For most of the island's transit history, a car-free Saturday on Mercer Island went west, toward Seattle on an express bus. Since late summer, it can go either direction. The station in the I-90 median is now where several Eastside bus routes begin and end. It's no longer just a stop for buses on their way through.
That change came in two steps. The 2 Line Crosslake Connection opened on Saturday, March 28, 2026, and the first passenger trains reached Mercer Island that day. The second step came five months later, and it changed weekends more than the trains did.
What Changed on August 29
Sound Transit's fall service change started Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. It eliminated two routes Mercer Island riders knew well, the 550 between Bellevue and Seattle and the 554 between Issaquah and Seattle. For both, Sound Transit lists the 2 Line and Route 556 as alternatives. The City's Getting Around page still lists the 550 and 554 at the Park-and-Ride. The Sound Transit notice is the newer word.
On the same date, King County Metro rebuilt its routes south and east of the island, as laid out in Seattle Transit Blog's fall service change rundown. Route 218 now ends at Mercer Island and runs every 30 minutes in the peak direction. Route 269 now runs between Marymoor Village and Mercer Island and has added daytime weekend service. The new Route 215 starts at Mercer Island and runs to North Bend by way of Eastgate, Issaquah Highlands and Snoqualmie.
So the island used to be a pass-through point on routes headed for downtown Seattle. Now several routes start or end here. In practice, the weekend choices from the station now point in four directions.
West Takes About Ten Minutes
The trains cover the trips the old express buses used to make. On the 2 Line timetable in effect from Sept. 30, 2026, through March 26, 2027, weekend trains run every 10 to 12 minutes through the day and evening, stretching to 12 to 15 minutes late on Saturday night. Service runs 5 a.m. to midnight on Saturday and 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday.
| From Mercer Island Station to | Scheduled ride time |
|---|---|
| International District/Chinatown | About 10 minutes |
| Westlake | About 15 minutes |
| Bellevue Downtown | About 12 minutes |
| Downtown Redmond | About 31 minutes |
These times come from Sound Transit's schedule and the travel-time chart Seattle Transit Blog published before opening. They count only time on the train. Walking to the platform, waiting and transfers are extra. International District/Chinatown is the shared 1 Line and 2 Line station, so trips farther into Seattle on the 1 Line begin there.
Bellevue Downtown, 12 minutes away, is now closer by train than many on-island errands are on foot. That matters for the eastbound options below, because the train now reaches parts of the Eastside faster than the buses that replaced the old ones.
The Eastbound Saturday the Island Didn't Have
Route 215 is the biggest new option. Trips leave Mercer Island every 30 minutes for Issaquah Highlands, and every third trip continues to Snoqualmie and North Bend. Between Issaquah and North Bend, service improved from every 120 minutes to every 90, and that segment now runs on Sundays.
Metro's Route 215 timetable, valid Aug. 29, 2026, through March 26, 2027, shows how a Saturday trip works. The 7:57 a.m. bus from Mercer Island Station reaches Issaquah Highlands at 8:15 and Snoqualmie Ridge, at SE Ridge Street and Center Boulevard SE, at 8:33. It reaches Snoqualmie at Railroad Avenue SE and SE Northern Street at 8:41 and North Bend Premium Outlets at 8:55. That's under an hour from the island to the edge of the Cascade foothills, with no car involved.
Saturday departures from Mercer Island that run the full route:
| Leaves Mercer Island | Snoqualmie Ridge | Snoqualmie, Railroad Ave SE | North Bend Premium Outlets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:57 a.m. | 8:33 a.m. | 8:41 a.m. | 8:55 a.m. |
| 9:27 a.m. | 10:03 a.m. | 10:11 a.m. | 10:27 a.m. |
| 10:57 a.m. | 11:33 a.m. | 11:41 a.m. | 11:58 a.m. |
| 12:27 p.m. | 1:03 p.m. | 1:12 p.m. | 1:29 p.m. |
| 1:57 p.m. | 2:34 p.m. | 2:43 p.m. | 3:00 p.m. |
| 3:27 p.m. | 4:05 p.m. | 4:14 p.m. | 4:31 p.m. |
| 4:57 p.m. | 5:36 p.m. | 5:44 p.m. | 5:59 p.m. |
| 6:27 p.m. | 7:05 p.m. | 7:13 p.m. | 7:28 p.m. |
The ride home needs more planning than the ride out. The 30-minute buses between full trips go only as far as Issaquah Highlands. The last Saturday departure shown from North Bend Premium Outlets leaves at 6:51 p.m. and reaches Mercer Island Station at 7:47 p.m.
For hikers, Metro's parking directory lists North Bend Park & Ride, at 301 W North Bend Way, as served by both Route 215 and Trailhead Direct Mount Si. That makes it a transfer point, not a trailhead. Trailhead Direct is a separate service, so check its current schedule before planning a hike around it.
Marymoor, and Why the Train Beats the Bus
Route 269 also runs on weekends now. On Saturdays and Sundays it leaves Mercer Island every 30 minutes from 8:41 a.m. to 6:41 p.m. and reaches Marymoor Village Station 53 to 55 minutes later. The 2 Line covers its entire run from Mercer Island to Downtown Redmond in about 31 minutes, with trains every 10 to 12 minutes during weekend days. For a Marymoor outing, the train is usually the faster trip. The 269 is useful for stops along its own route.
Once you arrive, the walk is short. King County says the Marymoor Station Trail runs directly from the light rail station to the north end of Marymoor Park. Sound Transit's own guide to the park lists what's there:
- The 40-acre off-leash dog park
- The Jerry Baker Memorial Velodrome
- The Bird Loop Trail
- The climbing wall
- The Sammamish River Trail
- Outdoor movies and concerts in season
With the train to Marymoor and the 215 toward Snoqualmie, the island now has two eastbound weekend trips that each take under an hour and need no parking at the other end.
Where to Leave the Car on the Way to the Platform
For anyone driving to the station, the City of Mercer Island's Getting Around page lists the options:
- Mercer Island Park-and-Ride, 8000 North Mercer Way. A two-level Sound Transit garage with 447 stalls, free to transit riders, first come, first served. Vehicles parked more than 24 hours can be ticketed or towed.
- Town Center Parking Area, East Sunset Highway. 33 all-day stalls just south of the Mercer Island Transit Center. ParkMobile registration is required. The first two hours are free, then it's $2.50 an hour up to $12.50 a day, enforced 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.
- Mercer Village satellite spaces, SE 68th Street and 84th Avenue SE. 17 free commuter spaces near the south-end QFC, signed for Monday through Friday only and managed by Mercer Village.
The garage filled fast once trains started running. On the first Monday commute after opening, KING 5 reported that both the Mercer Island and South Bellevue garages filled quickly. In early April, KOMO reported that the mayor had raised concerns about commuters taking Town Center customer parking. The streets around 80th Avenue SE north of North Mercer Way have a weekday safeguard that dates back to 2003. That's the North Mercer Restricted Parking District, which the City created to keep commuter overflow off residential blocks when the Park-and-Ride is full.
Town Center businesses have noticed the station too. On opening day, KOMO reported that Hap's Burgers and Taps, a short walk from the station, saw business about 50% above a typical day, with staff serving new customers. Other restaurant owners told KOMO they couldn't yet tell whether the boost would last. A Saturday that ends with the 7:47 p.m. Route 215 arrival puts riders back in Town Center in time for dinner.
These timetables run through March 26, 2027, which covers this fall and winter on the 2 Line and on Routes 215 and 269.
If you have questions about how the island's new transit links fit your plans, Maureen Rammell is happy to talk them through with you. Let's Connect.
