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Test trains will simulate light rail service until opening day

Published 2:11 pm Monday, November 10, 2025

By Keelin Everly-Lang

Light rail trains can now be seen running their regular schedule as the simulated service tests the schedule and infrastructure that will open on Dec. 6 to Federal Way. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / the Mirror
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Light rail trains can now be seen running their regular schedule as the simulated service tests the schedule and infrastructure that will open on Dec. 6 to Federal Way. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / the Mirror

Light rail trains can now be seen running their regular schedule as the simulated service tests the schedule and infrastructure that will open on Dec. 6 to Federal Way. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / the Mirror
Light rail trains can now be seen running their regular schedule as the simulated service tests the schedule and infrastructure that will open on Dec. 6 to Federal Way. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / the Mirror
Standing for a photo op next to the moving light rail train in Federal Way, pictured left to right: King County Councilmember De’Sean Quinn, Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus, King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer and Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine. Staff photo

For the next month, the trains will run their regular schedule on the Federal Way Link Extension without passengers to ensure the trains are ready to go live starting Dec. 6.

The 1 line of the light rail will extend by 7.8 miles on that day with new stations opening at Kent Des Moines, Star Lake and Federal Way Downtown.

On Oct. 30, several members of the Sound Transit Board hosted a media event to kick off the simulated service. Speakers included Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine, King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer, Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus and King County Councilmember De’Sean Quinn.

After taking over as the CEO of Sound Transit earlier this year, Constantine announced at an event in Federal Way that the train would be opening earlier than their other most recent estimate.

From 2016 to 2019, the expected opening date was planned to be in 2024, but that was pushed back several times with various causes. Still, the change from spring 2026 to December 2025 was a significant moving up of the timeline, he said.

Constantine said the teams are also working on this for the East Link Extension. That extension is 14 miles long and includes 10 stations from Seattle’s International District to Judkins Park, across I-90 to Mercer Island and South Bellevue, and through downtown Bellevue and the Bel-Red area to Redmond Technology Station, according to Sound Transit.

“We succeeded here in shortening the timelines here…every day our teams are working to see that they can’t shave a little bit of time on the East Link. Stay tuned,” Constantine said.

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