Your Redmond Neighborhood Connections to Light Rail

Category: Community

Bus stop with a 'this bus connects to light rail' yard sign

With light rail now serving Redmond, there are new, convenient ways to get around the city and across the region.

King County Metro buses provide reliable connections from Redmond neighborhoods to one of the city’s four light rail stations in Downtown, Overlake, and Marymoor Village.

Below is a neighborhood-by-neighborhood look at the local bus routes that make it easy to connect to light rail, no car required.

Education Hill

  • Route 222
    Frequency: Regular all-day service (new in 2025)
    Serves: Downtown Redmond Station; Redmond Technology Station
    Notes: A new route designed specifically to connect Education Hill directly to light rail.
  • Route 250
    Frequency: About every 30 minutes on weekdays; hourly at other times
    Serves: Downtown Redmond Station
    Notes: Serves northeast Education Hill and provides a reliable option outside peak hours.
  • RedLink
    Frequency: On-demand rides via the Circuit App.
    Notes: Pick up in the service area (for Education Hill the boundary is near Redmond Middle School and goes south down 166th towards Downtown)

Idylwood

  • Route 222
    Frequency: Regular all-day service
    Serves: Downtown Redmond Station; Redmond Technology Station
    Notes: Direct neighborhood access to light rail via Downtown Redmond.
  • RapidRide B Line
    Frequency: About every 30 minutes on weekdays; hourly at other times
    Serves: Downtown Redmond Station
    Notes: Frequent service along major corridors serving parts of Idylwood.

Grass Lawn

  • RapidRide B Line
    Frequency: Frequent weekday service; reduced frequency evenings and weekends
    Serves: Downtown Redmond Station
    Notes: High-capacity service along NE 8th St / 148th Ave NE corridor.
  • Route 245
    Frequency: Regular local service (varies by time of day)
    Serves: Downtown Redmond Station (via transfer or direct routing depending on trip)
    Notes: Provides neighborhood coverage and connections to other frequent routes.
  • Route 225
    Frequency: Every ~10 minutes during weekday peak; ~15 minutes off-peak; ~30 minutes early morning and late night
    Serves: Downtown Redmond Station
    Notes: Serves the northern portion of Grass Lawn with very frequent peak service.

Willows Road / Rose Hill

  • Route 225
    Frequency: Frequent weekday service; reduced frequency evenings and weekends
    Serves: Downtown Redmond Station
    Notes: One of the primary routes connecting this area to light rail.
  • Route 250
    Frequency: About every 15 minutes on weekdays; about every 30 minutes nights and weekends
    Serves: Downtown Redmond Station
    Notes: Updated in the 2025 network to directly connect to light rail.
  • DART 930
    Frequency: Evening-focused service (weekdays until ~10 p.m.; weekends until ~7 p.m.)
    Serves: Downtown Redmond Station
    Notes: Demand-responsive service for lower-demand and off-peak travel times.

Southeast Redmond

  • Route 269
    Frequency: About every 15 minutes on weekdays
    Serves: Marymoor Village Station
    Notes: Primary connection from Southeast Redmond to light rail.

Avondale Road Area

  • Route 250
    Frequency: About every 15 minutes on weekdays; about every 30 minutes nights and weekends
    Serves: Downtown Redmond Station
    Notes: Serves portions of the Bear Creek and Avondale–Redmond corridor.
  • Route 269
    Frequency: About every 15 minutes on weekdays
    Serves: Marymoor Village Station
    Notes: An option for Avondale-area residents closer to Southeast Redmond.

Plan Your Trip and Give It a Try

With frequent service, new and improved routes serving the station, and easy transfers to light rail, taking transit from Redmond neighborhoods is a practical and stress-free way to get around.

Use Metro’s trip planning tools (or Google Maps) to find the best route and schedule for your day.

While supplies last, you can request a free ORCA card loaded with $30 in fares from Go Redmond.

You may find it’s easier (and more relaxing) than you expected.

