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Dozens await a train’s arrival at Victory Station in Dallas ahead of a World Cup match on Tuesday, June 30.<\/p>\n
Joe Snell\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
In the lead-up to the\u00a0FIFA World Cup, officials and residents feared the worst for the region\u2019s transportation system<\/a> \u2014 that hordes of fans would create weeks of rush-hour traffic and that North Texas\u2019 public transportation would fail international visitors.<\/p>\n Over a year before the first kickoff in Arlington, former Dallas City Council member Tennell Atkins warned that preparing Dallas Area Rapid Transit should be a priority for FIFA planning<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIf we don\u2019t get this DART situation under control,\u201d he said on the dais, \u201cthey\u2019re going to say, \u2018Dallas, you failed us with transportation.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n But public transportation has fared better than expected, accommodating millions of riders<\/a> across weeks of FIFA festivities \u2014 even when Arlington, the city hosting the games, has no mass transit system.<\/p>\n Related: World Cup visitors find life is larger in Texas<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe were pleasantly surprised, because we’d been to America lots of times, and public transport\u2019s never really a big thing,\u201d said English tourist Ray Couch while waiting for his train on the way to a match.<\/p>\n Hundreds of volunteers, $20 million in funding and increased security have contributed to the smooth ride for FIFA fans<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what they had to say.\u00a0<\/p>\n First impressions<\/p>\n In the first three weeks of FIFA events, DART reports the agency provided<\/a> more than 2 million passenger trips across all transportation modes, with most FIFA ridership on the light rail system and the Trinity Railway Express. The latter commuter line takes riders from Dallas to Arlington, where ticketholders board a shuttle to get to Dallas Stadium.\u00a0<\/p>\n Light rail ridership has increased 16% and TRE ridership by 55% compared to the same time last year, DART reports. More people are riding trains than buses, a change from DART\u2019s normal ridership trends.<\/p>\n Included in the millions of passengers are fans from around the world, many experiencing Texas transit<\/a> for the first time.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Fans board a train at Victory Station\u00a0to Dallas Stadium ahead of a World Cup match on Tuesday, June 30 in Dallas.<\/p>\n Joe Snell\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n Masaru Hoshino visited Dallas from Japan and used DART to get to and from the airport and the stadium. He used the Silver Line and was impressed with the affordable $3 ticket for a three-hour pass. A regional pass costs $9.\u00a0<\/p>\n In Tokyo, they have a \u201cvery mechanical and sophisticated transportation system.\u201d Half the people don\u2019t own a car, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cBefore I came to the U.S., I expected we must use Uber every time, but this system was so great,\u201d he said of DART. The frequency of trains, however, could be improved, Hoshino said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fans are relying heavily on trains to get around.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Related: How much traffic is the World Cup bringing to Dallas? Here’s what we know so far<\/a><\/p>\n On game days, stations are dotted with yellow-shirted DART ambassadors, assisting riders alongside FIFA<\/a> volunteers and guiding tourists to the proper trains in 90-degree heat. Each week, hundreds of DART\u2019s 3,500 employees step away from their regular duties to help fans on the platforms.<\/p>\n While England has more public transportation overall, Couch, the English tourist, said the trains in America are \u201cpretty good.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut when you go to some of the cities, it’s really quite difficult to get around if you don’t drive and we don\u2019t like driving everywhere,\u201d Couch said.\u00a0<\/p>\n A DART train approaches Victory Station in Dallas ahead of a World Cup match on Tuesday, June 30.<\/p>\n Joe Snell\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n But with gas \u201cso cheap\u201d compared to the $10 Couch said he spends on a gallon in England, he said he\u2019s eager to drive.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Daniel Nyst\u00f8yl, 18, came to Dallas from Norway for his country\u2019s match against the Ivory Coast.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt works very well,\u201d he said while waiting for the TRE to take him to the stadium. \u201cWe planned the route very good, and it went very smooth. \u2026 I don’t take a lot of trains in Norway, but when I do, they are pretty similar, pretty good.\u201d<\/p>\n Americans more skeptical\u00a0<\/p>\n For some American tourists visiting Texas, a perception of lackluster public transportation options seems the norm.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe prefer to take public transit when we can, it\u2019s just in the U.S., it\u2019s usually not easy to do,\u201d said Kayla Picha, who was visiting Dallas from Minnesota.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Kyle Picha agreed, saying \u201cpublic transit leaves a lot to be desired\u201d outside of cities like New York or Boston. But he was happy with a $9 train ticket that got him all the way to the stadium.\u00a0<\/p>\n Related: Regional transportation leaders are urging D-FW residents to change their commute, travel habits to accommodate World Cup travelers<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cFrom what we’ve heard about other cities, that is not the case,\u201d Kyle Picha said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Even North Texans weren\u2019t used to riding DART.\u00a0<\/p>\n Zamira Sanchez, 26, lives in Richardson and has used DART three to four times over the past four years she\u2019s lived in North Texas.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes driving is just a little bit better,\u201d she said. \u201cI get to leave and go whenever I want.\u201d<\/p>\n Sanchez said the city should invest in better public transportation all the time, not just for the World Cup, which \u201csets the example of cleanliness \u2026 it should have in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n Related: DART, Trinity Metro to provide temporary extended service during World Cup<\/a><\/p>\n DART has received or expects to receive nearly $18 million in special funding and grants to support FIFA operations, the agency reports, for additional security and service on the TRE and light rail.\u00a0<\/p>\n The funding comes from federal and regional sources, and DART is also budgeting another $2.5 million to support FIFA operations. The money is going toward overtime pay for police and security officers<\/a>, staffing and maintenance for extra operations.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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