Sound Transit is rolling out the welcome mat for the grand opening of its 2 Line, set to turn heads and wheels in Bellevue come April 27. The big day is slated to start with a bang - local bigwigs will snip the ceremonial ribbon at the Downtown Bellevue station at a bright and early 10 a.m., according to the city's announcement. Post pomp and circumstance, those eager to be among the first to glide along the new rails can board the trains at around 11 a.m.

But caveat rider: limited parking will make driving to the event less than ideal. To ease the burden, King County Metro is stepping up, offering to shuttle folks from the South Bellevue Station parking garage straight to the Downtown Bellevue station from 8:30 a.m. to just shy of 11 a.m. For those requiring ADA accommodations, Sound Transit nudged an RSVP by April 12, the details of which can be found on their website.

The celebration doesn't end at the ticket gates. From 11 in the morning, till the shadows grow long at 4 p.m., every one of the new eight stations will be thrumming with activities and partners like the Pacific Science Center and Microsoft, making merry for the masses. Those with a penchant for prizes can play with the Discover.Stamp.Win! passport by hitting up all stations, invitations to which are up for grabs on Sound Transit's event page.

Joining the day's fun will be the Bellevue Fire Department and the freshly minted Bellevue Light Rail Unit (BLU) from Bellevue Police, according to the event announcement. For newbies or those who need a refresher, station ambassadors will be ready and waiting to assist in fare purchases and navigation. And let's not forget - all those 18 and under can hop on for free, and others might catch a break, too, with reduced fares through the ORCA Lift program.