Lakeside School

Image: Middle School Math Teacher Justin Chang pauses for a selfie with his 7th-grade advisees on the Beacon Hill light rail platform; the group took the light rail to and from a service learning day in the city. 

Back in September, our region made transportation history by operating a test train on the world's first light rail system across a floating bridge. On March 28, after months of testing, Sound Transit will open the 2 Line's Crosslake Connection for passenger service, including two new stations at Mercer Island and Judkins Park.   

Single-ride regional transportation

For Lakeside families living on the east side of Lake Washington, completed 2 Line service means students and commuters can ride from Eastside light rail stations all the way to downtown Seattle or the Shoreline South/148th Street light rail station and points north without making any transfers. Combined with the ORCA Youth program and the new Tap to Pay option at ORCA card readers, families throughout Puget Sound have expanded, flexible, low-cost options for work and school commutes.  

No ORCA Card? No problem!

Youth up to age 18 can ride transit for free! While it is recommended that youth carry and tap their free Youth ORCA Card, they are not required to do so. Now adults can also ride without pre-purchasing or carrying an ORCA card. Simply use your preferred tap-to-pay method (such as a phone or credit card) at an ORCA card reader as you board your bus, light rail, or train. 

Skip the traffic but not the quality time

Between work obligations and co-curriculars, it can be a challenge to find time to be together. Trips in the car can provide precious opportunities to talk about the day or catch up on school and family housekeeping. With the new ease of light rail payment and reduced need for transfers, consider riding transit together instead of driving. Parents and guardians can park and ride from a light rail station with their students, ride partway with them to their work stop, or ride all the way to Shoreline South/148th Street Station before hopping the light rail back to their park and ride! Save time, money, and the stress of driving in traffic while still enjoying the travel time together. 

Speed and safety: plan with confidence

With trains departing approximately every 8 minutes between 4 a.m. and midnight, riders are assured of frequent options to get to and from their destinations. Unlike other surface transportation, trains experience relatively infrequent disruptions and don't get stuck in traffic! Security personnel are present at every light rail platform in the system during all hours of passenger service and often ride trains in between stations. Walking between the Shoreline South/148th Street Station and the Upper School campus takes 12-15 minutes, or registered families can ride Lakeside's custom bus shuttles serving both campuses once in the morning, once in the afternoon, and once after evening activities. Stay tuned for future light rail shuttles at more times of day! 

Questions? Here’s how to learn more

Explore light rail schedules and system maps on Sound Transit’s website.  

Plan your public transit trip using King County Metro, Community Transit, or Sound Transit trip planners. 

If you have questions about how light rail might fit into your family's school commute, don't hesitate to reach out to our Lakeside Transportation Team at info@lakesideschool.site. 

Elizabeth Swam is Lakeside's transportation specialist; you can reach her at info@lakesideschool.site. Lakeside's approach to transportation and parking is part of our work to advance equitable access to a Lakeside education, under the Operations, Infrastructure, and Capacity priority area of our strategic plan.