The City of Redmond has partnered with Circuit to drive community connection through local microtransit! An on-demand, free, all-electric ride service is available to help residents and visitors get around Downtown Redmond, Southeast Redmond, and Education Hill easily, affordably, and sustainably. Whether you’re heading to local businesses, catching light rail, or running errands, this service makes local trips simple with no car required.  This pilot program is expected to run through June 2027, thanks to funding from the City of Redmond, Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, and the Washington State Regional Mobility Grant.

Rides are completely free! Riders must be older than 16 to ride. Download the Circuit app to request a ride! 

Download the Circuit App

RedLink serves parts of the Downtown Redmond, Education Hill, and Southeast Redmond neighborhoods. Click the map to view a larger version.

You can also check if you are in the service area on the Ride Circuit app.

How it Works

  • Request a Ride: Use the free Circuit app to request your free ride.
  • Shared Rides: You may share your trip with other passengers heading in the same direction.
  • Walk-to-Pickup: For faster pickups, the app may direct you to a nearby location.

Hours

The RedLink shuttle runs 7 days per week. 

Monday – Thursday: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Friday: 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Note: hours of operation are subject to change.

 

Transit, including light rail, is free for riders 18 and younger thanks to Move Ahead Washington, a statewide transportation funding package. All youth ages 6-18 qualify for a free Youth ORCA card that can be used for rides on all participating transit agencies, including Metro and Sound Transit. 

Youth ORCA cards can be requested online and mailed to your home address (proof of age, such as a student ID card, required) or at an ORCA neighborhood pop-up location. Youth without an ORCA card can present their Student ID to the driver as they board and to any transit official upon request. Using a Youth ORCA card allows transit agencies to better understand how many young people are riding transit, including where and when. 

Parents, are your teens ready to ride transit on their own? Remind them of these general rules before they head out:

  • Be aware of your surroundings
  • Be courteous and respectful of other riders
  • Use headphones and keep music and videos at a low volume
  • Share your location with a parent/guardian

For teens ready to ride transit independently, it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3! 

  1. Plan your trip: Plan your trip to find the best route(s) and track your upcoming bus or light rail arrival. Use Metro’s trip planning tools (or Google Maps) to find the best route and schedule for your day. Arrive at your stop a few minutes early. Always have a plan for how you will return home, too. 
  1. Tap your Youth ORCA card: Tap your ORCA card on the card reader inside when boarding the bus, or on the dock or platform before boarding light rail. If you don’t have an ORCA card, youth can always just get on board. 
  1. Be ready for your stop: On buses, pull the yellow cord or press a red stop button when approaching your stop to alert the driver. Exit through the bus’s back doors, if possible. Light rail trains stop at all scheduled stops, so be ready to get off when your stop is next.  

Overlake School Students in 7th and 8th grades wrote a blog for teens riding the 2 Line. Check out their notes and recommendations for things to do here.

A King County Metro bus approaches the Link Light Rail station

King County Metro and Sound Transit have been preparing for light rail by adjusting bus routes to better serve these stations. Below is a list of stations in Redmond and information on which buses serve each of these locations. 

Downtown Redmond Station
Route Timetable & Map Typical Weekday Frequency General Travel Description
222 https://kingcounty.gov/metro/222 Frequent (10–15 min) Connects Overlake Village, Idylwood, Education Hill, and Downtown Redmond
223 https://kingcounty.gov/metro/223 Moderate (~20–30 min) Eastgate Park & Ride ↔ Downtown Redmond via Bellevue
224 https://kingcounty.gov/metro/224 Limited (≈60 min) Duvall ↔ Redmond neighborhoods
250 https://kingcounty.gov/metro/250 Frequent (15 min peak); Moderate off-peak Avondale / Bear Creek ↔ Redmond ↔ Kirkland ↔ Bellevue
545 https://soundtransit.org/545 Peak (15–30 min) Redmond ↔ Downtown Seattle via SR-520
RapidRide B Line https://kingcounty.gov/metro/rapidride/b-line Frequent (10–15 min) Downtown Redmond ↔ Bellevue Transit Center
DART 930 https://kingcounty.gov/metro/930 Limited (~60 min, evenings) Kirkland–Redmond local coverage with flexible routing
Marymoor Village Station

1,400 commuter parking spaces are available on a first come, first served basis at the station. 

