Anyone who’s ever tried to get from downtown Kansas City to the KC Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium knows it’s not exactly a quick hop. The layout of the city and the distance to the venue make travel one of the biggest challenges for match days, despite being only 15 kilometers away, so the host committee is trying to tackle that head-on.
Kansas City built this network from the ground up with visitors and fans in mind. ConnectKC26 aims to create simple, direct paths to the main events, whether that’s a match at the stadium, the FIFA Fan Festival at the National WWI Museum and Memorial, or any of the area’s restaurants, museums or entertainment venues.
“This plan is all about connecting people to experiences and opportunities across our region. It’s about impact, and it’s another example of how KC2026 is delivering big results for the FIFA World Cup,” said Pam Kramer, Chief Executive Officer of KC2026. “We are proud to be the first host committee to outline our plans to improve regional transit services after game days, a bold step made possible by the support and regional commitment of our partners: Black & Veatch, JE Dunn Construction, Populous, Purina and The University of Kansas Health System.”
A key part of the plan are three new direct bus services, including:
Region Direct – connects the Fan Festival to 15 regional locations, so fans can explore the city without worrying about parking.
Stadium Direct – which will be the most popular gameday option as parking at the stadium will be extremely limited, so this service will provide ticket holders with reliable routes from the Fan Festival and four park and ride locations.
Airport Direct – Connects Kansas City International Airport to downtown every 15 minutes, making it easy for visitors to take the first step into the city.
“This plan is the culmination of nearly a year and a half of regular collaboration with our transportation working group of regional agencies, state departments of transportation and planning organizations, as well as collaboration with cities, counties and law enforcement agencies,” said Jason Sims, Director of Transportation for KC2026.
During the last World Cup in Qatar, travel was simplified as the venues were placed together, making public transport relatively easy. In the US, aging infrastructure will test the capabilities of any city to the max. The vision for FIFA is clear, and access in and out of the stadiums into the city center will be closely monitored.
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