World Cup match in Vancouver triggers transit ridership not seen since 2010 Games

Vancouver’s first FIFA World Cup game pushed transit ridership levels to heights not seen since the 2010 Winter Games.

Transit authority TransLink says in a statement that Saturday’s match at BC Place between Australia and Turkey saw daily boardings above one million, about 14 per cent higher than an average day.

However, total daily trips on the entire system, including bus, SeaBus and SkyTrain, reached more than 648,000 that day, about 18 per cent higher than the daily average.

TransLink says ridership around BC Place for the match between Australia and Turkey surpassed both Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concerts and the Lionel Messi MLS match.

The biggest increase was seen on the SeaBus, where TransLink reported 24,500 boardings on Saturday — a 37.4 per cent increase from the daily average of 17,800.

Saturday’s game, won 2-0 by Australia, was the first of seven games Vancouver is scheduled to host in this year’s FIFA World Cup tournament.