Let transit take you out to the ball game: Ride Metro, Sound Transit, and Kitsap Transit for free July 10-11

July 5, 2023

Summary

King County Metro, in partnership with Sound Transit, Kitsap Transit, and the Seattle Department of Transportation will go fare-free on Monday, July 10 and Tuesday, July 11.

Story

 

With Seattle hosting the 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, King County Metro, Sound Transit, Kitsap Transit, and the Seattle Department of Transportation Streetcar will go fare-free on Monday, July 10 and Tuesday, July 11. Free fares will help fans get to events, shorten boarding times, and welcome new riders to transit.

Whether you’re heading to the festivities surrounding baseball’s Midsummer Classic or to any destination in King County, Metro is a great way to get there. Metro is being joined by other regional transit agencies in making it even easier to see the sights while skipping traffic and supporting the environment. 

“With fans gathering from around the nation and beyond for this annual celebration of our national pastime, King County and our transit partners are excited to welcome aboard visitors and locals alike – at no charge,” said Executive Dow Constantine. “Whether you’re headed out to enjoy the All-Star Game festivities, or just traveling around the region, we hope you will use free transit to get wherever you want to go.” 

"All-Star Week is our opportunity to welcome fans from around the region and world to Seattle – and free rides for all means a safe, easy, and enjoyable commuting experience throughout our city," said Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. "Visitors and residents can take advantage of our strong public transit system to connect to neighborhoods and all the exciting events happening in and around downtown. From the Seattle Streetcar to bus and light rail, our public transit system will make it easy for baseball fans to safely avoid the traffic, travel sustainably, and get where they need to go this All-Star Week." 

“It’s wonderful that the city is offering fare-free transit July 10-11 for All-Star Week,” said Fred Rivera, Seattle Mariners executive vice president. “We hope that everyone takes advantage of this incredible offer and visits all of the unique All-Star Week festivities throughout the city, from PLAY BALL Park at Lumen Field and the HBCU Swingman Classic at T-Mobile Park to the MLB All-Star Movie Nights at the Seattle Center. It’s going to be an unforgettable week.”

The fare-free days will run during regular service hours (3 a.m. to 3 a.m. for Metro, 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. for Link light rail, and 4:40 a.m. to 9:40 p.m. for the Kitsap Fast Ferry) to help fans get to the Home Run Derby (July 10) and the MLB All-Star Game (July 11).

Metro buses' fareboxes and ORCA card readers will be covered to remind customers not to pay. The Transit GO Ticket mobile ticketing app will not allow ticket activations for all Metro services during this period. Sound Transit riders will not need to purchase a ticket from a ticket vending machine to ride Link light rail, Sounder, or ST Express buses. While Sound Transit’s ORCA card readers will remain uncovered, fares will be set to zero should a rider tap an ORCA card. 

“We all know the Northwest is the best place to be this time of year, and we’re glad to be joined by Sound Transit and Kitsap Transit in making it easier to get around the region,” said King County Metro General Manager Michelle Allison. “If you’re here for the festivities, or you haven’t taken Metro in a while, this is the perfect chance to discover the most affordable, reliable, and stress-free way to get wherever you need to go.”

Along with Metro buses, the following Metro services will be free on July 10 and 11: 

• Access Paratransit
• King County Water Taxi, with service being extended until 11 p.m. on both days to accommodate riders
• Metro and RapidRide buses
• Metro Flex on-demand services

Transit partners will operate as follows:  

• Sound Transit Link light rail will run regular service hours, with additional trains running to accommodate fans attending the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game. Link will run every eight minutes all day on July 8, 10, and 11. Special Sounder game train service will be available on July 10 for the Home Run Derby and on July 11 for the All-Star Game.
• Seattle Streetcars will operate fare-free during the two events.
• Kitsap Transit buses and the Kitsap Fast Ferry service will be fare-free. The Kitsap Fast Ferry docks at Pier 50.
• Pierce Transit, Community Transit, and the Seattle Center Monorail will continue to charge regular fares on July 10 and 11.

Metro is proud to offer a year-round, equity-centered approach that ensures the ability to pay is never a barrier to travel. The agency always provides affordable fares to everyone – reduced fares to people with disabilities, people with low incomes, and seniors, and free fares to all youth 18 and younger, and to people on certain government programs. 

 

Relevant links

• King County Metro
• Metro's Trip Planner
• Sound Transit
• Kitsap Transit

Quotes

With fans gathering from around the nation and beyond for this annual celebration of our national pastime, King County and our transit partners are excited to welcome aboard visitors and locals alike – at no charge. Whether you’re headed out to enjoy the All-Star Game festivities, or just traveling around the region, we hope you will use free transit to get wherever you want to go. 

All-Star Week is our opportunity to welcome fans from around the region and world to Seattle – and free rides for all means a safe, easy, and enjoyable commuting experience throughout our city. Visitors and residents can take advantage of our strong public transit system to connect to neighborhoods and all the exciting events happening in and around downtown. From the Seattle Streetcar to bus and light rail, our public transit system will make it easy for baseball fans to safely avoid the traffic, travel sustainably, and get where they need to go this All-Star Week.

It’s wonderful that the city is offering fare-free transit July 10-11 for All-Star Week. We hope that everyone takes advantage of this incredible offer and visits all of the unique All-Star Week festivities throughout the city, from PLAY BALL Park at Lumen Field and the HBCU Swingman Classic at T-Mobile Park to the MLB All-Star Movie Nights at the Seattle Center. It’s going to be an unforgettable week.

We all know the Northwest is the best place to be this time of year, and we’re glad to be joined by Sound Transit and Kitsap Transit in making it easier to get around the region. If you’re here for the festivities, or you haven’t taken Metro in a while, this is the perfect chance to discover the most affordable, reliable, and stress-free way to get wherever you need to go.

Transit is always a great way to get around our region, and that's especially true during All-Star week. We're running trains more frequently and adding trains to and from the games to help fans get to the stadium. Whether you're a regular rider or riding with us for the first time, we're looking forward to seeing you onboard!

We are proud to join our partner transit agencies in promoting fare-free rides on our buses and ferries during these Major League Baseball events in Seattle. This is a home-run opportunity for Kitsap residents, particularly those who have not used our services recently, to experience the safety, reliability, and affordability that our transit system offers, and we’re here to help you plan your trip if you need assistance.

For media inquiries, contact:

Kristin Elia, Executive Office, 206-369-7169 

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