Mason Blake
The ORCA card is a convenient way to pay for your ride on Sound Transit. It offers flexible fare programs for any budget and can be used to transfer between modes of transportation, including the Sounder train. When using the ORCA card on Sounder, you must tap your card on a yellow card reader before boarding and again when you reach your destination. This ensures that the correct fare is calculated based on the distance travelled. You can purchase, manage, and reload your ORCA card online, through the myORCA app, or at ticket machines and participating retailers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What is an ORCA card? | A card that can be used to pay for rides on Sound Transit |
| How to obtain an ORCA card | Can be purchased at a ticket machine, online, or at customer service offices. |
| How to use an ORCA card | Tap the yellow card reader before boarding and tap off at your destination |
| Benefits of an ORCA card | Easy transfer between modes of transportation, with transfer fares calculated automatically |
| ORCA card fares | Vary based on trip type and distance travelled; reduced fares are available for seniors, riders with disabilities, and income-qualified adults |
| ORCA card app | The myORCA app allows users to manage their ORCA card account, including viewing balances and ordering new cards |
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What You'll Learn
ORCA card readers on Sounder trains
ORCA cards are a convenient way to pay for your ride on Sound Transit. They can be used to pay for fares on Sounder trains, Link light rail, buses, and other modes of transportation. The card readers for ORCA cards on Sounder trains are typically located outside or on the platform before boarding. Look for the yellow card reader and tap your ORCA card on it before you board the train. You will hear a single beep to confirm that your card has been accepted.
When transferring between different modes of transportation, such as from Link light rail to a Sounder train, your transfer fare is automatically calculated and applied. This makes it easy and seamless to use your ORCA card for your entire journey, even if you need to use multiple modes of transportation.
It is important to remember to tap your ORCA card again when you exit the Sounder train at your destination. This completes your trip and ensures that you are charged the correct fare. You should hear two beeps when tapping off at your destination.
ORCA cards offer various fare programs and discounts to cater to different budgets and rider categories. There are options for adults, seniors (65+), youth (6-18), and income-qualified riders. Reduced fares are also available for seniors and riders with disabilities, who can apply for a Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP) to receive discounted rates on their ORCA card.
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Reduced fares with ORCA LIFT
Sound Transit accepts ORCA cards as a means of payment for rides on Sounder trains. ORCA cards can be purchased at a ticket machine or on your phone with the Transit GO ticket app. The ORCA LIFT card is a reduced-fare version of the ORCA card, which offers fares at a lower cost.
The ORCA LIFT card is for income-qualified adult riders, allowing them to save on fares for ST Express buses, Sounder trains, and Link light rail services. To qualify for the ORCA LIFT card, your gross household income must be no more than 200% of the Federal Poverty Level as established by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department. Those receiving Apple Health Medicaid, WIC, and Basic Food are also eligible for the program. The card is valid for two years from the time it is received, and it can be renewed for another two years upon expiration.
The ORCA LIFT card can be loaded with E-purse funds or a monthly pass. The E-purse funds can be converted to a pass by calling Metro at 206-553-3000 or by logging into your ORCA account. The card offers a reduced fare of $1.00 on Metro and many other transit systems in the region. However, some agencies do not offer reduced fares with the ORCA LIFT card, and you will need to pay the full fare using the E-purse or a pre-loaded PugetPass.
When using the Sounder train service with an ORCA card, remember to tap your card on the yellow card reader before boarding and tap off at your destination. The transfer fare between Link light rail and Sounder train services is calculated and applied automatically.
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Buying an ORCA card
ORCA cards are the easiest way to pay for your travel in the Puget Sound region. They can be used on public buses, trains, streetcars, and water taxis throughout the Central Puget Sound region. You can buy and reload ORCA cards at participating retailers, vending machine locations, ticket machines, and customer service offices across the region. You can also buy them online, although there may be a delay in receiving your card.
