ORCA cards
Youth ride free
Beginning September 1, youth up to age 18 can ride for free with a Youth ORCA card or a school ID, or by simply boarding transit.
The ORCA card is the easiest, healthiest way to pay your transit fares in the Puget Sound region. After loading your ORCA card with E-purse (electronic purse) funds, and/or a monthly pass, you’re ready to ride! The ORCA card will automatically track paid fares and transfers, so you don't have to.
Which ORCA card or fare is right for you?
Online
- myORCA.com for Adult, Youth and Senior (RRFP) ORCA cards
- Reduced Fare Portal for Disabilities or Medicare (RRFP), and ORCA LIFT cards
Retail outlets, vending machines and customer service offices
Find all the places you can get an ORCA card! Buy and reload cards at participating retailers, vending machine locations and customer service offices across the region.
Phone
888-988-6722 / WA Relay: 711
By mail
Print the order form (PDF) and mail to:
ORCA Regional Mail Center
KSC TR-0108
201 S. Jackson St.
Seattle, WA 98104
Tap your ORCA card to board
You are just a tap or scan away from your next ride. The process varies slightly depending on which transit system you are boarding.
Tap your card as you are boarding
As you board the bus, tap your ORCA card on the card reader inside.
Tap your card before boarding
Before boarding Link light rail, RapidRide, the Sounder commuter train, and the Seattle Streetcar, tap your ORCA card on a yellow card reader outside/on the platform. When you exit Link and Sounder, re-tap your ORCA card to complete the trip.
Scan your card
When boarding the Water Taxi, Access, the Seattle Center Monorail, Via to Transit, and Trailhead Direct, the loading agent or cashier will note or scan your card.
You can add value to an ORCA card at myORCA.com, at retail locations, by phone at 888-988-6722, by mail, or at an ORCA customer service office:
You can add a monthly PugetPass or any value from $5–$400 to the card's E-Purse.
- Adult cards cost $3.
- Youth cards are free, youth ride free. Youth are encouraged—but not required—to get a free Youth ORCA card. Visit FreeYouthTransitPass.com for more information.
- Senior (RRFP), Disabilities or Medicare (RRFP) and ORCA LIFT cards also have no fee for the initial card. Replacements cost $3.
- Once you have an ORCA card, you’ll need to add value to pay your fare—add $5 to $400 on the card's E-Purse or purchase a monthly PugetPass.
Beginning September 1, 2022, youth 18 and under can ride for free. Youth with an RRFP disability card should switch to tapping a Youth ORCA card when they board to ride without paying a fare.
With ORCA LIFT you have all the power and convenience of the ORCA card system at a fraction of the cost.
If you 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. You can load E-purse value to pay for trips one at a time or load a monthly PugetPass that lets you take unlimited trips for that calendar month. For any special trips costing a higher fare than your monthly PugetPass, you can add E-purse value.
The Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP) simplifies travel for seniors and riders with disabilities around Puget Sound. Any eligible person may apply for an RRFP card on our Reduced Fare Portal or at an ORCA customer service office.
Senior RRFP cards can also be obtained by mailing the application to our customer service office.
Young riders with disabilities who are age 18 and under should also get a Youth ORCA Youth card to travel fare free. Riders 18 and under who require a personal care attendant (PCA) should apply for both Youth ORCA card and an RRFP card. A special PCA sticker can then be added to a Youth ORCA card to allow personal care attendants to board without paying a fare.
The ORCA Multifamily Development Passport is an annual transportation pass that property owners can offer to residents. This pass gives residents comprehensive access to transit services in the Puget Sound Region, including local and express bus service, Link light rail, Sounder commuter rail, Seattle Center Monorail, Seattle Streetcar, and King County Water Taxi.
You can add $5 to $400 onto an ORCA card's E-purse (electronic purse), which works just like a pre-paid 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.
How to add money to your ORCA card E-purse
Choose one of the 3 options below:
- myORCA.com
- Visiting an ORCA customer service office
- Calling (206) 553-3000
Enjoy unlimited rides per day on the region's transit services with the ORCA regional day pass.
- ORCA Regional Day Passes can be purchased at ORCA vending machines, online at myORCA.com or via the MyORCA app for iPhone or Android.
- Starts with first use and ends at 3 AM the next day.
- Accepted for regular service on public buses, trains, streetcars, and water taxis throughout the Central Puget Sound region.
- Not valid on King County Metro Access, paratransit services, Kitsap Fast Ferries, or Washington State Ferries. Not available for Autoload.
- Fares covered with the Regional Day Pass:
- Adult $3.50
- RRFP $1.75
- ORCA LIFT $1.75
- If your Regional Day pass does not cover your entire transit fare, you will need to pay the difference with your ORCA card’s E-purse funds. On a bus, fare differences cannot be paid with cash. Keep money loaded onto your E-purse at all times to avoid a negative balance and possible blocked card.
- ORCA cards are not included in the Day Pass price. Adult ORCA cards cost $3. ORCA RRFP cards are initially issued at no fee to senior riders (age 65+) and riders with disabilities.
Monthly passes are convenient and cost-efficient for frequent riders. These passes are valid for an unlimited number of trips during a calendar month, up to a certain fare value. You can have E-purse funds and a monthly pass on the same ORCA card at the same time—add E-purse to fund any additional fares beyond what your monthly pass covers.
The cost
| Trip value | Pass total cost per month |
|---|---|
| $0.50 | $18.00 |
| $0.75 | $27.00 |
| $1.00 | $36.00 |
| $1.25 | $45.00 |
| $1.50 | $54.00 |
| $1.75 | $63.00 |
| $2.00 | $72.00 |
| $2.25 | $81.00 |
| $2.50 | $90.00 |
| $2.75 | $99.00 |
| $3.00 | $108.00 |
| $3.25 | $117.00 |
| $3.50 | $126.00 |
| $3.75 | $135.00 |
| $4.00 | $144.00 |
| $4.25 | $153.00 |
| $4.50 | $162.00 |
| $4.75 | $171.00 |
| $5.00 | $180.00 |
| $5.25 | $189.00 |
King County Metro and Sound Transit have partnered to create a new, subsidized annual pass program, allowing qualified riders to travel on select transit in our region at no cost to the customer. The subsidized annual pass is valid for up to 12 calendar months and is renewable each year, provided eligibility requirements are met.
Already have an ORCA card?
Go to myORCA.com to update your account in the new system.
For more information
ORCA card website
Visit myORCA.com or call 888-988-6722, WA Relay: 711, during regular business hours, Monday – Friday, 8 AM – 5 PM
Neighborhood Pop-up events
Attend a Neighborhood Pop-Up event for a great way to get your questions answered and learn more about our programs and services!
Link/share this page: kingcounty.gov/metro/orca
