When thousands of fans traveled by rail to Gillette Stadium during this summer’s FIFA World Cup matches, an upgraded Foxboro Station helped keep passengers moving safely and efficiently—demonstrating the lasting value of an investment designed to serve the region well beyond the tournament.
The project was years in the making. Long before the World Cup created an accelerated timeline, VHB worked alongside the MBTA, MassDOT, the Town of Foxborough, and other partners toward a shared goal: transforming a station primarily associated with special-event rail service into a permanent commuter rail asset supporting everyday regional mobility and major special events. VHB was there throughout that evolution—leading early planning, designing the infrastructure and service needed to launch the pilot, monitoring the pilot’s performance in operation, and helping plan and design the future upgraded Foxboro Station to support expanded commuter rail service.
When the World Cup established a firm deadline for improvements, that foundation became especially valuable. Working on an accelerated schedule, the multidisciplinary team delivered an accessible station with greater passenger capacity and more efficient circulation—improvements designed to meet the demands of the tournament while serving riders for years to come. Completed in just 10 months, the project was recognized by state and MBTA officials as the fastest permanent station construction project in MBTA history.
During the World Cup, those improvements were put to the test. The MBTA operated 14 round-trip trains per match, providing approximately 19,000 passenger trips of rail capacity for each game. Across the tournament, more than 108,940 round-trip train tickets were sold.
“The World Cup created an extraordinary timeline, but the project was many years in the making,” said VHB Project Manager Maria DiGiacomo. “Our 16 years of working with partners to advance rail service at Foxboro gave us the relationships and institutional knowledge to move quickly when the deadline was set, while keeping accessibility, mobility, and the long-term passenger experience at the center of every decision.”
The benefits extend well beyond event operations. Foxboro Station now provides a more accessible and upgraded experience for everyday commuter rail passengers while still supporting sporting events, concerts, and other major events at Gillette Stadium.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of this project was creating infrastructure that can serve very different needs at different times,” said Caroline Ducas, VHB Director of Planning, Transit & Rail. “Foxboro Station supports everyday commuter travel, but it also has the flexibility to accommodate major events that bring thousands of people to the region. That versatility is what makes the project so impactful.”
By pairing accelerated delivery with a long-term vision for mobility, the Foxboro Station improvements demonstrate how infrastructure delivered for a major moment can create lasting benefits for riders and communities.
Learn how VHB helps communities plan, design, and deliver transportation infrastructure that supports everyday mobility and major regional events.
