Starting Monday, August 3, riders stepping off Sound Transit's 2 Line at Bellevue Downtown Station can board a free electric shuttle and get dropped anywhere in the downtown core. No app. No reservation. Just walk up and go.

The Bellevue Light Rail Shuttle will stage two Volkswagen ID. BUZZ electric vehicles at the designated pickup area outside the station at 110th Ave NE and NE 6th Street, according to a Visit Bellevue announcement.

Riders tell the driver where they're headed, and the shuttle takes them to hotels, restaurants, shops, Bellevue Downtown Park, Meydenbauer Bay Park, or anywhere else within BellHop's approximately six-square-mile downtown service area.

The pilot runs weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through December 2026.

The service is an extension of BellHop, Bellevue's existing free electric shuttle program that launched in August 2023 and has since carried more than 250,000 passengers.

BellHop's main fleet of five Kia EV9 SUVs operates on-demand via the Circuit app across a broader schedule, including evenings and weekends.

The new light rail shuttle is separate: dedicated vehicles, fixed pickup point, no app required.

Visit Bellevue developed the pilot in partnership with Circuit, the City of Bellevue, Sound Transit, and Amazon, which is the lead sponsor. Keri Pravitz, Amazon's manager of community engagement in Bellevue, said the collaboration allows the partners to explore new ideas and respond directly to community needs.

The shuttle fills a gap that opened when the 2 Line Crosslake Connection launched Saturday, March 28, completing direct light rail service between Seattle and Bellevue in about 19 minutes.

Visitors and commuters arriving without a car now have a zero-cost, zero-emission ride from the platform to their final stop downtown.

BellHop is funded by hotel room taxes and partner contributions, not general taxpayer dollars, according to Visit Bellevue.

One thing to note: the light rail shuttle operates only on weekdays until 6 p.m. Riders arriving evenings or weekends can still use the regular BellHop service through the free Circuit app, which runs Monday through Friday until 9 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The pilot runs through December 2026. No decision has been announced on whether the service will continue into 2027.