The 2026 FIFA World Cup is quickly approaching Vancouver and TransLink has just unveiled their plans for the soon-to-come event. The city is guaranteed to be bursting with people this summer, so the city’s transit service is making sure that you can get from Point A to Point B as smoothly as possible during the tournament.
“Metro Vancouver has hosted global events before, from Expo 86 to the 2010 Winter Olympics, and transit played a major role in getting people there. For FIFA World Cup 2026, we’re scaling up service across our system to help move fans, visitors, and residents during the tournament,” wrote TransLink in a news release.
Here’s everything you need to know about the extended and added service in Vancouver during the World Cup.
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More Bus Service
TransLink is adding over 12,000 additional bus service hours throughout the World Cup. This includes things like extra service on routes serving the FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE, as well as a dedicated shuttle connecting the PNE to SkyTrain on the Expo and Millennium lines.
There will also be more service in the downtown core, where there will no doubt be the highest travel demand. Extra buses will similarly be on standby to “respond to crowd surges in real time.” Additional buses will be deployed when and where they’re needed as transit supervisors monitor ridership.
Added SkyTrain Service On Game Days
Large crowds are expected before and after matches at BC Place, so TransLink is adding extra SkyTrain service on match days. Riders can expect:
- “Trains approximately every two minutes at downtown stations before and after matches
- One hour of extended service on nights when matches start at 8 p.m. or later
- Empty trains waiting at Main Street–Science World Station after matches to help fans get home quickly”
Stadium-Chinatown and Yaletown-Roundhouse stations will not provide pedestrian access to the stadium on match days due to the secure event perimeter around BC Place. TransLink asks riders to use Main Street-Science World Station if they’re heading to the match.
SeaBus Sailings, West Coast Express, and HandyDART
The SeaBus will be offering 15-minute service “or better all day, every day,” as well as 10-minute sailings before and after matches. Extended operating hours when late matches are scheduled can also be expected.
The West Coast Express service will offer special round-trip trains on Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 21. “One train will travel westbound before each match, with an eastbound train returning after the game.”
And as for HandyDART, there will be designated pick-up and drop-off locations near both tournament venues:
- BC Place: Expo Boulevard and Carrall Street, and Nelson Street between Pacific and Expo Boulevards
- FIFA Fan Festival: Gate 2 Parking Lot 1 and Gate 10 Parking Lot 9
Like with most major events that happen in Vancouver, traffic will be heavy on roads with limited driving near venues. The best way to get around the city is by utilizing transit, so be sure to plan accordingly if you’re attending any of the FIFA World Cup matches or events.
For more information, you can check out TransLink’s news release here.