The cost of an adult ORCA card is $3.00. Senior riders (65+) and riders with disabilities are initially issued with cards at no cost. You can add $5 to $400 onto an ORCA card's E-purse (electronic purse), which works like a prepaid debit card. The ORCA tracks your rides and deducts the correct fare each time you tap. When your E-purse balance gets low, simply add value online, at a kiosk, or in person at an ORCA customer service office.
There are also reduced-fare programs for youth, seniors, customers with disabilities, and lower-income riders. Youth aged 6-17 can sign up for a Youth ORCA card and ride for free. Riders 18 and under who require a personal care attendant (PCA) should apply for both a Youth ORCA card and a Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP) card. A special PCA sticker can then be added to the Youth ORCA card to allow personal care attendants to board without paying a fare. Senior/disabled fares on Sound Transit services are $1, regardless of the distance travelled. Riders 65+ or with a qualifying condition can apply for an RRFP card, which is free, although a replacement costs $3.
For low-income riders, the ORCA LIFT card offers all the benefits of the ORCA card system at a fraction of the cost. Income-qualified riders can save up to 60% on ST Express buses, Sounder, and Link fares. To qualify for the ORCA LIFT program, you'll receive an ORCA LIFT card registered to your name, with the same features as every other ORCA card.
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Tapping off with ORCA card
Tapping your ORCA card on and off is an essential step when using Sound Transit. Not only is showing valid fare on board trains and buses state law, but tapping your card also ensures you are charged the correct fare.
When you tap your ORCA card at a yellow card reader at the station before boarding the train, ORCA knows where your trip began and that you are eligible to ride. When you get off the train and tap off at your destination station, ORCA calculates the correct fare to charge against your card. If you don't tap off, your card will be charged the maximum fare.
For example, if you take the Link from Westlake Station to the International District, the $2.25 Link fare will be deducted from your ORCA card. If you then take Sounder from King Street Station to Tacoma, ORCA will credit $2.25 toward the $4.75 Sounder fare, charging you $2.50.
Fare Ambassadors randomly board the trains at either end of the car and work their way to the middle, asking every rider for proof they've paid their fare. If you have not tapped your ORCA card before boarding, it will not show as a valid fare when checked. Riders who don't have valid proof of payment will receive a warning.
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ORCA card on other modes of transport
The ORCA card is a regional transit card that can be used to pay for fares and transfer seamlessly between different modes of transportation in the Puget Sound region, including Seattle. The card is accepted by seven major transportation agencies that provide a public transit network across King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties.
ORCA cards can be used on various modes of transport, including:
- Buses: ORCA cards can be used on buses operated by Community Transit, King County Metro, and Sound Transit. The card can also be used on ST Express buses, with exact cash fares also accepted.
- Trains: The card is accepted on regional rail services provided by Sound Transit, as well as the Link Light Rail and Sounder train services.
- Ferries: Washington State Ferries, a division of the Washington Department of Transportation, accepts ORCA cards on its ferry services across the Puget Sound.
- Streetcars: The Seattle Streetcar system accepts ORCA cards, allowing riders to connect to broader regional transportation networks via King Street Station, Westlake Station, and Union Station.
ORCA cards offer several benefits, such as the ability to transfer easily between different modes of transportation and the convenience of automatic transfer fare calculation. The card also provides reduced fares for seniors, riders with disabilities, and income-qualified adults through the ORCA LIFT program. Additionally, youth under 18 can ride for free on all Sound Transit services.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use your ORCA card on the Sounder train.
Tap your card on a yellow card reader before boarding on a yellow card reader outside or on the platform. When you reach your destination, tap your card again to complete your trip.
You can buy an ORCA card at a ticket machine, at participating retailers, vending machine locations, and customer service offices. You can also order an ORCA card online and receive it by mail.
The ORCA card is the easiest way to pay for your ride and transfer between modes of transportation. It offers flexible fare programs for any budget, and you can manage your card and account easily through the myORCA app.