Route Timetable & Map Typical Weekday Frequency General Travel Description
222 https://kingcounty.gov/metro/222 Frequent (10–15 min) Redmond ↔ Overlake Village / Downtown Redmond
224 https://kingcounty.gov/metro/224 Limited (≈60 min) Duvall ↔ Redmond
250 https://kingcounty.gov/metro/250 Frequent (15 min peak) Avondale / Bear Creek ↔ Downtown Redmond
269 https://kingcounty.gov/metro/269 Frequent (≈15 min) Southeast Redmond / Bear Creek ↔ Marymoor Village
545 https://soundtransit.org/545 Peak (15–30 min) Redmond ↔ Downtown Seattle
DART 930 https://kingcounty.gov/metro/930 Limited (≈60 min, evenings) Local Kirkland–Redmond coverage
Overlake Technology Station

323 commuter parking spaces are available on a first come, first served basis at the Overlake Technology Station.

Route Timetable & Map Typical Weekday Frequency General Travel Description
222 https://kingcounty.gov/metro/222 Frequent (10–15 min) Downtown Redmond ↔ Overlake Village / Education Hill
225 https://kingcounty.gov/metro/225 Frequent (10–15 min peak) Kenmore ↔ Kirkland ↔ Overlake ↔ Redmond
245 https://kingcounty.gov/metro/245 Moderate (15–30 min) Kirkland ↔ Overlake ↔ Eastgate
542 https://soundtransit.org/542 Peak (15–30 min) Redmond / Overlake ↔ Downtown Seattle
545 https://soundtransit.org/545 Peak (15–30 min) Redmond ↔ Downtown Seattle
566 https://soundtransit.org/566 Peak (30 min) Redmond / Overlake ↔ Auburn
RapidRide B Line https://kingcounty.gov/metro/rapidride/b-line Frequent (10–15 min) Downtown Redmond ↔ Bellevue Transit Center
895 https://soundtransit.org/895 Peak (≈30 min) Regional express to Eastside tech centers
982 https://kingcounty.gov/metro/982 Limited / reservation-based Special-purpose commuter service
Overlake Village Station

203 parking spaces are available at the Overlake Village Park & Ride (2560 152nd Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052) which is a 6 minute/.3 mile walk from the light rail station.

Route Timetable & Map Typical Weekday Frequency General Travel Description
222 https://kingcounty.gov/metro/222 Frequent (10–15 min) Overlake Village ↔ Downtown Redmond
223 https://kingcounty.gov/metro/223 Moderate (~20–30 min) Bellevue / Eastgate ↔ Redmond
895 https://soundtransit.org/895 Peak (~30 min) Regional express serving Eastside employment areas
Plan Your Trip with Metro Trip Planner

Images of MetroFlex, Redlink, Community Van, Vanpool and Lime Scooters

Redmond has more ways to get around than ever before—and not all of them involve driving alone.  All these options can be confusing for the unfamiliar, so Go Redmond is here to help break it down.

Whether you’re commuting to work, heading to light rail, or running errands around town, there’s likely a transportation option that fits your trip, schedule, and budget. Here’s a quick guide to help you choose what works best.

ServiceCostWho Can Use ItWhere in Redmond?What It’s ForKey Differences
Metro Flex~$3 (ORCA card)General publicOverlakeOn-demand rides in OverlakeApp-based, flexible routing, fills transit gaps
Metro Community Van~$2.75–$3 (ORCA card)Groups (2+), advance bookingCitywide, parked at Hopelink & Marymoor Village Community CenterGroup trips for errands or eventsVolunteer driver, pre-scheduled
RedLinkFreeGeneral PublicDowntown, parts of Education Hill & Willows RoadShort trips + light rail accessFree, small service area
Lime Scooters & E-bikes~$3–$10 per trip (varies)General PublicCitywideQuick, short-distance tripsFast & flexible,charged a per-minute cost
Vanpool~$49/monthRegular commuters in a groupCitywideHome-to-work commutingFixed schedule, lowest cost per commute

Transit Mode Details:

Metro Flex: On-demand, flexible transit when fixed bus routes don't work well

Image of a man standing in front of the Metro Flex van
Metro Flex is an on-demand, shared ride service like a public Uber that operates within a defined zone. You request a ride via app or phone, walk to a nearby pickup point, and share the ride with others.

