Metro Transit's extended light rail service brings thousands of Swifties home

Metro Transit's extended light-rail service went all too well after night one of The Eras Tour in Minneapolis.

About 60,000 Swifties attended the very first night of Swift's sold-out shows at U.S. Bank Stadium, that featured 44 songs spanning 17 years of her music.

Thousands rushed to the train station in hopes to catch a ride home after the three-and-a-half hour concert ended just before 11:30 p.m. Trains were expected to run past midnight.

Around 9:30 p.m., Metro employees began setting up pathways to the train for an organized exit, separating riders into separate green and blue line queues. Riders had the option to purchase light rail tickets at various ticket booths, or through a QR code posted outside the U.S. Bank Stadium station.

While lines stacked up, they moved quickly with trains heading toward University of Minnesota and Mall of America arriving frequently. There were no blank spaces in the train cars, either. Fans were pressed against the doors and windows, eager to avoid waiting for the next train.

In the designated rideshare waiting area, lines seemed to move less quickly.

"Ubers were just going to be impossible," said Kathy Hannah, who came to Minneapolis from Altoona, Iowa, for the show. Hannah, 43, was happy to see that light rail service was extended, as her only alternative was going to be parking downtown.

Metro Transit quietly announced earlier this week that extended light-rail service would be available after Swift's concerts, including the Blue Line that ran northbound trips past midnight.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey had requested that Metro Transit add after-hours service for both concert days, spokesperson Ally Peterson said last week. The agency cited staffing shortages and said it was offering overtime pay to attract drivers.

Metro Transit, operated by Metropolitan Council, has 85 train operators and is 10 below the ideal staffing level, according to a written statement.

Swift performs her second sold-out show tonight, and doors open to U.S. Bank Stadium at 4:30.

The Eras Tour is Swift's sixth concert tour as a headliner and has potential to generate $4.6 billion in U.S. consumer spending. Swift has also announced international tour dates that start in August and end in August 2024.