Marshawn not getting the football. Seattle without an NBA team. The Sounder train service. These are all regional disappointments. Reliability, security, communication, and fare enforcement is at an all time low. The cost of taking the Sounder is expensive and I'm not just talking about the fare. A train delay or a no-show causes a domino effect of wasted time, money, and opportunities. Maybe you'll have to deal with the rideshare peak-time scramble. Maybe your only option may result in driving your own car from the suburbs, dealing with the morning I-5 traffic jam and paying for expensive parking. Maybe you have to take an uncomfortable, already crowded bus. Maybe you have to extract PTO from your vacation leave for loss time or accept Leave Without Pay. Maybe you missed your medical appointment, a lecture, a class, or an in-person interview. I understand how delicate the downtown ecosystem is right now, but if a fundamental transportation system fails to bring people to and from their destination, then it's a loss for all the cities in the Puget Sound that the train runs through. Now if their unreliable service is a pre-cursor of what's to come for the 2025 Club World Cup and World Cup 2026, then fans should make alternative transportation arrangements. National and International travelers shouldn't be waiting on a platform for a train that may never come. I know sometimes things are out of their control. Unavoidable accidents can happen on the tracks which is rare. Luckily the cars have bathrooms, heat, and AC. Sorry, no lounge/cafe for snacks. Bring your own. read more

The Sounder is a very efficient transportation method in and around the Seattle-Tacoma area. It's very easy; you tap your card, or you go to the machine and pay for a fare, and it's. Don't forget to tap or buy a ticket because they have random checks for fare during travel. Remember to be on time and read the schedule before you come because the trains are on time mostly, and they only stopped for about a minute. As far as the train, some of the bathrooms on the train require some maintenance; sometimes there are people that are homeless who will come on, and they will stay in the bathrooms throughout the duration of the trip. The Wi-Fi sometimes is sporadic, but at least it's a luxury for those who have work to do while committing. One other advantage while riding the Sounder is the scenic view. There's a beautiful view of Mount Rainier, which you can observe from any seat on the train. Oh, and you also get to meet some very nice people. Overall, the Sounders is a very good mode of transportation. I'm satisfied with it. read more

We're in the middle of a pandemic. When you have to take public transportation, it's helpful to know that there's an effort being made to keep everyone safe. The Sounder staff are doing their best to keep everything sanitized, and to make sure everyone wears a mask. The passengers are another story. Be careful where you sit, because you might end up picking up some foot fungus from this gross, entitled bee itch. But that's not Sounder's fault. :) read more

Sounder Train - Public Transportation Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

Common engineering maybe don't hit the off button when you have a train full of seahawks fans. This is the worst free ride I have ever had.

The train was over 2 hours late. After the game, we got to the train, that ended up being the wrong direction and the S.T. employee told us that the other train was "back where we came." Well, back where we came, NO directions to the other train, I came across 30+ people dealing with the same issue we had. We finally got lucky and ran into a crowd that had found the correct line. read more

I love taking the train, but to echo others who've already written reviews, it doesn't seem like Sound Transit cares about it's passengers. First of all, why are all the seats facing each other? This makes it so that NOBODY can stretch out their legs in front of them when the train is full, which it often is. Furthermore, because the seats are facing each other, only certain groups of 4 seats have a small table in the middle. If the seats were all facing the same direction like BASICALLY ALL OTHER TRAINS IVE TAKEN then each seat wod be able to get their own table for laptop and other work. Also, there's clearly not enough trains for someone to not have to plan around the trains schedule. read more

Sounder Train - Seats facing each other - Public Transportation Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The train broke down in the middle of riding to Seattle. the ac, lights, and train was not functioning. they said it would take 10 minutes to fix but it took them a hour to fix and we were late to the Seahawks game! It was rediculous how slow and incompetent the maintenance crew was, they walked so slow and were barley trying to fix it. Do not take this train if you want to get to your destination on time read more

