DALLAS WORLD CUP BUS ROUTE, TRAFFIC WILL BE INSANE

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Bappypower@reddit

The Brits and the rest of the countries completing here are going to roast us to death about this..

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laythrehman@reddit

As a Brit living at Centreport, at least we have free airport transportation. Hopefully on Sundays in the future!

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dddonnanoble@reddit

They’ve been complaining on TikTok and Americans have been really mad about it but I think the Brits have a point

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jwfowler2@reddit

Spoiler: We’re already getting roasted thanks to the orange puss bubble

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bballjones9241@reddit

Well they’re gonna be roasted to death by our weather lol

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I'm not being sarcastic when I ask this, why do we think traffic is going to be so bad when we already have Cowboys games at that same location? Surely the traffic could not be WORSE than that, the stadium literally can't fit any more people than that.

Now the quality of the public transit supplied for those visiting.... well we will see.

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LP99@reddit

This sub desperately wants everything in this entire metro to be a failure, not just the World Cup. It’s incredibly strange.

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noncongruent@reddit

I think a few dozen redditors here are just mad they can't get a $3 transit fare over to Arlington's venue district. The irony is that the one chance Arlington had to join DART, back when DART was founded in 1983, the Cowboys were in Irving and there wasn't any talk of moving. Arlington's venue district back then consisted of Arlington Stadium, an open-air aluminum bleacher seating arrangement, and Six Flags.

It's also illegal for Arlington to join DART since then because there aren't any contiguous DART member cities adjacent to it. The TRE couldn't be built through Arlington because it would have required billions of dollars and decades of lawsuits to eminent domain the hundreds of homes and businesses along that route. That's why TRE has the route it does now, that ROW was available and a fraction of the price and just needed improvements to put into service for TRE.

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Unlucky-Watercress30@reddit

It's also illegal for Arlington to join DART since then because there aren't any contiguous DART member cities adjacent to it

This wouldn't really be that big of an issue. DART can pass through non-member cities to get to other member cities if needed, it would just make non-express routing a lot more difficult.

The TRE couldn't be built through Arlington because it would have required billions of dollars and decades of lawsuits to eminent domain the hundreds of homes and businesses along that route.

Yes and no. The original TRE alignment idea was along the UP line that cuts through DT Arlington, and wouldn't require any imminent domain whatsoever (at least within Arlington city limits). The big issue with that alignment is that UP refused to give it up without a kings ransom (which is understandable on their end, its literally the busiest freight line in all of DFW). The route that DART ended up purchasing was significantly less busy and thus available for purchase. Eminent domain was only an issue on the Arlington alignment if/when UP refused to sell the ROW, since that would require the entire route to be tri/quad tracked to run alongside the freight line.

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noncongruent@reddit

UP was never going to sell their ROW, that's a non-starter, so by definition the only way TRE could have run through Arlington would have been by imminent domain seizure of homes and businesses along UP's line, or some other route, and building a totally brand new rail line from scratch. If that got done for less than $25B and less than two decades I'd be shocked. The same applies to any other rail through central Arlington, it's a non-starter because of the costs and time to get the property to build it.

As far as DART running bus routes through Arlington there's no point in that either because all of Arlington is separated from DART cities by at least one other non-DART city, mostly Grand Prairie and a little bit of Fort Worth.

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SunTop2753@reddit

Because they are estimating an additional 3m people coming to the area!!!

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noncongruent@reddit

Who is "they"?

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SunTop2753@reddit

idk bro, the people who are running the show? It’s what I heard

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noncongruent@reddit

I googled it for you:

https://www.keranews.org/sports/2026-01-21/heres-what-to-know-about-fifa-world-cup-2026-in-dallas

3.8 million visitors over the total one month of the game schedule, around 100K visitors per day. The DFW population is 8.5 million, so increasing the population by around 1%. The fan festival at Fair Park has a ticket cap of 35,000. The state fair peaks at over 100,000K per day, nearly 200K for last year's Texas-OU game, so 35,000 is a drop in the bucket there. Game attendance likely won't break 85-90K, but even if it somehow hits 100K, that's still not even the most AT&T Stadium has handled multiple times without issues.

