With 62 days until the World Cup lands in Atlanta for eight matches, MARTA is in full preparation mode. The transit agency is planning new express bus routes connecting outlying park-and-ride lots to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, extended rail service hours on match days, and increased frequency on existing lines serving the downtown core.
City officials estimate 300,000 tourists will descend on the downtown area, and the transit system is being treated as critical infrastructure for the event. MARTA general manager Collie Greenwood told SaportaReport the agency is working to "meet the moment" with what he called the biggest operational lift in the system's history.
The international presence is already taking shape. Uzbekistan's national soccer team has officially selected Atlanta as its World Cup base, confirming earlier reports that the Central Asian nation's squad would train and stay here during group play. That makes Atlanta one of the first host cities to lock in a team commitment.
For everyday commuters, the changes will mean more crowded trains but also more frequent service. MARTA is also coordinating with the city on temporary traffic management plans around the stadium district.