The 2 Line Finally Crosses the Lake — What Seattle Commuters Need to Know

I feel like we've been hearing about this for forever. Years of construction, budget overruns, pandemic setbacks. But it's actually, genuinely happening now. Sound Transit's 2 Line is about to do the thing everyone has been waiting for: cross Lake Washington on a train.

On March 28, 2026, the Crosslake Connection goes live for revenue service. It connects Seattle's existing light rail network to the Eastside via the I-90 floating bridge. For the first time ever, you can ride a train from downtown Seattle to Bellevue, hop off at Mercer Island, and eventually go all the way out to downtown Redmond. No car required.

What's actually new here?

A 7.4-mile segment with two brand new stations: Judkins Park and Mercer Island. The 2 Line connects at International District/Chinatown Station, which is where it meets the 1 Line. You can see all stations on Sound Transit's system map. When the full 2 Line is up and running, it'll stretch over 35 miles from downtown Redmond all the way north to Lynnwood. That's a lot of ground.

If you're someone who commutes between Seattle and Bellevue, this is the milestone. Done sitting in I-90 crawl. Done paying the $6 toll on 520 and still being late. Tap your ORCA card and go. For what's planned beyond this, including Ballard, Everett, and infill stations, take a look at Sound Transit's expansion plans.

Does this mess with the 1 Line at all?

Sort of. The 1 Line and 2 Line share tracks between International District/Chinatown and Lynnwood. On the plus side, that means more frequent service through that whole stretch. On the minus side, you actually need to pay attention to which train you're boarding now. Heading south to the airport? Make sure it's a 1 Line train. The 2 Line goes east. Get on the wrong one and you're taking an unplanned trip across a lake.

Will NextStop have it?

Absolutely. We've been tracking the 2 Line rollout for months. NextStop Mini will support the new stations the moment service begins. If you already have a device, you'll get an over-the-air update. Nothing to do on your end. The new stops will also show up on the supported routes page once they go live.

Planning to ride opening day?

Sound Transit is going all out on March 28. Ribbon cutting, activities at multiple stations, the whole celebration. Expect crowds. Especially at International District/Chinatown, Judkins Park, and Mercer Island. If you want to be part of it, more power to you. Just don't expect anything resembling a normal commute that day.

For everyone else: probably smart to give it a few days before you start relying on it for your daily routine. Let the kinks work themselves out. I'll be riding it on day one though, obviously. Somebody's gotta make sure those arrival times are accurate.

— Nikita