In Redmond, this is currently only available in the Overlake neighborhood.

  • Costs the same as a bus fare (typically $3 adult)
  • If you use your ORCA card, you can transfer for free to or from a bus or light rail.
  • Open to the general public in service zones
  • Designed for short local trips and first/last mile connections to transit
  • Metro Flex – King County, Washington
Metro Flex Service Area in Redmond
MetroFlex’s Redmond service area is in the Overlake neighborhood
Community Van: Community-organized group trips where transit doesn’t exist

King County Community Van

Community Van is a pre-scheduled, group-based service coordinated by a local partner (in Redmond, that is Hopelink).  Community Van provides six-passenger and 12-passenger vans for prescheduled trips. Destinations can be anywhere within a two-hour drive of Redmond and can occur any day of the week 24 hours a day.

  • Costs the same as a Metro bus fare ($3; youth free)
  • Open to anyone, but requires:
    • At least 2 riders
    • Advance booking (≥2 days)
  • Trips are driven by volunteer drivers who must first complete a short training
  • Sign Up for Community Van
RedLink: Free neighborhood shuttle for short trips and light rail access

RedLink Shuttle

RedLink is a free, on-demand microtransit shuttle launched by the City of Redmond that is run by Circuit.

  • Free to ride
  • Open to residents and visitors within the service area
  • Book via app to be picked up and taken for short trips.
  • Rides may be shared with other riders shared rides; short trips
  • Primary goal: connect neighborhoods to light rail and local destinations
  • Download the RedLink/Circuit App
Lime Scooters & E-bikes: Fast, flexible micromobility

Shared micromobility (dockless scooters and bikes) available across Redmond.

  • Pay per ride (unlock fee + per-minute or bundled pricing)
  • Typical cost:
    • ~$1 unlock + ~$0.25–$0.47/min
    • ~20-min ride ≈ $3–$10 depending on pricing model
    • Discounts available for low income residents and frequent users
  • Open to anyone with a smartphone
  • Best for short, spontaneous trips and first/last mile connections
  • Lime Scooter app

 

Vanpool: Cost Effective Group Commuting Option

A shared commuter van for people traveling similar routes.

  • Monthly cost: ~$49 per rider, often subsidized by employers
  • Requires a group, typically 5–15 people
  • Fixed schedule and route such as between home and work
  • Vehicle provided by King County Metro and can be used by the driver for some personal trips.
  • Find a vanpool 

“What Should I Use?” Decision Guide

Going to light rail? RedLink, Metro Flex, or Lime

Quick errand? RedLink or Lime

Daily commute? Vanpool

Traveling with a group? Community Van

Trying a new way to get around—even once or twice a week—can save money, reduce stress, and help keep Redmond moving.

Get an ORCA Card
Man wearing helmet unlocks a shared bicycle from an urban street
Lime and Bird electric bikes and scooters are ridden past Metro buses on May 1, 2025 for Bike Everywhere Month in Seattle, Wa.

Bike or scoot your way to light rail and earn rewards along the way! Rent a Lime bike or scooter, ride to a transit hub, park in designated spots and earn rewards from King County Metro.

You can earn free scooter rentals and transit trips when you take a Lime scooter or bike to get to a light rail station in Redmond.

STEP 1 – Download and link accounts

STEP 2 – Earn points

  • Bike or scoot to transit. Remember, your trip must last at least 15 minutes or a minimum of a quarter mile. Park at the preferred parking spots, as shown in the app, and end your trip on the app.

STEP 3 – Redeem your points

  • You will receive a Lime notification. Next, open up the Transit GO Ticket app and check your rewards balance. You should have received 300 points for parking correctly. Redeem your points for a free-transit trip worth $3. Must be used within 24-hours.
  • Activate your transit ticket (for a King County Metro bus, Sound Transit bus or Link light rail) within 24 hours. You will receive 700 points which can then be redeemed for $7 off a future bike or scooter rental. To redeem these points, input the code into your Lime app.
Find out more from King County Metro
How To Ride Lime Scooters

Image courtesy of Sound Transit.