I've been reverting to taking the train since driving to Seattle is costly. Like "it's not worth the $16 to park and having to deal with traffic" bad. However, there's days I'm glad there's the train, because if all runs smoothly, you'll get to downtown within 13-15 mins. The first train conductor in the morning is usually on point when there's no freight interference. I wish the text message would be timely. It's really useless to get train status 30 mins to an hour after the fact. I wish there were some general etiquettes that passengers follows when we're on and leaving the train. For instance, it would help if you're exiting the train in the last few stops further South, that you scoot inside so that my butt wouldn't be in your face when I have to manage to get inside while you have your bulky bags on your lap instead of on the overhead bins. Or that when we exit the train to downtown Seattle that the slow pacing folks move towards the right of the stairs, and the fast pacers on the left. It's not rocket science but it would sure help the flow. The wifi on the train sometimes make you feel like it's on dial up. Overall, I feel really safe on the Sounder train. read more

The stupid train always with issues and NEVER run on time period. Please consult with the Japanese and rebuild it. read more

UPDATE 5: The world's shittiest train service has another breakdown. Complete fuckups running the maintenance, and the engineer and conductor give zero fucks. Seattle will never be a world-class city when it has neckheads who can't keep one line running for a day without the trains breaking. read more

Sounder Train - THOUSANDS of people waiting for a train several minutes late. This is a normal occurrence for hard-working taxpayers and fare purchasers. - Public Transportation Near Me - Seattle, Washington

It's 19 degrees outside and train is 30 mins. late. I can't feel my toes. Last update was at 6:54 when the train was supposed to be here at 6:53, so already late and too late to organize other transportation since my ride left. The update said train will be 10 mins late, at 30 mins late there is no update, no explanation. Today it is beyond being just unreliable and is unsafe. It is below freezing read more

Service is completely unrealiable and there's always issues and delays. Horrible for being on time.

I'd give a zero star if I could. Another example of a poorly run seattle business. Trains always late, breaking down, signal issues, freight interference, no parking at train stations. If it wasn't an hour and a half drive to work I'd burn my orca card. Way overpriced for the service, but hey its seattle so bend over and take it. read more

I know there are a lot of negative comments, but let me be the voice of reason. First, Sounder does NOT OWN THE TRACKS. All of you complaining about the service, talk with the owners, and businesses who need their inventory so that YOU can have your fruits and vegetables and Oreos. Next is Amtrak. They don't own the rails either, but they come second and then there is the Sounder. There, you are no longer ignorant of how the train system works. Tell your friends. Mechanical failures. These trains moved almost 5 million riders in 2018. In the snow, heat, rain, and wind. So are things going to break down? OF COURSE STUPID. Why oh why do people expect perfection when they can't be depended on to remember to buy those fruits and vegetables and pick up granny from the Amtrak station? I'm sorry, calling you stupid was rude of me. I still mean it, but it wasn't nice to say. Why I only give 4 stars if I am so in love with the Sounder Trains? I agree that their communication system sucks. It is getting better. We used to get messages an hour after there were issues, but now they are much better. In urgent situations, they are right on it. I don't expect perfection, believe it or not, but I am all about communication. I have been riding the train off and on for the last 10 years. For 5 of those years, it was a daily commute. Yes, I was occasionally late, and I can think of three times that the riders were deboarded onto buses, and yes, there were cancelations, but shit happens. Almost 5 million people got to ride in clean cars to work, to play, to go to school and wherever else with A LOT of options as far as connections. and those poor babies that have to wait in the cold? Boo friggin hoo. Get your mommy's big girl panties and put them over your eyes and ears and pretend you are a grown-up. AND PS tell the other stupid people to stay off the rails. When trains hit people/cars/buses it isn't the trains fault. read more

