Sound Transit to run additional service for Seattle’s ‘Summer of Soccer’

Sound Transit is preparing to welcome FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer attendees by running additional service in June and July for Link light rail as well as special Sounder game trains. 

Passengers taking transit to the games at the renamed Seattle Stadium (800 Occidental Ave. S.) during the tournament can find all the information they need in one place by visiting https://www.soundtransit.org/soccertournament.

Helpful to visitors and locals alike, last month ORCA launched tap-to-pay, which allows transit riders to use any contactless debit or credit card to pay their fare. On March 28, the 2 Line will begin service across Lake Washington, connecting Redmond to Lynnwood via Downtown Seattle. Also that day, the agency will launch new overnight ST Express bus service from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to downtown Seattle.

During the tournament, passengers will be encouraged to use multiple stations to get to the games — from the north, use Pioneer Square; from the south, use Stadium; from the east (and ADA passengers), use International District/Chinatown. 

Additional security personnel and Sound Transit staff will be available at stations to help passengers. Even with extra service, riders should expect that trains will be crowded during peak times. In order for passengers to have the best riding experience, Sound Transit has tips to help riders during the tournament and throughout the busy summer season. These include: 

• Sign up for service alerts 
• Spread out on platforms. The first and last cars are frequently less crowded. 
• Get to your destination early and leave later. The stadium opens three hours before the match and closes two hours after the match ends.
• Consider alternative routes or other ways of getting around. 

Following are details about service during FIFA World Cup 2026:

Link light rail service

There will be increased service on the 1 Line and 2 Line on all game days with trains running every eight minutes all day until 1am. This results in trains arriving every four minutes in the downtown core. 

T Line

Tacoma’s T Line will run trains every 12 minutes on game days and extend service for evening matches to meet Sounder passengers at Tacoma Dome Station.

Sounder Service

For the six games, Sounder game trains will be added, and schedule adjustments will be made for some existing trains to serve the World Cup matches. Regular Sounder commuters should check schedules as timetables may have changed. 

Trains from Everett take about an hour to get to King Street Station. The trip is about an hour and 20 minutes from Lakewood. Full schedule and additional details can be found on our tournament service and activities webpage: https://www.soundtransit.org/soccertournament,  

• For the three weekday matches beginning at noon, Monday, June 15 (Belgium vs. Egypt), Friday, June 19 (USA vs. Australia) and Wednesday, June 24 (UEFA winner vs. Qatar) the Sounder special event train will leave Everett at 9:45 a.m., making all stops to King Street Station. The special event train from Lakewood via Tacoma departs at 9:26 a.m., making all station stops. Train 1518, the regularly scheduled 10:11 a.m. departure from Lakewood, will be canceled on all noon gamedays. Postgame, the train north to Everett will depart 60 minutes after the match, about 3 p.m. Southbound trains to Lakewood and Tacoma will follow the regular S Line schedule. 
   
• For the 8 p.m. Friday, June 26 match, Egypt vs. Iran, the N Line special event train departs Everett at 5:45 p.m. and d the S Line special event train departs Lakewood at 5:16 p.m. Return trains to both Everett and Lakewood depart one hour after the match, approximately 11pm.
   
• For the 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 1 match, teams TBD, the N Line special event train departs Everett at 10:45 a.m., and the regularly scheduled Train 1518 will serve as the game train from Lakewood, departing at 10:11 a.m. The return train to Everett departs one hour after the match, at approximately 4 p.m. Regularly scheduled S Line service will serve as game trains in the direction of Tacoma and Lakewood.
   
• For the 5 p.m. Monday, July 6 match, teams TBD, the N Line special event train departs Everett at 2:20 p.m., and the S Line special event train departs Lakewood at 2:26 p.m. Return trains to both Everett and Lakewood depart one hour after the match, approximately 8 p.m.

Sound Transit is also preparing to add ST Express service along key routes if needed and pausing any new work on the 1 Line and 2 Line that would disrupt service. Elevator, escalator and other facilities technicians will also be teed up for rapid response should any issues emerge. 

We are also planning to welcome FIFA World Cup 2026 attendees to Seattle by working with local neighborhood organizations to provide information about the International District and Pioneer Square neighborhoods to encourage visitors to explore the area.