Free Seattle waterfront shuttle returns, expands for World Cup

Seattle's free waterfront shuttle service is back this summer.

And because the city is hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the service is getting an expansion, including supplemental free rides on separate King County Metro shuttles during game days.

The waterfront shuttle will run from May 21 to Sept. 7, seven days a week, shuttling riders between the Space Needle, Olympic Sculpture Park, Pike Place Market, Waterfront Park, Pioneer Square, Seattle Stadium (aka Lumen Field), the Chinatown-International District and the Seattle Ferry Terminal.

Shuttles will run every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., the King County Office of the Executive said in a news release Wednesday. On game days, shuttles will come every 10 minutes.

This year's shuttle service adds the Chinatown-International District to the mix.

Last year's service was operated by TransWest, funded by the city of Seattle and King County and supported by community nonprofits to bring people to the waterfront, the executive office said.

But this year, it has grown into a regional effort, operated by King County Metro and sponsored by the Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026 local organizing committee.

"We are welcoming the world to King County this summer and inviting everyone to leave the driving to us," King County Executive Girmay Zahilay said.

On the days of each of the six World Cup matches to be held at Seattle Stadium (rebranded for the World Cup), King County Metro will operate free Match Day shuttles to Pioneer Square, Pike Place Market, the Third Avenue transit corridor and the Seattle Ferry Terminal, as well as fan celebrations at Seattle Center, Pacific Place and Victory Hall.

The Match Day shuttles are being subsidized by the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, Alaska Airlines, Amazon, Boeing, Port of Seattle, Microsoft, the University of Washington and Emerald Queen Casino.

Pioneer Square will become a pedestrian-only zone on game days starting four hours before each game until the event clears.

Transit options around Seattle will also expand around the World Cup games, the office said. King County Metro will expand bus service, Water Taxi and shuttle connections, access paratransit services, and Metro Flex on-demand service. The expansion details aren't clear yet.

The Seattle Streetcar will run more frequently on game days and Sound Transit will increase service on the 1 and 2 Line trains, the office said.

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This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 9:53 AM.