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sipyourwine@reddit

It is going to be the games on top of the other people coming for the World Cup not going to the games, but to Fair Park for the fanzone and downtown Dallas for the media center.

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dharmazazen@reddit

most cowboys games are on sundays when traffic is not so bad many of theses game will start at 3pm on weekdays!

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arlenroy@reddit

That's a good point, same thing happened with the Superbowl before icepocalypse happened. There was a ton of people in downtown and Fairpark for all the related activities.

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sipyourwine@reddit

I work downtown so I’m hoooooping the days I have to be in office (I have a couple trips planned those weeks which also makes me nervous with DFW) we can work from home, but I doubt it. Will be an adventure!

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Level-Level-8604@reddit

Also 9 matches in a month, on various days of the week. I would guess there aren't ever more than 2-3 cowboys games a month, and they are typically on Sundays.

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noncongruent@reddit

Traffic isn't cumulative, though? It'll be busy during game day, but the other days it won't be other than vendors and logistics doing teardown/cleanup/setup/restocking/etc. The number of warm bodies on site during each game won't be significantly different than regular Cowboys games which sell out 100% of their games, and it'll definitely be less than the NBA All Stars game which set several attendance records.

There are half a dozen hotels within a mile of the stadium and dozens within two miles, i.e. a short Uber ride, and even then they're within a 30 minute walk. Many of the fans coming in are coming from places with lots of transit and are used to walking everywhere instead of driving. The whole thing of getting in your car to drive a mile or two is a particularly unique American thing, especially around here in the DFW area.

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bemvee@reddit

There are also people coming in who booked travel before realizing the actual distance between their hotel and the stadium. They saw Dallas and booked in Dallas only to then find out the stadium cannot be walked to.

Also, the fanfare of it being a global event - we’ll definitely have more media than cowboys games and the NBA All Stars.

I don’t think we’ll have quite the increase the DFW area as Mexico and Canada will see, even LA. But I do think it’ll be somewhat worse than our normal game days.

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LP99@reddit

Serious question, you think a significant amount of people booked an international trip for a significant cultural event but when it came time to book their hotel they just threw a dart at a map of Texas?

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SubstantialPoet8468@reddit

Youre changing the argument. Its not a dart throw on a map, its staying in the city that its marketed for (DALLAS)

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LP99@reddit

Again, people are seriously thinking that a significant amount of non-Americans intellectually and financially capable of booking a significant international trip at no point looked at a map?

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bemvee@reddit

You have so much confidence in the intelligence of other people.

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mideon2000@reddit

We have all the technology in the world and all the information we could possibly need in the palm of our hands. I am in agreement. If you go halfway across the world and don't bother opening google maps, you are asking for it. You can even route by public transportation. Conditioned to using public transportation or not, you are an extremely ignorant tourist if you ain't planning basic shit like directions beforehand.

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Prestigious_Stage699@reddit

Yes, especially if they are from a country with a lot of public transit. I can't tell you how many tourists would ask for walking directions to things that aren't actually in Dallas when I worked there.

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noncongruent@reddit

I suspect it won't be as crowded or busy as it was for the NBA All Stars game back in 2010. That event was split across two venues, American Airlines Center in Dallas and AT&T Stadium in Arlington, and set an all-time attendance record for that stadium at over 108K. That attendance doesn't include back of house and event staff, that's just fans who showed up to watch. By comparison, the last time a FIFA game broke 100K was in Mexico in 1986, and that was a home game played by the Mexican national team. So far this century the biggest World Cup game had 89K attendees, and that was four years ago in Qatar, and IIRC it was a final.

As a side note, driver's licenses aren't as mandatory in other countries as they are here due to those countries often having better urban transit systems, so a lot of people coming here to attend games won't actually have a driver's license from their home country. That means they can't legally driver or rent a car here, they'll be using the ad hoc transit system that is being set up for the games here, and thus won't be contributing to traffic. In fact, if a higher percentage of attendees are using transit there may actually be less traffic on game days than there normally is for other events like concerts and Cowboys games.

