News Release

Release date: March 27, 2001

Metro and Mariners team up for express bus service for 2001 home games at SAFECO Field

Save time and avoid parking jams by taking special Metro bus service between Seattle Mariners home games and Metro park-and-ride lots in north, south and east King County. Metro and the Seattle Mariners are teaming up once again to provide premium express service, starting Saturday, March 31.

The special service operates in both directions for all weekend and holiday games, and post-game only for weekday evening games that start after 5 p.m. There is no extra service for six weekday afternoon games that start before 5 p.m.; on those days fans should use regular bus service or share rides.

Fare on the special limited-stop service is $2.50 per person, cash only, each way. Passes and transfers are not accepted. On Sundays only, seniors ride for $1 cash each way. At all times, children aged 5 and younger ride free.

On weekends and holidays, Mariners specials leave from designated park-and-ride lots starting two hours 45 minutes before the first pitch. The specials leave every 30 minutes until about 45 minutes before the game. On weekdays, ride regularly scheduled bus service to games.

Premium service buses leave SAFECO Field starting 10 minutes after the final out of each game. Buses depart as they fill from their designated stops on either First Avenue South or Royal Brougham Way. Fans who wish to ride the specials are encouraged to proceed directly to those boarding points for service.

Metro's Mariners special routes are as follows:

• Route 870 serves the Northgate park-and-ride lot and the Northgate Transit Center. At SAFECO Field board 870 eastbound on Royal Brougham Way just east of Occidental Avenue South. Outbound only it drops passengers off at Northeast 45th Street just east of Interstate 5.
• Route 871 serves the South Kirkland park-and-ride lot. At SAFECO Field board 871 northbound on First Avenue South just north of South Atlantic Street.
• Route 872 serves the Eastgate and South Bellevue park-and-ride lots. It also drops passengers off at the North Mercer Island park-and-ride lot in the outbound direction after games only. Leaving the game board 872 northbound on First Avenue South just south of Royal Brougham Way.
• Route 874 serves the Federal Way and Star Lake park-and-ride lots and the Kent-Des Moines freeway station. The post-game boarding location for 874 is southbound on First Avenue South just north of South Atlantic Street.
• Route 875 serves the Kent, South Renton and Tukwila park-and-ride lots. After the game board 875 southbound on First Avenue South mid-block between South Atlantic and South Massachusetts streets.
• Route 879 is free, downtown service only after games. It leaves northbound from First Avenue South at bus stops just south of South Atlantic Street, and just north of Royal Brougham Way. Route 879 travels quickly on the viaduct to First Avenue at Union Street, so fans can make connections to regular bus service in the downtown area.

Metro also provides plenty of regularly scheduled bus service to or near SAFECO Field. Any bus that travels along First or Fourth Avenues South or the Metro Busway stops within easy walking distance of the ballpark.

Sound Transit will also operate one Sounder train for Sunday games with 1:35 p.m. start times. The Sounder train will serve the Tacoma Dome, Puyallup, Sumner, Auburn, Kent and Tukwila stations. It leaves Tacoma at 11 a.m. and arrives in Seattle about noon. It leaves King Street Station at 5:30 p.m. sharp, regardless of the status of the game.

For additional information about Metro's service to and from Mariners games, log onto Metro Online at or call (206) 553-3000 (voice) or (206) 684-1739 (TTY). For information about Sound Transit's special Sounder Rail "Home Run Service" for Sunday Mariners games, log on to the Sounder Web site or call 1 (888) 889-6368 (toll-free voice), or 1 (888) 713-6030 (TTY). For information about the Mariners, log on to the Mariners Web site at or call (206) 346-4000.

For a map of post-game boarding locations, park-and-ride lot locations, and other specifics, see the Metro Online Web page on Mariners special service

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