Trying to figure out your travel plans in Seattle this Christmas? It might help to have a quick breakdown of the operating hours of public transit in Seattle during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. In 2025, the holiday falls during the week so you can expect a typical weekday schedule this Wednesday, December 24 for Christmas Eve. However, Seattle’s transit agencies switch to Sunday/holiday schedules on Christmas Day, with reduced service frequencies and different first/last run times.
First, let’s go over the typical weekday hours of Seattle’s public transit. While exact departure times vary by route, here’s a general idea based on weekday operations. King County Metro and Express buses usually start service around 5:0o to 6:00 a.m. on weekdays and continue into the late evening (10:00 p.m. to midnight on many routes). The Link light rail commonly runs from 5:00 a.m. until around midnight on weekdays, with more frequent service during peak travel times.
Now here are the operating times of Seattle public transit on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in 2025:
King County Metro Bus
Christmas Eve: The King County Metro system operates on a regular weekday schedule on Christmas Eve. Most buses will run their normal hours (typically early morning through late evening, often ~5 am–around midnight depending on route). For specific route times, check the route’s weekday timetable.
Christmas Day: Sunday (holiday) schedule applies on Christmas Day instead of the regular weekday schedule. This means most buses operate at reduced Sunday frequency and span (usually starting around 7:00-9:00 am and ending around 6:00-8:00 pm). This varies by route so you’ll need to check the schedule for the specific route you plan to use for exact first/last trips.
King County Water Taxi
Christmas Day: The King County Water Taxi will have no service on December 25.
Seattle Streetcars
Christmas Eve: Seattle Streetcar lines run regular schedules on December 24.
Christmas Day: The South Lake Union Streetcar will have no service on Christmas Day. The First Hill Streetcar will run on a reduced Sunday schedule.
Sound Transit (Link light rail, ST Express buses, Sounder)
Christmas Eve: Link light rail (1 Line and 2 Line) runs on its regular weekday schedule on Wednesday, December 24. ST Express buses operate on a weekday schedule. Sounder commuter rail typically runs a reduced weekday schedule on Christmas Eve (fewer trains than a regular weekday).
Christmas Day: Link light rail runs its Sunday schedule on Christmas Day, meaning reduced frequency (e.g., trains typically start later in the morning and end earlier in the evening than weekday service). Exact first/last trips vary by line and station; check the specific Link schedule for December 25. ST Express Buses and the Tacoma Link also run on a Sunday schedule. Sounder Commuter Rail will have no service on Christmas Day.
Need more info? If you want exact first/last departure times for a specific bus route or rail line (e.g., Link light rail from your station to Sea-Tac Airport or a particular Metro bus), you can visit the King County Metro website or the Sound Transit website for the light rail schedule.