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Level-Level-8604@reddit

It's not not cumulative, though? People can avoid driving around the stadium on game days when there are 2 a month. It's going to be a lot more difficult to avoid when there is a game every 3 days.

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noncongruent@reddit

It's not cumulative in the sense that having more than one game a month isn't going to make gameday traffic any worse over time. They could have a game every other day for the whole month, 15 games in 30 days, and traffic would not be any worse for any one of the game days compared to the other game days. Traffic is directly related to the number of butts in the stadium, and that number is limited by legal stadium capacity limits. That capacity will also be less than it was for the Taylor Swift and George Strait concerts because those events had seating in the field too, something the soccer games by definition can't.

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Level-Level-8604@reddit

Ok.

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Right_Letterhead_120@reddit

There will be less stadium capacity due to the elevated grass field. Having a pubilc transit option should also help.

Weekday games will probably be the biggest difference and driver of traffic.

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adjust_your_set@reddit

That just means the field suites are covered I think. They’ll still sell thousands of standing room tickets and likely draw over 100,000 to each games.

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electricgotswitched@reddit

Not sure why you got downvoted. They can add more seats in each row, and will have SRO tickets. We had over 100k to the first ever Cowboys game (I was there it was fucking insane).

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noncongruent@reddit

The highest attended World Cup game this century was 2022 in Qatar at 88,966, and the next highest was 2010 South Africa at 84,490. The only time any FIFA game broke 100K in the last half century was in 1986 Mexico, and that was a Mexican team home game played in Mexico City. By comparison, the 2010 NBA All Stars game broke 108K, George Strait's 2014 concert had 114K, and Taylor Swift's 2024 concert did over 210K over three consecutive nights. None of the FIFA games are on consecutive nights, there's typically at least three days between them except for the June 25/27 pair which are two days apart. AT&T stadium's been maxed out before, multiple times, and in fact has sold out every single Cowboys home game ever played there.

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electricgotswitched@reddit

For the Super Bowl they attempted to construct temporary seating, but it wasn't finished on time. Resulted in a lawsuit.

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noncongruent@reddit

I remember that. The problem was that the regular seating in that spot wasn't finished yet (it's since been completed) so they tried to set up temporary seating in that spot, and it didn't go well. The main temporary seating used there now is down on the field for events like concerts where the stage doesn't take up all of the field space.

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SubstantialPoet8468@reddit

60-100K for a cowboys game vs millions for the world cup

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XtremeGnomeCakeover@reddit

Tourists in rental cars will cause traffic issues. Not necessarily their fault, but most of us learn different ways of driving.

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noncongruent@reddit

A higher percentage of people coming here are likely to not have driver's licenses because having a DL isn't the thing in other countries with transit systems as it is here. Those tourists can't legally rent a car or drive here. I suspect that traffic on game days will actually be less busy than it typically is for Cowboys games and concerts.

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Lurcher99@reddit

I'm thinking International Drive in Orlando during the summer. So many tourists who likely have never driven in rental cars.

Then add on DFW aggressiveness, they don't stand a chance. To the tourist, get the rental car insurance!

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Facts_Or_Feelings@reddit

I believe because games will be during the work day, not on a Sunday afternoon.

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bemvee@reddit

Yeah, that part too. Global fans & media not used to US driving or public transit - let alone highway driving in DFW….

More people flooding an area increases traffic regardless, but these large events that have occurred at cowboys stadium weren’t happening twice in the same day, multiple times in a week.

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Anolty@reddit

Some of the games will be starting or ending right around rush hour, those are the games I’m most nervous about

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maverickps1@reddit

I think normally it holds about 80k for NFL but the seats are on rails and they always said for world cup they can take out the armrests and squish the seats together and get up over 100k.

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noncongruent@reddit

There hasn't been a World Cup match with 100K attendees since 1986 when the Mexican team played in Mexico City. So far this century the biggest game was in Qatar four years ago at 88,966, before that was South Africa in 2010 at 84,490. Given the way the world economy is going and how immigration/visitors from brown countries is being handled recently I wouldn't be surprised to see empty seats in the stadium during the games here. Remember also that the biggest game attendance for FIFA are the final games, the main one of which is being held near NYC.

