Commuters heading out from Seattle's Pinehurst neighborhood can now get to the University District in under ten minutes, downtown in under 20 and to Sea-Tac Airport in just about an hour.
Sound Transit's Pinehurst Station opened Wednesday, Sept. 30, bringing the Link 1 light rail line to another area of North Seattle nearly five years ahead of schedule. The station was originally set to open in 2031, but the Sound Transit Board advanced the plans in 2020 and 2022 to allow for faster and smoother construction. Pinehurst is Sound Transit's first "infill" station, a location adding to an already existing train line.
The station is Located at 130th Street and 5th Ave NE and trains will run every 4-15 minutes from 5 a.m. to midnight.
"The Pinehurst
Station is more than a new stop on the map. It fills a critical gap in our light rail network and gives more people a fast, reliable connection to jobs, education, neighborhoods and destinations across the region,” said Snohomish County Executive and Sound Transit Board Chair Dave Somers in a news release.
The new station will include a drop off area, bike lockers, paratransit access and a connection to the Route 77 King County Metro bus line. Artwork by Romson Bustillo will also greet passengers on the way into Pinehurst's station.
“Pinehurst Station is the little engine that could. It’s a small neighborhood station that some thought might wait until the 2030s or not come at all. But this community kept saying, ‘We think we can,’ and today it opens five years early,” said King County Councilmember Rob Dembowski in the news release. “With Metro’s new Route 77 connecting Bitter Lake, Lake City, and the U District, this little station is ready to pull a lot of weight for North Seattle.”
Where is the new Link light rail station?
Sound Transit's new Pinehurst Station is located along Interstate 5 in north Seattle. The address of the new station is: 13110 5th Ave NE.
The station opened on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
Where else does the Link light rail go?
The Link light rail travels as far north as Lynwood and as far south as Federal Way. See the full Sound Transit service map here.
How long will it take to get from Pinehurst to other stops?
Here's the time estimates when traveling from the Pinehurst Link station.
Northbound:
- To Lynnwood: 12-13 minutes
- To Mountlake Terrace: 8-9 minutes
Southbound:
- to Northgate: 2.5 minutes
- To Roosevelt: 5.5 minutes
- To U District: 8.5-9 minutes
- To Capitol Hill: 15-16 minutes
- Westlake: 18-19 minutes
- Sea-Tac Airport: ~one hour
When is the next Link station scheduled to open?
Two more infill stations - Graham Street and Boeing Access Road - are scheduled to be completed by 2031, according to the City of Seattle.
How much does it cost to ride the Link?
Adult fares for the Link (for riders between 19-64) cost t $3 regardless of where you get on and off. Riders 18 and under travel for free.
ORCA LIFT cards are low-income adult tickets available for $1. See more about applying for the card directly on the Orca Card website. One-way senior/disabled fares are also $1 on Sound Transit routes with a Regional Reduced Fare Permit.
Regional day passes are $6 and more information and pricing on monthly passes is available on Sound Transit's ticketing website.
Does the new Link station have merch?
Yes, Sound Transit has released a line of Pinehurst Station merchandise to celebrate the new opening. The stations' schematic plans are available on tee shirts, and the station's opening logo and original art on shirts, hats and stickers.
Zachary Fletcher is a trending news reporter with USA TODAY Network's Washington state team. Keep up with him on X (@zdfletch), BlueSky (@zfletcher.bsky.social) or reach him at zfletcher@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New light rail station open in North Seattle's Pinehurst neighborhood
