No more direct bus service from West Seattle to the airport? Sound Transit wants to shorten Route 560

Sound Transit‘s proposed service plan for next year and beyond would drop ST Express Route 560 service to West Seattle, which among other things has been a way for people to get to the airport without transferring. The proposed change is mentioned in the Morgan Community Association‘s newest newsletter, and explained as follows on the ST website:

Route 560 would no longer serve stops in West Seattle, ending at Burien Transit Center. In turn, frequency between Burien and Bellevue would increase as follows:

Weekdays: Every 20 min (daytime), every 30 min (evenings)
Weekends: Every 30 min all day (double current service)
For trips between Westwood Village and Burien, King County Metro’s RapidRide H Line serves all current Route 560 stops in this segment. The H Line runs every 7-15 minutes on weekdays and every 15 minutes on weekends.

Burien Transit Center will also be the future western end of the Stride S1 Line, which will replace Route 560 as early as 2028.

Passengers looking to go from West Seattle to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport can take the H Line to connect to Route 560. Passengers can also take King County Metro Route 60 to connect to the 1 Line.

ST is running a survey about this and other proposed service changes; you can go here to participate. Route 560 service to/from West Seattle is already less than it used to be; it used to run to The Junction from Westwood Village, but cut that section in 2013 while increasing frequency of its runs to/from Westwood Village. If the plan to drop West Seattle remains in the ST service-plan proposal, the ST Board would vote on it in November.

Rider July 21, 2026 (11:33 pm)

That is always been my ride to the airport because Burien always seems so crowded. And sometimes I would use 560 just to go straight to Renton .

zw July 22, 2026 (12:48 am)

The 560 through West Seattle is a really nice convenient way to get to the airport…I guess having to transfer wouldn’t be the end of the world, but I’d certainly miss it if the proposed service reduction goes through.

Zakariya Osman July 25, 2026 (2:00 pm)

I don’t understand why they even want to cut the West Seattle and the only route to get to the airport and beyond from West seattle

Bill#1 July 22, 2026 (1:26 am)

Vote accordingly!

Mike B July 22, 2026 (9:39 am)

The Seattle transit measure on the November ballot funds bus service in Seattle. A yes/no vote on the measure would have no impact on this proposal since it’s a Sound Transit route almost entirely outside Seattle.
- Chemist July 22, 2026 (4:26 pm)
  
  There have been revisions in the past to lower the % of “Seattle Stops” needed to qualify for funding from the Seattle Transit Past. I think that was essential for getting Rapid Ride H line qualified, which got 35% of its 2024 trips funded by the STM according to that annual report. Given the length of ST 560 and portion outside Seattle it may not qualify though.

Waking you up July 22, 2026 (1:30 am)

560 doesn’t go “through” West Seattle – it barely touches West Seattle.But route #128 does go “through” West Seattle, and then to the Tukwila Light Rail station… which is one stop from SeaTac.That is the new go-to move for those wanting the airport

Ms. West Seattle July 22, 2026 (4:00 am)

128 to Tukwila is nearly an hour long ride.
- Brandon July 23, 2026 (2:15 pm)
  
  Get a car then, or take an uber. The bus is the option for those who dont want to do those things along the route. Thats why it takes an hour.

Pelicans July 22, 2026 (2:07 am)

I have to wonder about the timing of this announcement. Pretty convenient, just as voters are being asked to increase the sales tax for ST. It seems like they are pointing a gun at a route some people still rely on and saying ‘Approve the measure or Route 560 gets it!’ Will they keep doing this until the election in November?Just take their survey, I guess.

Javier July 22, 2026 (4:46 am)

You can also take the 50 to SODO Station and then Link straight to the airport.

anonyme July 23, 2026 (3:19 pm)

That’s fine if you live on the route and don’t mind wasting an extra half hour or so getting to the Link station, transferring with your luggage, just to go back south again. None of the transfer options in any way replace or compare to the current service, and all are difficult.

K July 22, 2026 (5:44 am)

Wow, the 560 is such a great regional connector. I use it to go to the airport, Bellevue, work in Renton, or just connect to the light rail. The H Line is very convenient for me, but I would re-think travel to all of those destinations. If i’m transferring anyway, I might as well take the H line into town and transfer to the light rail to Bellevue, for example. It would add a good 20-30 minutes to my Renton commute as well.

anonyme July 22, 2026 (6:00 am)

I rely on this route to get to the airport a couple of times a year when I visit family. This new, convoluted route won’t work for me, and an Uber makes the trip unaffordable on my strict budget. ST/Metro continually want more and more money for less and less service, and customers are the last to have a voice.