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madster40@reddit

There will also be fan zones outside the stadium that people can buy tickets for, sort of like tailgating on steroids.

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Level-Level-8604@reddit

Also 9 matches in a month, on various days of the week. I would guess there aren't ever more than 2-3 cowboys games a month, and they are typically on Sundays.

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Friendly_Ability24@reddit

I have my doubts that traffic is going to be any worse than when Dallas is hosting a cowboys game + state fair + the handful of college football games that could be going on between home SMU, TCU, UNT + games + maybe a home rangers playoff series + Mavs and Stars games in which a combination of the above has happened in short stretches in October in Dallas before.

Seems like very light work for the infrastructure and any traffic comes from inexperienced visitors trying to navigate the process.

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electricgotswitched@reddit

If anything I think downtown and the entertainment areas (Deep Ellum, Lower Gville, etc) will just be extra busy. Then normal crazy traffic around the stadium on game days, but we've literally had Rangers and Cowboys games on the same day.

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Unlucky-Watercress30@reddit

The good thing for any international visitors is that DART will be in state fair mode during the full month of the FIFA games, so everything other than visiting AT&T stadium will be relatively easy via public transit. I believe TM will be running a higher frequency than usual as well, plus the TRE will be a 30 min all day every day schedule. Arlington will be a shitshow during game days, but the rest of the metro area should fare alright

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jiveturkey38@reddit

Is the charter bus route going to be a BRT? If not it’s going to be literally forever to get from Dallas to the stadium non car

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Longhorn24@reddit

BRT?

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jiveturkey38@reddit

Bus rapid transit. Are they going to close a lane for those charter buses to be able to get thru traffic easily

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Longhorn24@reddit

Doesn’t the express lane have access to the stadium?

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Altruistic-Carry-684@reddit

Doesn’t it only start eastbound from FW once you get to Center Street exit (aka damn near at the stadium

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Unlucky-Watercress30@reddit

The express lanes are continuous from Baird Farm/AT&T way (1 exit east of Center) all the way to DT Dallas, with a direct on/off ramp from Baird Farm into the express lanes.

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noncongruent@reddit

There's direct access two and from the Express Lanes from Baird Farm Rd/AT&T Way.

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Longhorn24@reddit

This route is from Dallas

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Mathsforpussy@reddit

What express lane on 360?

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Longhorn24@reddit

Why bring up 360. The bus route is i30

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RepulsiveInterview44@reddit

It looks like the HOV lane on 30 will be open for half the route.

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noncongruent@reddit

There's no HOV lane on I-30 anymore, at least not between Dallas and Fort Worth, it's been converted to pay-per-drive Express Lanes.

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Mathsforpussy@reddit

Sorry was looking at the orange bus from Centerport

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Gmlegend@reddit

International fans will have to walk 10 minutes towards the "Dallas" stadium after getting off the charter buses in a designated dropoff at Arlington from the airport or train stations during summer heat.

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Careless-Ad-6328@reddit

For most non-Americans, a 10 minute walk isn't a hardship, it's "going to the grocery store"

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noncongruent@reddit

Yeah, the whole thing about getting in your car to drive a mile or two is pretty unique to Americans, especially in largely suburban areas like Dallas.

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Unlucky-Watercress30@reddit

To be fair, going a mile or 2 in the US where sidewalks are a suggestion and you'll have to cross at least one 4/6 lane road on the trip makes the mentality a lot more understandable. How we got to this point is less understandable, but given the conditions it makes sense to drive for 5 minutes rather than to walk for 10-20 mins along/across a really pedestrian hostile environment.

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ChefMikeDFW@reddit

For most Europeans, we may need cooling stations every 100 meters or so

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Gmlegend@reddit

The dropoff location could have been closer to the stadium due to how far did the international fans travel to United States, it is my thoughts.

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Waste-Marketing9689@reddit

No possible due to lots being used by commercial partners and hospitality

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versusChou@reddit

You'd be surprised how hot it gets in Europe. Particularly the South, but even Parisian summers can be pretty awful. Japanese summers are also the hot and muggy kind, and I know they've got games here.

