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ORCA Smart Card

Why Get ORCA Now?
  • If you take both Community Transit and Everett Transit buses to complete your trip, you could be saving now with an ORCA card. That's because ORCA "remembers" how much you've paid on the first bus and gives you credit on the second bus. That saves you .75 cents.
As of January 1, 2010:
  • Monthly PugetPasses will be completed replaced by ORCA cards. ORCA cards also take the place of Community Transit ticketbooks.
  • Community Transit tickets will no longer be accepted by Everett Transit or King County Metro.
  • You will have only one  month  left to get an ORCA card at no charge. Starting Feb. 1, ORCA cards will have a $5 fee.

Ride Smarter

Traveling the Puget Sound region by bus, train and ferry is even easier with the arrival of ORCA - One Regional Card for All. The ORCA card works like cash or a pass, automatically tracking the value of different fares and transfers so you don't have to.

When boarding, ORCA riders simply tap their smart cards on a reader device typically located by the farebox on a bus or at a train, light rail or ferry platform. The electronic fare system replaces about 300 various passes, tickets and transfers with a single card that works for all seven of the major public transportation agencies serving King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties.

To buy an ORCA card, visit www.orcacard.com.
Why Get ORCA Now?
Cash will continue to be accepted on all of the transit systems. However, the agencies plan to eliminate the sale of paper passes and tickets later this year. Also, beginning Jan. 1, 2010 transfers will be available only on ORCA. Paper transfers that cash customers get for trips between multiple agencies will go away. That means if you pay your fare with cash and take a second bus or train, you will need to pay full fare again. With ORCA, your transfer is automatically credited.

Newer or less frequent transit riders should consider purchasing pre-paid transportation value on an ORCA card, similar to having a pre-paid coffee card or bus tickets in the past. With an ORCA “E-purse,” the fare value of your ride is deducted automatically from your card, and if you need to take a second bus or train to complete your trip, the transfer credit is calculated as well.

Riders who purchase their own monthly transit pass are being converted to ORCA automatically. The majority of passholders receive their transit passes from their employers, and those customers will be converted as annual contracts come up for renewal. Contact your Employee Transportation Coordinator if you have questions when your business will convert to ORCA. People who pay cash for their transit rides are encouraged to switch to ORCA now.

Currently, riders can get a blank ORCA card at no charge. It won't work until you put fare value on the card. Beginning Feb. 1, 2010 it will cost $5 to purchase an ORCA card ($3 for seniors and customers with disabilities) in addition to the fare value the rider puts on the card. This will help to encourage riders to get their cards soon. Under normal wear, ORCA cards are expected to last three to five years before they need to be replaced.

Transportation systems participating in the ORCA program are:
  • Community Transit
  • Everett Transit
  • King County Metro Transit
  • Kitsap Transit
  • Pierce Transit
  • Sound Transit
  • Washington State Ferries
Together, the agencies serve more than half of Washington’s population and carry more than 500,000 riders daily.
How ORCA Works
ORCA is a durable, plastic smart card containing a microprocessor. Passengers simply “tap” their ORCA card on a card reader on board buses or at train, light rail and ferry stations, and enjoy their ride.

ORCA cards come equipped with an “E-purse” function that allows a rider to preload fare value onto the card. With each trip, the correct fare amount is automatically deducted from the value on the card. Riders can also take unlimited trips by purchasing a monthly pass on their ORCA card.

With ORCA, customers have more options for paying their transit fare. Riders can buy and revalue ORCA cards online, by phone, by mail, and in person at transit agency customer service offices, ticket vending machines and select retail businesses around the region.

ORCA cardholders can check their accounts online, by phone or at ticket vending machines. Customers will have the option to register their cards, which allows them to restore their card value if it is lost or stolen. Registered cardholders can select an “Autoload” feature that can add value to a card when their E-purse is drawn down or when their monthly pass expires.

Customers are invited to report problems or offer comments on the ORCA system at 1-888-988-6722 (ORCA) and via www.orcacard.com.