakewood.
Sounder's customer information line is 1-888-889-6368; for TTY hearing impaired users please call 1-888-713-6030 and the Sounder Web site is www.sounder.or . For general Sound Transit information please visit the Sound Transit Web site at www.soundtransit.org/, or call or write for more information at Sound Transit, Union Station, 401 S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA 98104, 206-398-5000 or toll free 1-800-201-4900.
 

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