Bay Area FIFA World Cup match breaks ridership records

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The FIFA World Cup has brought thousands of fans to the Bay Area, and many of them are relying on public transit to get to matches.

A coordinated system between VTA, BART, and Caltrain transported more than 37,000 passengers to and from Saturday's World Cup match between Qatar and Switzerland, setting a ridership record for a major event at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, transit officials announced Monday.

"This was a tremendous success for VTA and our regional transit partners," VTA General Manager and CEO Carolyn Gonot said in a statement. "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."

According to a joint news release, VTA cleared stadium platforms in less than 90 minutes after the match. By comparison, it typically takes about two hours to clear crowds following events at Levi's Stadium, which has been temporarily renamed San Francisco Bay Area Stadium for the World Cup.

World Cup fans break records

What they're saying:

The agencies said that 37,642 passengers used VTA service during the event, with post-match crowds exceeding the number of fans who arrived by transit before kickoff.

Transit officials said the total was about 6,000 riders more than the crowds transported during Super Bowl LX and credited the increase to close coordination among Bay Area transit agencies.

BART carried passengers from San Francisco and the East Bay to the Milpitas Transit Center, where fans transferred to VTA light rail service for the final leg of their trip to the stadium.

"We've worked with our fellow transit agencies to make transfers fan-friendly, and now the world is seeing how far the Bay Area's transit network has come," BART General Manager Bob Powers said in a statement.

Caltrain transported riders from San Francisco and communities throughout the Peninsula to Mountain View Transit Center, where passengers connected to VTA light rail trains serving the stadium.

"Caltrain got nearly 7,000 fans to and from the first World Cup match quickly, safely and conveniently," Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard said in the release. "With frequent half-hourly service and a great atmosphere onboard with fellow fans, Caltrain is the easiest way to skip traffic, avoid parking costs and get to the World Cup stress-free."

Officials said additional trains, coordinated staffing, crowd-management measures and extensive operational planning helped ensure smooth travel throughout the event.

The Altamont Corridor Express and Capitol Corridor also provided service to the stadium.

Saturday's match was the first of six FIFA World Cup matches scheduled to be played at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium this summer. VTA said it will continue operating enhanced service throughout the tournament to support residents, visitors and fans from around the world.