Photo by Carol M Highsmith from Rawpixel
Audio By Carbonatix
Over the next few weeks, soccer (er, fútbol) fans from across the globe will descend on South Florida for the region’s first-ever FIFA World Cup games. Seven matches will be held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens — temporarily rebranded as “Miami Stadium” for the tournament — including group-stage games, a Round of 32 showdown, a quarterfinal, and the third-place match.
If you’re heading to one of them, do yourself a favor: take the damn free shuttles.
Given the stadium’s lack of connectivity to public transportation — and the fact that Metrorail, Tri-Rail, and Brightline don’t run anywhere near the venue — fans are largely left to drive, hail an Uber or Lyft, or catch a ride on the free shuttles. On Sunday night, ahead of Cape Verde’s match against Uruguay, fans who drove to the stadium reportedly faced a traffic nightmare, including gridlock and parking problems despite paying more than $100 for parking passes.
Fans (including this writer!) who opted for the shuttles, however, appeared to enjoy a mostly seamless experience.
Here’s what you need to know about taking the shuttles:
How do the shuttles work?
FIFA is operating free round-trip shuttle service exclusively for ticket holders from a handful of hubs around Miami-Dade County to the stadium. Fans can begin boarding approximately four hours before kickoff, and FIFA says only ticket holders for that day’s match may ride the buses.
Where are the shuttle hubs?
There are four official game-day shuttle hubs across Miami-Dade County, including locations in Miami Gardens, Aventura, and Golden Glades. Depending on the location, fans can either park on-site or be dropped off.
Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza Metrorail Station
Golden Glades Multimodal Transit Station/Tri-Rail
Aventura Brightline Station
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
What should fans expect?
Shuttles drop fans off directly at Miami Stadium, with return service available after the match. FIFA recommends arriving at your hub with plenty of time to spare, as lines can become lengthy before kickoff. Fans taking the shuttles are expected to abide by Miami Stadium’s policies, including its bag policy.
Return shuttles begin operating immediately after the final whistle and run continuously for two hours following each match.
