With just 100 days remaining before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Vancouver, TransLink has announced a sweeping expansion of public transit services designed to move hundreds of thousands of fans efficiently across Metro Vancouver while maintaining dependable service for residents.
The public transit authority outlined a system-wide strategy that includes significant increases to bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus, and West Coast Express service during the four-week tournament.
The approach builds on Vancouver’s history of hosting global events and is aimed at managing sharp spikes in travel demand, particularly on match days.
“This region knows what it takes to host the world, and our transit system has been part of that success every step of the way,” said TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn.
“Vancouver is the only 2026 host city with this track record: a World Expo, the Olympic Games, the FIFA Women’s World Cup — and now the FIFA Men’s World Cup. TransLink will leverage that experience to scale up service and move large crowds safely and reliably. Our system was built for major events, and it’s ready for the world’s biggest.”
TransLink also had a miniature practice run recently, when it boosted service for Taylor Swift’s final Eras Tour stop in Vancouver in December 2024.
Stadium-Chinatown and Yaletown-Roundhouse stations will not be direct access points for BC Place Stadium
The tournament period spans June 11 to July 19. BC Place Stadium will host a total of seven matches, including five group stage matches (June 13, 18, 21, 24, and 26), a round of 32 knockout match (July 2), and a round of 16 knockout match (July 7).
Due to secure perimeters and crowd control measures around the stadium, the Expo Line’s Stadium-Chinatown and the Canada Line’s Yaletown-Roundhouse stations will not offer direct pedestrian access to the stadium on match days. It is important to note that both stations will remain open, but will not offer convenient access to the the stadium due to security protocols and fencing.
Spectators attending games are being directed to use the Expo Line’s Main Street-Science World Station instead, where spectators will then walk on the “Last Mile” car-free, pedestrian route along Quebec Street and Pacific Boulevard to reach the stadium.
Access to the stadium on match days will also be limited to a single entrance on the south side at Pacific Boulevard via the Last Mile, only starting at Main Street-Science World Station. There will be no access into the stadium from Beatty Street and Expo Boulevard.
All access to BC Place Stadium during FIFA World Cup matches will be made via the Last Mile pedestrian route starting outside SkyTrain’s Main Street-Science World Station. (TransLink)
Similar to the 2010 Winter Olympics, the security screening to access the stadium will be conducted well outside the venue. The secure entrance into the stadium will be located on the Concord Lands via the Last Mile.
SkyTrain to run more frequently and later
SkyTrain service will see substantial increases, particularly before and after matches at BC Place in Vancouver.
Trains at downtown Vancouver stations are expected to run as frequently as every two minutes during peak periods tied to games.
On evenings when matches begin at 8 p.m. or later, SkyTrain service will operate an extra hour.
After local matches conclude, empty trains will be staged at the Main Street-Science World Station to speed post-game departures. It is important to emphasize that Stadium-Chinatown Station will not be the usual station for stadium ingress and egress.
600 extra bus trips per day for five weeks
TransLink plans to add roughly 600 extra bus trips per day during the tournament. The increase includes enhanced service to routes serving the FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE in Hastings Park.
This includes a dedicated shuttle bus service running along Renfrew Street to link the PNE to both the Expo Line at 29th Avenue Station and the Millennium Line at Renfrew Station. This shuttle service will not be entirely dissimilar to TransLink’s special PNE shuttle bus service during the PNE Fair period each year.
TransLink bus services to reach the FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE in Hastings Park. (TransLink)
The fan festival will operate throughout the tournament period, with a capacity for over 25,000 fans per day on the fairgrounds. The new 10,000-seat amphitheatre will be the centrepiece of the fan festival, serving as the venue for live match screenings, concerts, and other live performances.
Additional buses will circulate through downtown Vancouver to accommodate increased passenger volumes. TransLink will monitor crowd levels in real time, deploying standby buses as needed to respond to surges and shifting conditions.
SeaBus and West Coast Express enhancements
SeaBus sailings across Burrard Inlet will operate at least every 15 minutes throughout the tournament, with 10-minute service before and after local matches.
Similar to SkyTrain, SeaBus hours will extend by one hour on nights when matches start at 8 p.m. or later.
For weekend matches, TransLink will introduce special West Coast Express commuter rail service. Round-trip game-day trains will run on Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 21, with one westbound train heading into Vancouver before each game and one eastbound train departing afterward.
Accessible public transit services are also being adjusted. HandyDART will operate from designated pick-up and drop-off locations near BC Place — including Expo Boulevard at Carrall Street and Nelson Street between Pacific and Expo boulevards — as well as near the FIFA Fan Festival at Gate 2, Parking Lot 1 and Gate 10, Parking Lot 9. Pick-up windows and wait times will account for road closures, congestion, and potential extra-time matches.
TransLink says it will deploy additional frontline personnel across the network during the tournament, including SkyTrain and SeaBus attendants, Transit Police, security officers, and volunteers. Their role will focus on crowd management, customer assistance, and safety.
The increased public transit service levels are funded by the overall FIFA World Cup operating budget in Vancouver, similar to how VANOC funded a big boost in services during the 2010 Olympics.
With extensive temporary road closures and traffic controls expected near event venues, officials are emphasizing public transit as the most efficient way to reach both BC Place Stadium and the PNE during the tournament.
FIFA World Cup dressings installed onto the empty storefronts of the former Hudson’s Bay Vancouver flagship store building. (Kenneth Chan)