This rating is based on the fact that driving from Everett to Seattle is often a major nightmare, yet the Sounder costs so much, and has such a limited schedule, that I'm hard-pressed to call it a better option. For instance, wife, kid, and I thought about heading downtown this morning for food and a city hike. According to Google Maps, the drive time was just over 30 minutes. The train takes just over 60, if it is on time. "But wait," you say. "What will parking cost you?" And that is a fair question. However, I don't ever pay to park, unless I'm with someone who doesn't have the health to walk the extra distance to the ultimate destination. But if I'm with someone of fragile constitution, we probably wouldn't take the train either, and the requisite bus[es] from the station in Seattle to wherever we're ultimately headed (after first driving to, and parking near, Everett Station). Thus, I can pay the $25 for my family of 3, for a round trip of over 2 hours; or I can drive my Corolla, for which I'll pay less than a third the cost in gas, and probably save time (at least on this non-Seahawk Sunday). So, if you are willing to pay to park downtown, the Sounder might be worth it. If you park on the streets south of the stadiums like some of us, then I think not. read more

The train is comfortable, quiet, convenient, wifi enabled, on time, and essential to my daily commute. The station agent where I board the train in the morning is such a sweet and friendly woman. She ALWAYS brings a smile to my face in the morning. AJ, I'm talking about you! Don't ever change. read more

Sounder Train - Public Transportation Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I've been taking trains now for over 8 years to and from the workplace. Overall, I can say that service is fair. Even so, the numbers of the issues with trains mechanical issues, track switches, signals etc, have been increased. Therefore systematics delays have been noticeable. To avoid being late to work, I have to take an earlier train than I normally would. However, sounder has been better posting delays, cancellations of the trains, etc. I am glad that I have an option on every day life to take the train instead of driving myself to work which would take 1 1/2 hours just one way, but wish that the train system will be more reliable one day! read more

Crap service, slow ass broken down trains and inconvenient stops. WTF! First who puts the last northbound stop the King Street Station with no way to get to it? There is no service to get to KSS except the tunnel station which has no service to Belltown or west of 4th so from Belltown expect to take 35 min just to get to the KSS. Crazy. Seriously old rickety train travels at like 2 MPH so if you are headed to Tacoma from Seattle it's an hour. What country and century is this? Oh also you would think the Tukwila station would meet up with the light rail to get you to SeaTac airport but that would make way too much sense. This design is garbage. Oh speaking of garbage the KSS is THE main route for the dump so it stinks like ass. This train is an embarrassment to the community. Oh also, yeah it breaks down a lot so don't dare count on it if have a job which requires clocking in. read more

The fastest method of transportation from Auburn to Seattle as part of my weekday commute considering how far west the light rail station is from my home. It may sometimes be late but it's still better than the NYC subways I used to take. read more

This is a very poor excuse for public transport system. Not at all reliable. Either trains don't run (often without any reason given) or they switch tracks and riders have no way of knowing so they miss a train. It is not a simple process to get to the opposite track at the last minute. Can't sign up for alerts because that's broken too. Not only do they not have enough commuter trains (morning or afternoon) they have no coordination with ferry times, on top of the random cancellations, late trains, and track changes. Worst train service ever (and yes, I have a lot of train riding experience) Sounder needs to be get it together and figure out how to serve it's ridership in a reliable manner read more

I will give it (2) Stars based on the fact it's the "South End".. Note: The "Sounder Train" is a venture of poor mismanagement of senior leadership at Sound Transit. Scenario: They complain/report about poor ridership in the Northern Sound but deliver a product almost unusable to anybody in the said district..."Please"..Thoughts..? *** You the "Reader/Yelper" are not an idiot population please recognize that these indignant stewards have a budget that other cities would envy... Message: Why are we supporting a loser venture with over crowded buses that can't pay the bills with options ONLY downsize..........HEY...These guys are going to cut all your bus routes despite a paid salary.....I'd look into that you Puget Sound Indigenous population......... if you still have a backbone......Thoughts? read more

When traffic is really bad on i5 this is a great option instead of the bus. It gets you there 10 minutes later and you don't have to deal with traffic. There are several stops along the way, you can park at numerous park n Ride and catch the train from different locations. Fast cheap and convenient read more

