An out-of-service Link train derailed near Seattle's International District/Chinatown station late Saturday, forcing Sound Transit to suspend portions of both downtown light-rail lines Sunday. No passengers were aboard and no injuries were reported, but the disruption arrived during a busy summer weekend with major crowds expected around Seattle.
The train derailed just before midnight while traveling toward the southbound platform, according to KOMO News. Recovery work and an investigation into the cause were continuing Sunday, and Sound Transit had not provided an estimate for when full service would return.
Sound Transit's current service alert says 1 Line trains are suspended between Capitol Hill and Stadium, while 2 Line trains are suspended between Capitol Hill and Judkins Park. Trains continue on the outer portions of both lines, with shuttle buses replacing service across the affected gaps.
Riders also shared firsthand observations and images in rider accounts posted after the derailment. Those posts have not been independently verified and do not establish what caused the train to leave the tracks.
What Seattle Link Riders Need To Know
Travelers crossing downtown may need to exit at Capitol Hill, Stadium, Judkins Park or International District/Chinatown and continue by bus. Sound Transit lists shuttle pickup points including E Denny Way and Broadway at Capitol Hill, the SODO Busway near Royal Brougham Way, and 5th Avenue South at South King Street near the International District/Chinatown station.
The disruption is especially significant because International District/Chinatown is the transfer point between the 1 and 2 Lines. Sound Transit opened the Crosslake Connection earlier this year, linking Seattle with Mercer Island, Judkins Park and Bellevue-area service through the expanded 2 Line, making any failure near the CID junction capable of rippling across a much larger network.
The derailment also landed on a Sunday when Seattle was expecting Seafair-related crowds and a Mariners game, adding more pressure to already limited downtown transit options. Riders should expect longer trips, crowded shuttle buses and changing instructions while recovery crews work to clear the tracks.
Until normal service returns, anyone traveling through the downtown tunnel or the CID transfer point should check Sound Transit's alerts before leaving. The agency says updates will be posted as recovery continues, but for now the Link map has a sizable bus-shaped asterisk through the middle of Seattle.
