Stride bus rapid transit

Creating fast, frequent and reliable transit connections north, east and south of Lake Washington
Project map for Stride BRT program

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Overview

Sound Transit's Stride bus rapid transit (BRT) will be a fast, frequent, and reliable bus service connecting to Link light rail and to communities north, east, and south of Lake Washington. Like light rail service, Stride is designed for convenient, fast travel, with off-board fare payment and multiple-door entry and exit. This high-capacity transit system includes new bus lanes and transit priority improvements, which will help riders avoid traffic. High-capacity transit means the size of the Stride fleet, speed of travel, frequency of service, and associated road improvements can serve more riders than traditional buses. Stride will be able to accommodate the region’s growing population and meet the need for reliable public transportation.

The Stride program will feature three bus lines: S1, S2, and S3. These lines will replace three existing ST Express bus lines, which were originally planned to fill a transit gap until regional services like Stride could be built. 

  • The S1 Line will replace ST Express 560 between West Seattle and Bellevue.
  • The S2 Line will replace the ST Express 535 between Bellevue and Lynnwood.
  • The S3 Line will replace ST Express 522 between Seattle and Woodinville. 

Stride buses will also connect to Link light rail, providing new ways to get to your destination across the region.

The Stride bus fleet will include Sound Transit's first battery-electric buses. These buses provide a cleaner, more sustainable way to travel in the region. Stride will use double-decker buses for the S1 and S2 lines and 60-foot articulated buses for the S3 Line. The different vehicles will help meet the specific needs of each route. Stride will provide service 17+ hours per day, 7 days a week. During operation, buses will be able to recharge their batteries at layover stations at the end of each route before returning to service. Explore our battery-electric bus fact sheet and blog post to learn more!

The Stride program also includes a new bus maintenance base in Bothell. This facility, Bus Base North, will provide a base of operations for the Stride bus fleet. 

Current project status

Construction for the Stride program is set to start in 2025, with service beginning as soon as 2028. Thanks to our Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) partners, a significant amount of roadway construction is already underway on the I-405 corridor.