MARTA moves over 1.5 million passengers across Atlanta during World Cup

MARTA

June 29th, 2026

A set of MARTA trains — In this Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019 photo, a woman waits to board a Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority train at West End Station in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Andrea Smith)

MARTA reported Friday that the transit company has transported approximately 1.7 million people across four World Cup matches, nine FIFA Fan Festivals and other World Cup festivities from June 11 to June 26.

According to a press release from the transit company, the busiest day recorded on the MARTA system has been Wednesday, June 24, for the Morocco vs. Haiti match, which saw approximately 220,000 rail passengers, about 2.3 times the number of riders seen on a typical weekday.

Due to the higher rate of foot traffic, MARTA Transit Ambassadors have been present throughout various stations, assisting customers on match days and during fan fest days.

The company estimates that the staff members have worked roughly 4,000 shifts during the period. Furthermore, 100 FIFA volunteers have been deployed across the transit system to provide navigation assistance in multiple languages for international customers.

MARTA officials also said that MARTA police officers, along with officers from Denver’s transit agency, have increased their patrols on trains, buses and additional transit facilities.

The increase in law enforcement presence and security comes shortly after a string of violent incidents that have occurred on MARTA prior to the kickoff of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including a June 5 shooting at the Midtown Station and a fatal May stabbing attack at the Oakland City Station.

“MARTA Police officers in the Real Time Crime Center are monitoring the system around the clock through a massive network of over 12,000 cameras and using technology to quickly identify criminals,” the release added. “Officers are stationed in the Mobile Command Vehicle positioned at key locations throughout the city.”

The transit agency has announced that MARTA trains will arrive every five minutes from the start of service until 10:30 p.m. on match days.

Travelers who work downtown and in Midtown or Buckhead are encouraged to find a MARTA Park & Ride lot and take the train from there on match days.