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noncongruent@reddit

Average daily highs in Paris in the summer are less than 80°F, with nights in the 50s. During Dallas summers it's not uncommon for nighttime temperatures to still be in the 90s at midnight and in the 80s at sunrise.

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versusChou@reddit

I'm aware. I live in Dallas. But there are heat waves in Europe too, so they're not totally unaware of that kind of weather. Texans always act like no one can imagine how bad the weather is here, and honestly it's not that bad. I run and play basketball outside all summer. It's nothing compared to like Taiwan where I used to live. Sure California and plenty of other places don't get as hot, but it always becomes this weird dick measuring contest about how bad the weather is.

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ChefMikeDFW@reddit

But there are heat waves in Europe too

That's not the norm though. Consider the Netherlands and their climate averages to speak more so of what people are used to there. They get to play game 1 here. You really think they're gonna be ready for June weather, here?

We won't consider 95+ "bad" but someone who isn't used to that will and could potentially be dangerous.

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versusChou@reddit

Not for a 10 minute walk.

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ChefMikeDFW@reddit

It'll be uncomfortable, but people aren't going to be passing out from a 10 minute walk in the sun.

I was at a funeral one time, in the shade, and this 20 something girl from France passed out in June weather. We were not outside for more than what had to be 15 minutes. And she was in decent shape.

Now get someone here who is older, no shade, next to roads that amplify the surface temps, and in what June can really throw at someone...I'd still be concerned.

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noncongruent@reddit

Hot weather isn't even bad weather, really, it's mainly just an issue of what people living in a area have adapted to. I don't really run AC most of the summer so I can sleep comfortably in 85°F temperatures with just a fan, yet 85°F temperatures routinely kill people in colder climates. Conversely, when I'm heat adapted during the summer I start going into hypothermia at just 45-50°F whereas that's shorts and teeshirt weather in cooler climates.

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Gmlegend@reddit

Yes of course but the summer heat will be brutal for the international fans

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Waste-Marketing9689@reddit

They’ll be heat mitigation solutions in place along route

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justagirlfromtexas@reddit

In 100 degree weather, that will be terrible.

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electricgotswitched@reddit

That is how far 90% of the people paying to park will walk. International videos are likely not as obese as your average American either.

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Gmlegend@reddit

Yes, I agree

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kozzy1ted2@reddit

This gonna be so bad.

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worstpartyever@reddit

Or, no one will come.

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BobSnobtx@reddit

FIFA just canceled blocks of hotel reservations so maybe not.

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hydrogenickooz@reddit

Why did yall assume that this would be any feasible logistical option anyway? We drive here in Texas. Rent a car

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dharmazazen@reddit

Weekday game traffic will be insane because of the 3pm start which will mean game empty out at the 5pm peak. Not looking forward to it!

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SpaceBoJangles@reddit

Lmao.

I wish I got paid as much as whoever thought this was a good idea.

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Then_Supermarket18@reddit

The first game is on a Sunday, but the TRE doesn't operate on Sundays.

Are we finally going to get Sunday service?

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Waste-Marketing9689@reddit

Yes. Service for all match days and a dedicated bus lane from centerport to the bus hub

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Dedwards_est_22@reddit

I mean they often do special service for Mavs/Stars games on Sundays too

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arlenroy@reddit

I believe so, but just during the World Cup.

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spacedman_spiff@reddit

Maybe just special service.

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Fragrant-Mission7388@reddit

It's legitimately dumb as fuck to encourage locals to drive, therefore making traffic worse. EVERYONE should be strongly encouraged to take the trains and buses whenever possible

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FW_nudist@reddit

I hope the World Cup is a colossal failure due to the trumps ice. And also due to the insane pricing for matches being caused by Ticketmaster and others.

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electricgotswitched@reddit

It sold out in like 30 seconds. Fuck ICE, but not sure what people think is going to happen. Trump and FIFA are besties. Trump isn't trying to sabotage the games, and I'm not sure ICE is trying to arrest rich tourist.

