Redmond's 2 Line Light Rail: A Local's 2026 Guide

Picture a Friday. You leave home, bike to Downtown Redmond Station or make the short drive to the Marymoor Village garage, and let a train carry you into downtown Seattle for dinner while somebody else is stuck in traffic on SR 520. That's not for some big event, it's a random weeknight. Now that the 2 Line light rail runs the whole way across Lake Washington, our stretch of Redmond sits within an easy trip of Eastside's biggest employers and the heart of Seattle. Below, we'll walk you through how the line works, what a trip costs, where residents actually park, and how to reach the campuses that probably brought you to town.

Quick note before we roll: the 2 Line is Sound Transit’s light-rail route connecting Downtown Redmond with Bellevue, Mercer Island, downtown Seattle, the University District, Northgate, and Lynnwood.

How Did the 2 Line Change in March 2026: The Crosslake Connection

For a good while, riding the light rail out of Redmond meant a train that stopped right at the water's edge. On March 28, 2026, that ended. Sound Transit opened the Crosslake Connection, the seven-mile segment that finally knit the Eastside to Seattle across Lake Washington. The project added Mercer Island and Judkins Park stations and connected the 2 Line to downtown Seattle and the existing Link network, creating direct 2 Line service north to Lynnwood and a transfer to the 1 Line for SEA Airport and Federal Way.

Here's the detail our team can't help bragging about. The 2 Line is the first light-rail line in the world to carry passengers across a floating bridge, riding over Lake Washington on I-90. The full Link network stretches 63 miles across 50 stations, and downtown Seattle to Redmond lands at about 40 minutes. Most guides you'll stumble across were written before all of this clicked into place, which is exactly why we wanted to give you the current picture.

How the 2 Line Works and Where It Runs

Where Are The Redmond Light Rail Stations, and Where to Park

Redmond anchors the eastern end of the line with a few stops worth knowing by name.

• Downtown Redmond Station sits at 16620 NE 76th St beside the Redmond Central Connector, a segment of the broader Eastrail regional trail network, with bike lockers and bus bays on site. Here's the local heads-up that saves newcomers a frustrating loop: there's no parking at this station. Riders drive to the Marymoor Village garage instead.

• Marymoor Village Station at 17300 NE 70th St has 1,403 general parking spaces and 31 ADA spaces and sits next to Marymoor Park and the East Lake Sammamish Trail. It is the nearby park-and-ride Sound Transit directs drivers to use because Downtown Redmond Station does not have dedicated Sound Transit parking.

• Redmond Technology Station at 3929 156th Ave NE serves the Microsoft side of town and offers its own garage, 323 spaces plus 8 ADA stalls.

​Where do I park for the 2 Line light rail?

Since The Colony sits in the Bear Creek and Education Hill area, Downtown Redmond Station is about 1.8 miles away, a short drive or a pleasant bike ride down the Redmond Central Connector trail rather than a walk. That's where our on-site parking shines. On workdays, drive to the Marymoor Village garage, park, and let the train handle the rest. On weekends, some of our residents skip the garage entirely and pedal the trail straight to the platform. If you want the specifics on how parking works with your particular home, we're glad to talk it through when you visit.

2 Line Fares and How to Pay

Here is some good news for your wallet: the fare is refreshingly simple. A one-way adult ride (ages 19 to 64) is a flat $3.00 on every Link trip, whether you're rolling one stop to Marymoor Village or the full run into Seattle. A day pass costs twice the one-way fare and is valid only on the day you buy it.

Discounted fares are also widely available. ORCA LIFT riders and eligible seniors or riders with disabilities pay $1.00, while youth 18 and under ride free. As for tapping in, you've got options: an ORCA card, which is the region's reloadable transit card, a contactless credit or debit card with tap-to-pay, the ticket machines at every station, or the Transit GO Ticket app on your phone.

The Schedule: How Often Do 2 Line Trains Come?

Trains arrive often enough that you generally do not need to plan around a single departure. The 2 Line typically runs about every eight minutes during weekday peak periods and every 10 to 15 minutes at other times.

Service generally operates from approximately 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday and from 6 a.m. to midnight on Sundays, although riders should check Sound Transit’s current schedule before an especially early or late trip. The schedule works for some morning flights, but travelers should confirm the first available connection to SEA Airport before booking an early departure. Grab a coffee from a downtown Redmond café before you tap in, then settle in for views of the Eastside, Lake Washington, and the Seattle skyline as the train heads west.

