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Trinity Audioplayer ready...Editor’s note: This story is part of the annual Mosaic Journalism Program for Bay Area high school students, an intensive course in journalism. Students in the program report and photograph stories under the guidance of professional journalists.
For Hibah Ahmad, a visitor from St. Louis, Mo., taking the VTA light rail to the first World Cup game at Levi’s Stadium was the best way to avoid the stress and hassle of driving. “We didn’t have to worry about parking. We didn’t have to worry about traffic. It just made more sense to take the light rail,” Ahmad said.
She was far from alone. The Valley Transportation Authority announced that it carried 37,642 passengers during the June 13 match between Qatar and Switzerland. The event surpassed transit ridership for Super Bowl LX, also hosted at Levi’s Stadium in February, by more than 6,000 passengers.
To accommodate the surge, nearly 90% of the agency’s light rail fleet was in operation for match day, with supplemental bus service, coordination with BART and Caltrain, and 100 transit ambassadors to assist with navigation.
For many fans, the decision to take public transit came down to avoiding the downsides of driving. With official FIFA parking at Levi’s Stadium ranging from $85 to $1,075, opting for public transit is a much more affordable option, at $2.50 for a one-way light-rail ride. Many fans also felt that riding the light rail added to the World Cup experience itself.
Sacramento resident Dimisha Rodgers said the chaotic and celebratory atmosphere of the train allowed for friendship between fans, a component of game culture.
“You are all going to the same game or coming home from the same game and there is just kind of that instant connection on the train,” Rodgers said. “So then you feel a little bit more safe.”
For San Jose resident Eliza Nguyen, the train ride even served as entertainment for her young son. “It’s crowded here, but it is fun, it’s exciting,” Nguyen said, adding that her son really likes the train. “So it was a bonus for us.”
Still, the game-day transit experience was not without challenges. Despite the deployment of VTA transit ambassadors to assist riders, some fans were confused navigating between train and buses and the adjusted light-rail routes.
Reshini Premaratne of San Jose found herself lost between differing transit instructions from Google Maps — which recommended Amtrak — and Caltrain employees. She finally settled on taking the light rail.
“When we got on and paid tickets, unfortunately, they were like, ‘This is actually very confusing,’” Premaranthe said.
Additionally, some riders were concerned about the crowded atmosphere on the light-rail trains. Claudia Vaz, a San Jose resident, worried about her child’s experience on a chaotic train.
“If it gets too rowdy at the end of the game with a lot of people who had alcohol, then it would make it challenging with a little kid,” she said.
The VTA, however, considered the game-day transit operation ultimately successful.
“Thousands of fans chose transit to get to and from the match, and together with BART and Caltrain, we provided a seamless travel experience that kept people moving and got them home safely,” VTA General Manager and CEO Carolyn Gonot said in a statement.
The agency said it was able to clear light rail platforms at Levi’s Stadium within 90 minutes of the match’s conclusion, faster than the benchmark of two hours for major events.
“This was a tremendous success for VTA and our regional transit partners,” Gonot said.
Ekasha Sikka is a member of the class of 2027 at Mission San Jose High School in Fremont. J.R. McMinn is a member of the class of 2027 at Del Mar High School in San Jose.