Sounder commuter rail

Sounder
Two Sounder trainsets at Tukwila station
Two Sounder trainsets at Tukwila station
Overview
OwnerSound Transit
LocaleSeattle metropolitan area
Transit typeCommuter rail
Number of lines2
Number of stations12
Daily ridership8,000 (weekdays, Q2 2024)[1]
Annual ridership1,630,000 (2023)[2]
WebsiteSounder Rider Guide
Operation
Began operationSeptember 18, 2000 (2000-09-18) (S Line)
December 26, 2003 (2003-12-26) (N Line)
Operator(s)BNSF
Reporting marksSDRX
Number of vehicles14 locomotives
67 passenger cars[3]
Train length2–7 passenger cars
HeadwayN Line: 2 round trips per day
S Line: 10 round trips per day
Technical
System length81.8 mi (131.6 km)[3]
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Top speed79 mph (127 km/h)
System map

Legend
Line
Cascades to Vancouver, BC
Empire Builder to Chicago
 Everett
Amtrak
 Mukilteo
Washington State Ferries
 Edmonds
Washington State Ferries Amtrak
Snohomish County
King County
 Seattle
First Hill Streetcar Amtrak
 Tukwila
Amtrak
 Kent
Auburn
King County
Pierce County
 Sumner
Puyallup
Tacoma Dome
Amtrak
 South Tacoma
Lakewood
Future extension
Tillicum
(2045)
 DuPont
(2045)
Cascades to Eugene
Coast Starlight to Los Angeles
Line
This diagram:

Sounder commuter rail (reporting mark SDRX) is a commuter rail service operated by BNSF on behalf of Sound Transit.[4] Service operates Monday through Friday during peak hours from Seattle, Washington, north to Everett and south to Lakewood. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 1,630,000, or about 8,000 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

As of 2017, schedules serve the traditional peak commutes, with most trains running inbound to Seattle in the morning and outbound in the afternoon. Three daily round-trips run the reverse commute to and from Tacoma.[5] Additional Sounder trains operate on some Saturdays and Sundays for travel to and from Seahawks and Sounders games at Lumen Field and Mariners games at T-Mobile Park. Both stadiums are a short walk from King Street Station.

  1. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Second Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. September 3, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  2. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Transit Development Plan 2022–2027 and 2021 Annual Report" (PDF). Sound Transit. August 25, 2022. pp. 12–14. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  4. ^ "Sounder Commuter Rail Train Specifications". Sound Transit. July 18, 2009. Archived from the original on August 2, 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2008.
  5. ^ "Sound Transit: Sounder Commuter Rail Schedules". Sound Transit. Retrieved April 6, 2017.