LBD July 22, 2026 (6:01 am)

And there’s a plan to increase the sales tax for transit, with further decreases in WS services.

Foop July 22, 2026 (3:25 pm)

The STM is for king county metro. This is Sound Transit. Different buckets of money.

DRW July 22, 2026 (6:50 am)

First they stopped service at the Fauntleroy dock. That left hundreds of people both from Vashon and Kitsap Peninsula without reliable bus service to an international airport. Now this?! I always use the 560 to get to the airport from south Delridge. Come on.

KT July 22, 2026 (6:54 am)

That makes sense and it is an easy 15 minute bus ride on the H line from Westwood Village to the Burien Park and Ride for the transfer

Kyle July 22, 2026 (7:12 am)

Wow, I always use the 560 to get to the airport. Its tough to transfer with a suitcase.

NW July 22, 2026 (7:36 am)

This route use to serve the Alaska Junction and as a daily bus rider I see people who are either coming from or going to SeaTac on local King County bus routes the serve lite rail.

Ken July 22, 2026 (7:36 am)

Rather than ending the service to Westwood Village, I wish they would consider restoring it back to the Junction. Literally hundreds of new housing units have been built in the area since 2013, which means there would be the potential for more riders than there was when the Junction service was originally dropped.

DRW July 22, 2026 (9:00 am)

Yes! Or start it at Avalon and Spokane.

Justinian-ator July 22, 2026 (8:09 am)

The h is a rapid ride to b-town. The new express line 2(?) will come every 7 min so transferring will be quick with no missed connections. There is no bus lane to the airport so dropping at the link station ensures you get to the airport in no time. I’m excited I can get to Renton on a bus faster than if I biked from westwood to the landing, finally.

Eddie July 22, 2026 (8:11 am)

Used to commute via the 560 from the Alaska Junction to Boeing Renton years ago. No transfers, but a “milk run” ride that took over an hour.

if it ain't broke don't fix it July 22, 2026 (8:28 am)

Disabling access to Renton and Bellevue from those of us on the west side… No way! Not to mention how crowded the H Line gets, even on a NORMAL day. We can’t keep piling our crowds into that ONE bus line! Please don’t forget to vote! :(

Scarlett July 22, 2026 (8:31 am)

As “Ken” mentioned above, 560 service should be restored to its original route, not cut back any further. It was a wonderful, quick convenient way to get from the Junction to Seatac. I will now be scutinizing this bill and my “Yes” vote is no longer a given.

Mike B July 22, 2026 (9:37 am)

Notably, the Seattle transit measure in front of us in November is for bus service in Seattle, and is unrelated to Sound Transit’s proposal here. A “no” vote would have no impact nor sent any message to Sound Transit because it’s a different agency. What would have an impact is taking a few minutes to provide public comment to Sound Transit.
- Scarlett July 22, 2026 (3:22 pm)
  
  I will, thanks.

Juanita July 22, 2026 (8:31 am)

Please take a moment to fill out the survey via the link provided in the article. We not only use the 560 to go to SeaTac, we also use it to go to Bellevue. It is a one transfer ride atm, this would make it three transfers (21 to the H to the 560). Or, if we went the 128 route that’s also three transfers (21 to 128 at Morgan, transfer at Tukwilla for light rail to Sea Tac). This will make it very cumbersome for those with luggage, strollers or those with mobility issues and adds a significant amount of time to the journey. The Burien Transit center can be even dicer than Roxbury. So until the train line is extended to Burien, I hope they leave us this option.

Squarely July 22, 2026 (8:33 am)

I take that bus to/from the airport every month. I live close by.. so convenient for meInstead of cutting that route, just run it every 45 mins

JW July 22, 2026 (8:41 am)

Interesting, they want more money for expanding routes, BUT take away one that serves West Seattle. Amazing, and the light rail coming to West Seattle? Good luck on that dream.

Aaron G July 22, 2026 (8:53 am)

This is a surprisingly quick way to get to the airport even if I did have to use the C to connect to it. I will miss it. Taking the C to the H to the 560 might not work as well and taking the C into downtown to the light rail will probably take more time. Credit to West Seattle Blog for reporting on this.

