Metrolink Tests World Cup Service while Confronting Budget Shortfall Ahead of 2028 Olympics
Metrolink expanded rail service for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, recording a 15% increase in ridership through 48 supplemental trains, even as the agency simultaneously grappled with a projected $34.8 million budget shortfall. This deficit, attributed to declining revenue and escalating operating costs, poses a significant challenge to the commuter railroad’s long-term service stability and its preparations for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.