As an urban campus, UW Tacoma is accessible by a variety of public transit options, including buses, light rail and commuter trains serving Pierce, King and Thurston counties.
To make the most of public transit, learn more about U-PASS.
Catch a Train
Tacoma Link Light Rail
The Link Light Rail travels 1.6 miles from the Tacoma Dome Station to the Theater District on 9th and Commerce, with three stops in between — including one right in front of campus on Pacific Avenue. The trains are scheduled to arrive every 12 minutes and have right-of-way to traffic. The trains operate 365 days of the year and are a great way to get around downtown Tacoma.
Seattle Link Light Rail
The Seattle Link light rail runs from Sea-Tac airport to downtown Seattle. The UW Tacoma U-PASS is valid for fares on the Seattle Link.
Sounder Commuter Rail
Sounder commuter trains run between Seattle and Tacoma. The stations offer free parking (except King Street Station in Seattle), bike lockers and/or racks, weather protection and ticket vending machines. Most have connecting bus service.
The trains stop in Tukwila, Kent, Sumner and Puyallup in between. The U-PASS covers your fare and the Link light rail will get you from the Tacoma Dome station to UW Tacoma.
Take a Bus
UW Tacoma is directly served by three transit agencies:
- Pierce Transit serves communities throughout Pierce County, South King County, and Olympia.
- Sound Transit provides direct service to downtown Seattle, UW, Puyallup and Lakewood.
- Intercity Transit runs express ser vice between Tacoma and Downtown Olympia. Currently, Intercity Transit does NOT accept the U-PASS as a form of payment.
Additional Resources
- Trip Planner
Find out which bus can get you to your destination (covers Pierce, Metro and Sound Transit routes). - OneBusAway
GPS service can tell you when to expect the next bus. - Pierce Transit Park and Ride locations
