ORCA Cards
Quick links
About ORCA
The ORCA card is all you need to pay your fare on buses and trains in the Puget Sound region. After you load E-purse (electronic purse) value or a monthly pass on it, your ORCA card works like cash or a pass, automatically tracking the value of different fares and transfers so you don't have to.
ORCA adult and youth cards cost $5*
Once you have a card, you can add between $5 and $300 onto the card's E-purse, which works similarly to a pre-paid debit card and deducts the correct fare each time you tap. When the card's E-purse balance gets low, just add additional value.
If you are a frequent rider, you can add a regional monthly pass good for an unlimited number of trips on designated transit agencies during the valid calendar month. You can have E-purse and a monthly pass on the same ORCA card. The E-purse can be used in combination with a pass in the event the pass value is less than the fare for a ride.
If you are an infrequent rider, please be aware that E-purse added online or by phone is available to activate within 24-48 hours of your purchase. To activate you must tap your ORCA card. If you do not tap within 60 days, reactivate that E-purse by contacting ORCA customer service at 888-988-6722 or sending an email.
*Your first ORCA Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP) card (Disabled, Senior), and ORCA LIFT card is issued free of charge. Replacing a lost or stolen RRFP or LIFT card costs $3.
How to get an ORCA card
- Online at www.orcacard.com
- Phone: 1-888-988-6722 (TTY Relay: 711)
- Mail: (download the Mail-in Order Form (PDF))
ORCA Regional Mail Center
201 S Jackson St
MS TR-0108
Seattle, WA 98104-3856
- Ticket vending machines (PDF)
- Retail locations
Already have an ORCA card?
- Create a My ORCA Login to add value and manage your registered ORCA card.
- Login to your account.
- Why register?
- Add value to an unregistered card.
ORCA card reader apps
What is a card reader app?
These card reading apps use Near Field Communications (NFC) function on an android smartphone to allow for two way communication between the smartphone and a smartcard. This functionality is used to read the chip on the ORCA card and in turn provide an E-purse balance check and trip history. These apps were created by developers on their own without any direct communication with either ORCA partners or vendors. Please note that these apps will not read passes that are loaded on an ORCA card.
Available for Android only
| Name | Creator | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| FareBot | codebutler | Free |
| NFC TagInfo | NFC Research Lab | Free |
| NFC TagInfo by NXP | NXP Semiconductors | Free |
| Travel card reader free | M. Salomaa | Free |