“The completion of the 2 Line exponentially expands employment, housing and recreation opportunities for people on the east and west sides of Lake Washington,” King County Executive and Sound Transit Boadmember Girmay Zahilay. “When the 2 Line opens, it will serve 26 stations and more than 35 miles, while knitting together first King County cities and two Snohomish County cities, creating new transit hubs throughout the region.”

Sound Transit announced that the Crosslake connection will open for riders on March 28th. This is the final segment of the 2 Line which will cross Lake Washington and connect with the 1 Line at International District/Chinatown Station, creating a fully integrated regional light rail system. This new addition to the East Link included two new stations, Mercer Island and Judkins Park.

The 2 Line will operate between Lynnwood and Redmond in addition to the 1 Line between Federal Way and Lynnwood. Service will run on the 1 and 2 Lines from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday-Saturday and from 6 a.m-midnight on Sundays. Trains will run every 8 minutes during peak times at the new stations and between 10-15 minutes the rest of the day. Combined 1 Line and 2 Line headways between Lynnwood and International District/Chinatown will be every 4 minutes, providing addtional capacity through the busy core of the system.

To keep up with opening day events and details visit https://www.soundtransit.org/crosslake This link will be updated as plans continue to be finalized. Check back often to stay up to date.

Do you have questions about transit? Are you in need of a new ORCA card?

King County Metro’s Neighborhood Pop-Up Program returns to Redmond this month on a regular schedule. On the second Tuesday of each month King County Metro staff will set up at the Redmond Library (15990 NE 85th St. Redmond, WA) and on the fourth Tuesday of each month they will be at the Redmond Senior & Community Center (8703 160th Ave NE. Redmond, WA) from 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

During pop-up events community members can get new ORCA cards, add fare to existing ORCA cards, replace lost or damaged ORCA cards, get new senior and disabled Regional Reduced Fare Permits, and register free youth ORCA cards. Staff will be onsite to answer any questions you have about Metro services.

For more information about the program you can visit the Neighborhood Pop-Up website.

On August 30th Metro launched their fall service change, which added more than 900 weekly bus trips to better serve Eastside communities, improve 2 Line connections, and added a pilot Metro Flex zone in Overlake.

Some highlights from the service changes that are specific to Redmond include:

New Route 222: Connecting Overlake, Idylwood, downtown Redmond, Education Hill and Cottage Lake, and the 2 Line at Downtown Redmond and Redmond Technology Stations.

New Route 223: Connecting Eastgate, Lake Hills, Overlake and 2 Line service at Downtown Redmond Station, with more frequent 20 minute weekday service.

DART Route 224: Between Duvall and Redmond will improve to service every 60 minutes.

DART Route 249: Will improve to service to every 30 minutes on weekdays with hourly service added from 7 to 9 p.m. connecting Redmond Technology Station, Overlake, downtown Bellevue, and South Bellevue Station.

Launched this summer Route 930 (Kirkland, Redmond): Metro added evening trips to create steady hourly service from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. Riders can request off route trips in the Route 930 DART service areas along Willows Road.

To better understand the route changes in your area visit this King County Metro Blog post.

RSVP for the August 20th meeting on the pilot program

The problem: A Parking Mismatch 

Downtown Redmond has plenty of parking. Nearly 10,000 spaces or 92% of Downtown’s parking sit on private property. Much of it is underused with capacity that sits empty, even during peak times of the day.

Meanwhile, people are looking for parking for dinner, errands, shopping, or riding light rail.

The Solution: Shared Parking Pilot

The City of Redmond and Move Redmond are launching a pilot program to match underused private stalls with the people who need them.

How it works:


We Need Your Voice at the Table! 

We’re convening property owners and business leaders for three crucial summits on unlocking the revenue and parking potential of Shared Parking in Downtown Redmond.

RSVP for one of these discussions to explore how Shared Parking can benefit your property, business, and Downtown community.

 Together Center – August 20, 2025 from 4:00pm-5:30pm RSVP Here
September Date TBA