Getting to the Big Eastside Workplaces

This is what a lot of Redmond residents care about most, and it's where the line really shines.

2 Line to Microsoft 

Ride to Redmond Technology Station, where the Microsoft campus is a short walk away via the standout pedestrian bridge, a 1,100-foot span that crosses SR 520 and connects the station with Microsoft’s east and west campuses. Microsoft funded the bridge, which connects its east and west campuses across SR 520 along with the transit stop and a regional bike trail. Overlake Village Station puts you within a short walk of the campus too, with big-tech offices and good lunch spots close by. If you're here for a summer at Microsoft, our guide for Microsoft interns digs into the housing side of that move.

2 Line to Meta

Spring District Station opens directly into a mixed-use neighborhood in Bellevue’s Bel-Red corridor, home to Meta’s Spring District campus, making the last leg of the commute about as easy as it gets.

Bellvue 2 Line Stops

Bellevue Downtown Station drops you in the middle of the city’s core, near Amazon’s major downtown presence. It is also a gateway to The Bellevue Collection, including Bellevue Square, Lincoln Square, and Bellevue Place. When the errand list piles up, Wilburton Station’s skybridge puts Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Target, REI, and PCC within a short walk, making it one of the line’s most convenient stops for shopping and errands.

Curious how the daily commute fits into life here more broadly? Our full Redmond moving guide covers neighborhoods, costs, and the rhythms of settling in.
 

Living Right By the Line

Here’s the quiet upside of where we sit. The Colony at Bear Creek is roughly two miles northeast of Downtown Redmond Station, putting the 2 Line within a short drive or bike ride.

Come home from a train day and the amenities do their part. We've got a resort-style pool, a fitness center, and a clubhouse lounge for when you'd rather unwind two floors down than two cities over. Inside, homes come with a full-size washer and dryer, a dishwasher, stainless appliances, and a private patio or balcony on most plans. You can see everything that comes with living here, or take a look around with our photo gallery and virtual tours. We offer one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, and availability changes frequently, so it's worth checking what floorplans we have available right now.

New to Redmond and figuring out a car-light routine from scratch? That transition feels smoother when the station is a short trip away and every adult Link light-rail ride costs a flat $3.00. For a wider lay of the land, our Redmond apartment-hunting guide will help you choose your perfect housing fit and how to prepare for a move to the region.

Ride the 2 Line, Come Home to The Colony at Bear Creek

The 2 Line turned Redmond from a nice place to live into a launch pad for the entire region. Microsoft without the 520 headache, Meta without the parking hunt, Seattle dinners without a designated driver, all for the price of a fancy latte each way. The last piece of the puzzle is a home that puts you close to the platform, and that's exactly what we offer here at The Colony at Bear Creek. Check our current availability, then give us a call at (425) 278-4885 or see how to get here in person. We'd love to show you around!

For more neighborhood guides, transit tips, and the occasional bad pun, browse the rest of The Bear Creek Bulletin. Your train's always a few minutes out.
 

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the Redmond light rail?

A one-way adult fare on the 2 Line is a flat $3.00, no matter how far you travel, so Redmond to Bellevue and Redmond to Seattle both cost the same. Riders using ORCA LIFT and eligible seniors or disabled riders pay $1.00, and youth 18 and under ride free.

Does the Redmond light rail go to Seattle?

Yes. Since the Crosslake Connection opened on March 28, 2026, the 2 Line has run from Downtown Redmond across Lake Washington and through downtown Seattle before continuing north to Lynnwood. The ride takes about 41 minutes to International District/Chinatown and about 46 minutes to Westlake; riders heading to SEA Airport or Federal Way transfer to the 1 Line at International District/Chinatown.

How often do 2 Line trains run?

Trains typically arrive about every eight minutes during weekday peak periods and every 10 to 15 minutes at other times. Service generally operates from approximately 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday and from 6 a.m. to midnight on Sundays.

Where do you park for the Downtown Redmond Station?

There is no Sound Transit parking at Downtown Redmond Station, so drivers can use the Marymoor Village Station garage, which has 1,403 general parking spaces and 31 ADA spaces.

How do I get to Microsoft on the light rail?

Ride the 2 Line to Redmond Technology Station and walk to campus over the 1,100-foot pedestrian bridge that spans SR 520. Overlake Village Station is also a short walk from the campus.