Bellevue School District students heading back to class Wednesday, Sept. 2, can ride King County Metro and more than a dozen other transit systems free.
The Free Youth Transit Pass program, which lets all riders 18 and younger board transit at no cost statewide, enters its fifth school year this September. King County Metro marked the milestone in a blog post Thursday, Aug. 27, featuring Interlake Senior High School junior Ariya.
"Free youth transit has given me the freedom to explore my community, meet up with my friends, and experience places using RapidRide buses, ferries, and other Metro services without the lack of a car or money being a barrier," Ariya said.
What the program covers
The pass works on King County Metro buses, Sound Transit buses and Link light rail, King County and Kitsap Water Taxis, Seattle Streetcar, Pierce Transit, Community Transit, Everett Transit, Kitsap Transit, Snoqualmie Valley Transit, and Washington State Ferries on foot. The Seattle Monorail requires a Youth ORCA card for free fare.
No card is required on any other system. Youth can show a student ID or simply board, according to the official ORCA youth program page.
How it started
The Washington State Legislature created the program through Move Ahead Washington, a $16.9 billion transportation package passed in March 2022. Free rides began that September.
King County Executive Girmay Zahilay said in the blog post that the program gives young people independence to reach school, jobs and activities without worrying about the cost of a ride. Metro General Manager Michelle Allison called it a "rider's license unlocking opportunities for youth" and said the early riders are now young adults passing transit knowledge to younger students.
What BSD families should know
Bellevue School District 405 serves about 20,339 students across 30 schools. Interlake Senior High School alone enrolls 1,611.
To get a Youth ORCA card, students visit FreeYouthTransitPass.com with a school ID, driver's license, state ID or birth certificate. The card takes seven to 10 business days to arrive.
Tapping a Youth ORCA card helps transit planners understand where and when young people ride, which Metro said helps improve service. Students without a card can still ride free.
Metro customer service is available weekdays from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 206-553-3000. Interpreters are available by pressing 1.
Families who order a card now should receive it before the first full week of school.
