What public transportation options serve the Microsoft Redmond campus and planned light-rail access?
Executive summary
The Microsoft Redmond campus is served by an extensive bus network and now by Sound Transit’s Link light rail 2 Line, with the Redmond Technology station directly adjacent to the campus and Downtown Redmond and Marymoor Village stations adding connections in 2025 SeattleTacomaBellevueWA-site150360444-522" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">[1] [2] [3]. Microsoft has invested in pedestrian and bicycle links — including a major bridge and funded tunnels — to knit the campus to the new stations and regional transit hubs, while employer shuttles and existing bus routes continue to play a role in first/last-mile service [4] [5] [6].
1. Bus backbone: routes, stops, and how riders reach campus
A range of King County Metro and regional express buses serve stops around the Microsoft campus, with commonly listed routes including the 245, B Line, 222, 223, 225 and longer-distance routes such as the 542, 545, 566, 982 and 895 that appear in transit guides to the campus [1] [7] [8]. The nearest frequent bus stops are clustered around 152nd Ave NE & NE 36th St and the former Overlake transit center area, and the transit-center design historically included multiple bus bays configured to transfer riders between buses and shuttles [1] [2]. Moovit and other trip-planning services continue to list dozens of bus variants for accessing Microsoft’s multiple campuses, reflecting a legacy dependency on bus-to-campus rides even as rail arrives [1] [7].
2. Light rail arrival: the 2 Line and Redmond stations that serve Microsoft
Sound Transit’s 2 Line (East Link starter segment) provides direct light-rail service to the Redmond Technology station, which sits adjacent to the Microsoft campus and was designed to prioritize safe, quick pedestrian access for employees and commuters [6] [2]. The 2 Line’s extension into Downtown Redmond and Marymoor Village opened in 2025, creating faster connections across the Eastside and providing transit trips to Bellevue and other job centers in under 20 minutes in many cases [3] [9]. Sound Transit celebrated the opening as a transformational step for Eastside mobility and cited the stations as serving Microsoft employees and the broader community [9].
3. Campus-transit integration: bridges, tunnels, and corporate funding
Microsoft has funded major infrastructure to link its campus to light rail, including an 1,100-foot pedestrian bridge spanning SR‑520 and a pedestrian/bicycle tunnel under NE 40th Street intended to connect directly to station termini and downtown extensions, projects the company and the city describe as public amenities improving access for thousands of employees [4] [5] [10]. The Redmond Technology station concept explicitly anticipated grade-separated pedestrian connections and integrated bus/shuttle areas to reduce conflicts and provide weather protection, and Microsoft’s involvement included site donations and contributions to transit facilities [2] [11]. Those investments accelerate walkable access but reflect a negotiated public–private partnership in which corporate funding steers design choices and pedestrian priorities [4] [2].
4. The role of employer shuttles, park-and-ride history, and fare connections
Employer shuttles remain an important complement to public transit: Microsoft’s Connector and other private shuttles historically linked campuses to commuter hubs while companies like Amazon maintain similar programs that the employers say “complement” public service rather than replace it [6]. The Redmond Technology site historically had a park-and-ride and multiple bus bays; the park-and-ride closed for light-rail construction but the station area was reconfigured to combine bus transfer zones with rail access to support multimodal transfers [2] [11]. Sound Transit and local officials emphasize ORCA fare integration and reduced car dependence as benefits of the light-rail expansion, positioning rail taps as part of a regional shift away from solo driving [9].
5. Tradeoffs, timelines, and differing perspectives
The arrival of light rail is portrayed by local government and Sound Transit as a “game‑changer” for Redmond’s transformation from suburb to city and as a climate‑friendly travel mode, but users note the practical reality that full regional connectivity depends on later phases—particularly an eventual direct rail crossing to Seattle—so some commuters will continue layered trips using Sounder, buses and shuttles until further extensions are built [3] [6] [4]. Microsoft’s funding of bridges and tunnels sped connectivity to stations but also illustrates an implicit agenda: corporate investment shapes public access and enables dense campus design that assumes continued private mobility services as part of the commute picture [4] [2]. Reporting reviewed here documents the new light-rail stations, the bus routes that still serve the campus, and the major campus-to-station infrastructure investments, but does not provide exhaustive timetables or the full roster of every bus stop or shuttle schedule at micro level — riders should consult Sound Transit, King County Metro, and employer transit pages for trip-specific planning [1] [9] [6].