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FW_nudist@reddit

It’s not sold out. Look at seatgeek.

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electricgotswitched@reddit

The term "sold out" doesn't mean 3rd party re-sell tickets are not available.

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IAmTurdFerguson@reddit

Everything is sold out.

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FW_nudist@reddit

It’s not sold out. Look on seatgeek and you’ll find plenty of tickets for $$$$

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IAmTurdFerguson@reddit

Are those not resale?

If your standard for not being sold out is tickets being resold, then no event ever is sold out.

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FW_nudist@reddit

That’s a poor argument.

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FW_nudist@reddit

Relevant thread. https://old.reddit.com/r/Dallas/comments/1sbk06k/fifa_cancels_hotel_reservation_blocks_in_dallas/?ref=share&ref_source=link

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Thin-Constant-4018@reddit

Hoping the world cup will be the push for north texas cities & the Texas legislature to actually start properly supporting our transit agencies.

YES YOU NEED BUSES ARLINGTON. BUSES ARE IMPORTANT. YOUR TITLE IS SHAMEFUL TO OUR REGION.

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Obi_wan_pleb@reddit

Let's be real, when is traffic not a shit show? And that's not even touching on traffic around the stadium for any game.

Why are people acting surprised?

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zakats@reddit

If only there were some sort of well-developed infrastructure that's many times more efficient at moving people between common areas of interest... perhaps on a sort of rail that doesn't have to compete with car traffic and would massively benefit everyone to reduce traffic.

Surely all of the dfw cities in the region would get on board help fund this, right?.... right?

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AlbinoAlex@reddit

Don't be silly, this is Texas. You'll drive there in your lifted pickup truck and you'll like it! Be sure to bitch about high gas prices, tolls, and the outrageous parking prices for the full experience.

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AnastasiaNo70@reddit

What is Dallas Stadium?

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Gmlegend@reddit

At&t stadium in Arlington

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AnastasiaNo70@reddit

Ah, thanks!

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electricgotswitched@reddit

FIFA doesn't allow stadium sponsor names. So every stadium will be called "[City] Stadium"

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Gmlegend@reddit

Ni problem!

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TheWizard@reddit

They are showing ONE train line and even that requires bus connection, on highways that are already clogged. Thats going to work. Pathetic state of public/rail transportation.

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Other-Grapefruit-880@reddit

All the people who consistently refuse to alllow rail service to the stadium absolutely deserve what is about to happen.

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TheWizard@reddit

Unfortunately, they drag the rest of us down with their tantrums.

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Emergency_Year5074@reddit

Ugh. I have to commute from Mesquite to Fort Worth for work everyday. Pray for me yall.

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noncongruent@reddit

Damn. In the olden days of the InterUrban people would commute in from places like Hillsboro and Corsicana, stay in an apartment all week, then commute home on Friday night.

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AnastasiaNo70@reddit

Jesus, I thought my temporary Grand Prairie to Frisco was bad!

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Emergency_Year5074@reddit

Whew!! It’s just one of those things.. I love where I live and I love my job lol

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AnastasiaNo70@reddit

Do you like podcasts and audio books? I hope so!

I did discover a lot of new music back when I had a commute from hell.

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xavier19691@reddit

This will be a cluster f

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el_esteban@reddit

Dallas Stadium???

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ekinnee@reddit

For years we've had the Dallas Cowboys that played in Irving and now play in Arlington...

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fernie100@reddit (OP)

At&t isnt one of the sponsors so they dont want to give any free promotion

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noncongruent@reddit

IIRC FIFA's rule is that none of the stadiums they use can be sponsored.

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SadatayAllDamnDay@reddit

I believe they're renaming all the stadiums after the host cities for the World Cup games.

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fernie100@reddit (OP)

Side note: countries like argentina, england, and the Netherlands. Their fans usually travel very well and in huge amounts. Specially Argentina try to avoid the stadium or fan fest since many people will show up. As the tournament goes on I do expect it to die down, just the group stage games is when the chaos usually happens.

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fernie100@reddit (OP)

I was high off the caffeine and happy it’s Friday 😂

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