In the lead-up to the FIFA World Cup, officials and residents feared the worst for the region's transportation system — that hordes of fans would create weeks of rush-hour traffic and that North Texas' public transportation would fail international visitors.

Over a year before the first kickoff in Arlington, former Dallas City Council member Tennell Atkins warned that preparing Dallas Area Rapid Transit should be a priority for FIFA planning.

"If we don't get this DART situation under control," he said on the dais, "they're going to say, 'Dallas, you failed us with transportation.'"

But public transportation has fared better than expected, accommodating millions of riders across weeks of FIFA festivities — even when Arlington, the city hosting the games, has no mass transit system.

"We were pleasantly surprised, because we'd been to America lots of times, and public transport's never really a big thing," said English tourist Ray Couch while waiting for his train on the way to a match.

Hundreds of volunteers, $20 million in funding and increased security have contributed to the smooth ride for FIFA fans.

Here's what they had to say.

First impressions

In the first three weeks of FIFA events, DART reports the agency provided more than 2 million passenger trips across all transportation modes, with most FIFA ridership on the light rail system and the Trinity Railway Express. The latter commuter line takes riders from Dallas to Arlington, where ticketholders board a shuttle to get to Dallas Stadium.

Light rail ridership has increased 16% and TRE ridership by 55% compared to the same time last year, DART reports. More people are riding trains than buses, a change from DART's normal ridership trends.

Included in the millions of passengers are fans from around the world, many experiencing Texas transit for the first time.

Masaru Hoshino visited Dallas from Japan and used DART to get to and from the airport and the stadium. He used the Silver Line and was impressed with the affordable $3 ticket for a three-hour pass. A regional pass costs $9.

In Tokyo, they have a "very mechanical and sophisticated transportation system." Half the people don't own a car, he said.

"Before I came to the U.S., I expected we must use Uber every time, but this system was so great," he said of DART. The frequency of trains, however, could be improved, Hoshino said.

Fans are relying heavily on trains to get around.

Related:How much traffic is the World Cup bringing to Dallas? Here's what we know so far

On game days, stations are dotted with yellow-shirted DART ambassadors, assisting riders alongside FIFA volunteers and guiding tourists to the proper trains in 90-degree heat. Each week, hundreds of DART's 3,500 employees step away from their regular duties to help fans on the platforms.

While England has more public transportation overall, Couch, the English tourist, said the trains in America are "pretty good."

"But when you go to some of the cities, it's really quite difficult to get around if you don't drive and we don't like driving everywhere," Couch said.

But with gas "so cheap" compared to the $10 Couch said he spends on a gallon in England, he said he's eager to drive.

Daniel Nystøyl, 18, came to Dallas from Norway for his country's match against the Ivory Coast.

"It works very well," he said while waiting for the TRE to take him to the stadium. "We planned the route very good, and it went very smooth. ... I don't take a lot of trains in Norway, but when I do, they are pretty similar, pretty good."

Americans more skeptical

For some American tourists visiting Texas, a perception of lackluster public transportation options seems the norm.

"We prefer to take public transit when we can, it's just in the U.S., it's usually not easy to do," said Kayla Picha, who was visiting Dallas from Minnesota.

Kyle Picha agreed, saying "public transit leaves a lot to be desired" outside of cities like New York or Boston. But he was happy with a $9 train ticket that got him all the way to the stadium.

Related: Regional transportation leaders are urging D-FW residents to change their commute, travel habits to accommodate World Cup travelers

"From what we've heard about other cities, that is not the case," Kyle Picha said.

Even North Texans weren't used to riding DART.

Zamira Sanchez, 26, lives in Richardson and has used DART three to four times over the past four years she's lived in North Texas.

"Sometimes driving is just a little bit better," she said. "I get to leave and go whenever I want."

Sanchez said the city should invest in better public transportation all the time, not just for the World Cup, which "sets the example of cleanliness ... it should have in the first place."

Related:DART, Trinity Metro to provide temporary extended service during World Cup

DART has received or expects to receive nearly $18 million in special funding and grants to support FIFA operations, the agency reports, for additional security and service on the TRE and light rail.

The funding comes from federal and regional sources, and DART is also budgeting another $2.5 million to support FIFA operations. The money is going toward overtime pay for police and security officers, staffing and maintenance for extra operations.

The agency has expanded service frequency and duration on buses and trains.

Lewisville resident Emanuel Ordaz, sporting a Mexico jersey at a DART station en route to Arlington, said DART "cleans up very well." He's seen a lot of international fans using the system.

"That's their standard there, so obviously they're going to use it a lot more than us locals," he said.

Ordaz, who had never taken DART, said he'll use it more going forward, for events like the State Fair or Dallas sports games.

"I didn't know that it stopped here, so that's definitely a convenience," he said. "It gets you everywhere local, but if you're trying to see all of D-FW, you definitely need a car."

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