The Seattle area is getting three new light rail stations in south King County this Saturday, marking an important step in expanding service beyond Seattle. The trains will begin service starting at 11:00 am on Saturday. There will be a ribbon cutting celebration at the Federal Way station on Saturday, plus food trucks and festivities at all three new stations throughout the day.
Read on for all the details!
The Kent Des Moines, Star Lake, and Federal Way Downtown stations will all begin service at 11:00 am on Saturday, December 6, giving riders new connections to Highline College and major shopping areas in Federal Way. Trains will run every eight minutes during busy hours, and riders will be able to travel north through Seattle all the way to Lynnwood.
Saturday’s opening will also double as a community celebration. The main event—a ribbon-cutting ceremony—will take place at 9:30 am at the Federal Way Downtown station. From 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, all three new stations will host food trucks, live performances, and activities for families. Sound Transit is encouraging the public to visit, explore the stations, and try the extended line.
The Federal Way extension is opening earlier than many expected. As recently as last year, the station was not projected to open until 2026. But this summer, Sound Transit announced that progress on the line allowed the agency to move the opening up.
The new stations deliver on a promise made years ago. Voters first approved funding for the Federal Way extension in 2008 through the Sound Transit 2 ballot measure. After the Great Recession slowed revenue, voters added more funding in 2016 with the Sound Transit 3 package, ensuring the project could continue.
Sound Transit’s next major step is the East Link line across Lake Washington, which will connect Seattle and Bellevue. That project, also part of the package that voters approved in 2008, is scheduled to open next year. Additional Sound Transit light rail projects—including future stations in Ballard, West Seattle, Everett, and Tacoma—are still in early stages and have not yet begun construction.