Probably the largest waste of tax payer money since the via duct. They can't run on time to save there lives. At least 1 train a day breaks down. The cars are over crowded. And then they have the Gaul to raise rates for increasing poor service. They are the proof that Washington official squander money. read more

The only reason why the Sounder train (south) looks good is that road traffic in this area is so horrible. There's a lot of congestion on the track so you can't count on getting in to Seattle when scheduled - it can easily run late by 10-15 minutes. In almost any other market, ST wouldn't survive - the people who run the organization are far from competent. Small changes that are simple to make would greatly improve the passenger experience, yet Sound Transit seems oblivious to the passenger experience. *The wi-fi on the train has been out for over a month. Are there any plans to get it working again? *Why aren't there announcement boards at the stations that tell you if a train is going to be late, and by how long? They should be able to tell you precisely where each train is - I assume Sound Transit must know this. That way each passenger can make an informed decision about whether to wait for the train, or to take the bus. *At least one train in the afternoon going south stops at the Tacoma station and goes no further. Nonetheless, they keep the arms blocking traffic down and the loud bells going for 5 minutes at intersections south of the station. This is inane. It leads to bad behavior on the part of passengers, who decide to cross the tracks when the arms are still down, because they know the train isn't going south and they don't want to spend 5 minutes waiting. It's stupid passenger behavior, but it's even stupider of Sound Transit to keep those intersections closed when the train isn't going to cross them. If someone ends up killed by a rare train going through on the other track, Sound Transit will bear some of the blame, because they've created conditions that encourage passengers to cross when the arms are down. *Sound Transit has far too many ridiculous and loud announcements on the train to remind people of rules. Passengers don't want to constantly be blasted by noise on the train - not from other passengers and certainly not from the loud speakers. Additionally, conductors have extremely loud radios that can be heard throughout a car. Why do the conductors need to have the radios so loud? Why don't they have an ear bud so only the conductors hear the announcement? Really simple things to fix - yet ST can't do it. *The train is packed on most routes - they need to add another two trains (at least) in each direction during the busiest times - the gap between the 4:55 pm, 5:20, 5:45 & 6:30 trains south from King Street Station is too long. Adding another train in the morning going north around about 9:00 - 9:15 am from Tacoma would be a good idea, too. As an indication of how much ST cares about passengers, note that they're not paying attention to this review page - no one at ST has bothered to claim the business. read more

Free wi-fi, clean trains, security, restrooms and an inexpensive way to get to Seattle from Tacoma in an hour without the horrendous traffic. You just have to listen to the automated warning voice before leaving which can be irritating...I always took this on Fridays back to Tacoma when traffic was always the worst. read more

I used to take the sounder every day to and from work. I did it for a whole year and stopped because it is was to unreliable, I understand that its public transportation, but having delays every single day and saying sorry for the inconvenience...it got so tiring, when you're a business and really are sorry for an inconvenience, you as a business are supposed to correct it to make an experience better. I still take the trains when I work late since I live far south, which I always regret because AGAIN the train agent says, sorry for the delay...signal issues, computer issues, freight interference. read more

I ride the train to work, and while I'm thankful for it, it sucks. Rarely is it on time, rarely do you get a seat, and rarely does everything go smoothly. It's better than traffic, but from a perspective of someone who rides it everyday. Sound transit has got to improve. read more

With as much time this train has signal problems i could drive to sumner faster. Unreal! Its the time i should be approaching sumner an we havent even hit tukwila. Crazy! Get your signal problem fixed. People pay full fair for half service. read more

Parking is nearly impossible at all stations on the south end. Do I want to show up and fight for a parking spot 4 hours before I need to go to work? Nope. I'd rather drive. read more

If I could put zero stars I would. This is the worst public transportation system I've participated in. Every morning heading north bound to Seattle, the train stops to let the south bound (empty) sounder go by. I am 15 minutes late to work everyday as a result. The train is insanely overpriced and WA state is taxed on top of it!!! The inefficiencies of government... If Seattle wasn't so expensive to park, I'd gladly drive. read more