Metro Transit and the Minneapolis Local Organizing Committee announced today that Metro Transit broke its single-day light-rail ridership record on Monday, April 8—the day of the NCAA men’s basketball national championship game played at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Blue and Green light-rail lines recorded 130,896 rides during that day, surpassing the previous record of 122,688 rides set on Sept. 11, 2017—a day that featured the Minnesota Viking splaying their first regular season game of the season against the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football. That game was also played at U.S. Bank Stadium.
According to Metro Transit, the Green Line recorded its busiest single-day ridership since opening in 2014. They provided 68,210 rides to and from downtown St. Paul, breaking a record previously set on Oct. 3, 2016 during another Vikings’ Monday Night Football game at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Blue Line recorded 62,686 rides to and from the Mall of America in Bloomington on April 8.
Metro Transit reported a total of 498,495 light-rail riders during the Final Four’s four-day festival from April 5-8. That’s nearly 160,000 more riders than the same four days from the previous week.
The MLOC and NCAA worked closely with the Minneapolis community in creating a Know Before You Go message for patrons visiting downtown for the Final Four, highlighting transit opportunities and planning your trip in advance of coming downtown to maximize your experience.
