Sound Transit’s new Eastside light rail stations are seeing higher-than-expected ridership, even as the full East Link Extension into Seattle faces another delay.
According to The Urbanist, which first reported on data presented to Sound Transit’s Rider Experience and Operations Committee in early August, two stations added in May have driven significant growth across the 2 Line. Downtown Redmond has quickly emerged as the busiest station on the Eastside, followed closely by Downtown Bellevue.
Updated figures released later in the summer showed even stronger gains. In July, more than 306,000 riders boarded trains along the 2 Line, an increase of 47% from June and nearly 100,000 more riders in a single month.
Average weekday ridership climbed above 10,700, far surpassing Sound Transit’s previous projection of 6,000 daily riders. Those levels place the 2 Line ahead of nearly every King County Metro bus route in terms of usage.
Ridership patterns vary by station. While Downtown Redmond and Downtown Bellevue account for the largest share of boardings, Wilburton and East Main have seen much lighter activity. Both stations sit in areas where major redevelopment and land-use changes have yet to fully take shape.
Despite the early success of the Eastside segment, riders will need to wait longer for the full East Link Extension that connects across Lake Washington. According to Sound Transit’s June 2025 System Expansion Monthly Status Report, the opening date has shifted again, now scheduled for April 25, 2026.
The revised timeline pushes back earlier projections of a January 2026 start, with some previous estimates suggesting late 2025.
The delay affects the segment that crosses I-90, including new stations at Judkins Park and Mercer Island. Sound Transit attributed the latest postponement to ongoing construction, additional testing and training requirements, and the need to resolve outstanding technical issues before service begins.
