The regional transit agency says there were over a million boardings as Vancouver hosted its first World Cup game
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When Turkey and Australia clashed at B.C. Place on Saturday, TransLink says it recorded its busiest ridership for a big event day since the 2010 Olympics.
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The Metro Vancouver transit agency said thousands upon thousands of fans took transit to get to the match, the FIFA Fan Fest at the PNE, and to work and other destinations across the regional system.
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System-wide, TransLink had more than a million boardings — defined as each time someone got on a bus, train or SeaBus — on Saturday, June 13.
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Preliminary data shows there were about 648,200 trips, a nearly 18 per cent increase in trips compared to a typical Saturday.
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Sunrise
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Much of the heavy usage was around B.C. Place Stadium. SkyTrain stations that serve the area had the highest Saturday ridership since the 2010 Olympics, and surpassed major moments like Taylor Swift’s Saturday Eras Tour concert and Lionel Messi’s debut against the Vancouver Whitecaps at B.C. Place.
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“SkyTrain saw especially strong demand, with almost 450,000 boardings, up 25 per cent compared to a typical Saturday,” TransLink said in a news release. SeaBus had the highest percentage increase of all transit modes, with ridership between North Vancouver and downtown Vancouver up more than 37 per cent.
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“The overall increase in ridership shows the important role transit plays in moving people for large events, while also keeping people connected to businesses and other destinations across the region,” TransLink said.
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The difference between a trip and a boarding is that a trip is a full transit journey including any transfers — such as from a bus to a train.
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A “typical day” is defined as what ridership would be projected, based on recent patterns including last year’s numbers, had the World Cup not been happening.
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