Tony July 22, 2026 (8:54 am)

I often take the 128 from Admiral to the Tuckwila Intl. Blvd station then take light rail for one stop to Seatac. Great way to get to the airport.

Gerry July 22, 2026 (9:14 am)

I think transit management considers transferring as no big deal. It is.

Jimbob July 22, 2026 (10:32 am)

Transferring is pretty easy.
JL July 22, 2026 (10:34 am)

Completely agree. Especially when you’re already transferring 1-2 times.

Mike B July 22, 2026 (9:50 am)

I too echo folks wanting the 560 to come back to the Junction. Having a fast bus to the airport without a transfer with luggage was so nice. For being so physically close to the airport, the transit time it takes to get to/from is surprising long.

Route 128 takes nearly an hour from the Jct to Tukwila Link. Add 5 min for a cumbersome transfer with luggage, a 5 minute wait for Link, 3 minute travel time, and a 5 minute walk to the terminal. Quickly adds up to nearly an hour-and-a-half. Or the 50 to Link, but that too is a long, out-of-direction travel adventure and SODO is not a pleasant place to wait for the every-20-to-30-minutes Route 50.

That said, please take a few minutes to fill out the survey. If enough people fill it out, Sound Transit may listen. A yes/no vote on November’s Settle transit measure has no impact on this Route 560 proposal.

DC July 22, 2026 (9:55 am)

I think doubling the frequency will be worth the extra transfer. I often end up taking the 1 Line to the H rather than the 560 because I’d have to wait 45 minutes just to catch the next 560 home from the airport. With the increased frequency, I think I’ll be taking it more frequently.

JL July 22, 2026 (10:33 am)

Losing the 560 to Westwood completely eliminates my ability to get to/from work in less than 2 hours. The 128 takes significantly longer and is extremely difficult to get to for many people in west/central/south WS that don’t live within walking distance of the C or 22. My trip to the airport will go from 1 hour to 1.5 hours with multiple connections.

MC July 22, 2026 (11:49 am)

I will miss the 560 from Westwood. A nice, quiet, smooth ride with cushy seats. The RapidRide will get you there, but with its rock-hard seats, and missing-in-action shock absorbers, I feel like I’m in a paint-shaker!

Zakariya Osman July 25, 2026 (2:03 pm)

I totally agree riding the H sucks and 560 way better

Curious George July 22, 2026 (5:10 pm)

After reviewing the mentioned ST links I was unable to find the reasoning behind shutting down the 560 line? If I missed something please re-direct me.

Star55 July 22, 2026 (9:28 pm)

Sure take away more transit service from West Seattle. We cannot take the bus from Genesee Hill to anywhere during the day, . limited service during “working hours”. Parking near the junction to catch rapid line sucks with more restrictions on the way. No more service to the airport but ask me to vote for more service….. 😤😤

JD July 22, 2026 (11:05 pm)

I am strongly opposed to this change to the Sound Transit 560. I am one of many people that work at SeaTac Airport that are reliant on the 560 to get to/from work from West Seattle & White Center. The 560 is a much better option to get to work than having to transfer from the H as proposed (not to mention the ongoing safety issues with the H and at the Burien Transit Center). This is the second truncation of the route after the Junction to Westwood was eliminated back in 2013. Honestly, if this change goes through I will likely be purchasing a vehicle and applying for employee parking at SeaTac. This move is nothing short of a slap-in-the-face to airport employees and commuters. Shame on Sound Transit for increasing service for the Eastside, but removing a safe and reliable option for West Seattle & White Center. Shame.

Rb July 22, 2026 (11:14 pm)

I used several times. Transferring with suitcase is not easy because the H line is not made to transport people with luggage. And it gets crowded. If they really want to get ride of this essential service they should replace it with a direct shuttle to the closest 1 line starion.

IDC9 July 22, 2026 (11:31 pm)

If Sound Transit makes this change, I believe Metro should launch a new route from West Seattle to the Airport using funds from the STM to provide the direct route that people are accustomed to today. It should also serve Fauntleroy to restore the connection Vashon and Southworth once had to the airport. Further, a new direct route between West Seattle and Renton should be launched to help people who live in West Seattle but work in Tukwila or Renton get to and from their jobs.

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