Light rail service between Seattle and the Eastside will officially expand across Lake Washington on Saturday, March 28, when Sound Transit opens the long-awaited Crosslake Connection on the Link 2 Line.
The new segment will connect the Link 1 Line and Link 2 Line using the I-90 floating bridge, creating a continuous light rail route between Seattle and the Eastside. The opening adds approximately 7.4 miles of track and introduces two new stations at Mercer Island and Judkins Park.
With the Crosslake Connection in place, trains will run between South Bellevue Station and International District Chinatown Station in about 13 minutes. The route follows the former I-90 express lanes and will be the first passenger rail service in the world to operate on a floating bridge.
Sound Transit officials say the new connection will provide congestion-free travel between Seattle and the Eastside, offering access to jobs, entertainment, colleges, sporting events, and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Trains will arrive every eight to ten minutes on the new segment, with service increasing to every four minutes during peak hours at some of the busiest stations.
The connection at International District Chinatown Station will allow Link 1 and Link 2 trains to operate together, doubling train frequency between downtown Seattle and Lynnwood. In total, 14 stations along this corridor will see more frequent service during peak travel times.
East of Lake Washington, Link 2 Line trains will continue serving stations in downtown Bellevue, the Spring District, Overlake, the Microsoft campus, Marymoor Park, and downtown Redmond.
The first segment of the 2 Line opened in April 2024, operating between South Bellevue and Redmond Technology Station. Two additional stations, Marymoor Village and Downtown Redmond, opened in May 2025 as part of the Downtown Redmond Link Extension.
Sound Transit has been testing trains across the I-90 bridge for several months, allowing operators to become familiar with the new track, stations, and integrated schedule ahead of the March opening.
Once fully operational, the 2 Line will provide a direct light rail connection between Seattle and the Eastside and serve the Operations and Maintenance Facility East in Bellevue, helping expand system capacity. The Crosslake Connection also completes the Sound Transit 2 expansion approved by voters in 2008, extending the region’s light rail network to more than 63 miles.
To mark the opening, Sound Transit plans to host celebrations throughout the day on March 28, including a ribbon-cutting ceremony, activities, exhibits, entertainment, and giveaways at multiple stations.
Sound Transit officials say the Crosslake Connection represents a major milestone for the region’s transportation system and is expected to significantly change how people travel between Seattle and the Eastside for years to come.
