Trying to get around JoCo during the World Cup? See the new circulator routes

As part of Johnson County’s effort to make it easier to get around the car-dependent suburbs during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, local officials created new transportation routes throughout county cities and to and from the airport.

“We’re thrilled to showcase Johnson County on a global stage and to partner with our cities and KC2026 to make it easy, comfortable and convenient to experience Johnson County this summer,” Board of County Commissioners Chair Mike Kelly said in a statement.

To make that happen, Johnson County contributed $920,000 through its transit fund, and cities contributed a total of $400,000. The Kansas Department of Transportation contributed $1.5 million using state transit funds, and the county received a $2.9 million federal grant to pull off the feat.

Now, the shuttles and buses are gearing up to start their engines in a few weeks, with the temporary circulator kicking off services on June 9 and the airport shuttle on June 1.

Free airport route

The Johnson County United Airport Drop and Ride will provide free shuttle services from the Kansas City International Airport to the Lenexa City Center and Overland Park Convention Center.

It’s a drop-off service only, with no long-term parking available at Overland Park or Lenexa, according to the county. However, it is available for any travel needs during its operation, not just trips related to the FIFA World Cup.

Daily airport rides will run from June 1 to July 16 and operate with 30-minute frequencies until July 17 — when it will switch to 60-minute intervals. The shuttle is set to operate from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays, and 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

According to the county, the airport shuttle service will run “as long as funding is available.”

Circulator route

The temporary circulator, referred to as the Johnson County Link, will start on June 9 and run until July 13 — with three routes overlapping at Oak Park Mall in Overland Park and will connect to the cities of Leawood, Lenexa, Merriam, Mission, Olathe, Overland Park and Shawnee, according to a statement from the county.

It will also transport riders directly to stadiums on match days, regional attractions and the FIFA Fan Festival in downtown Kansas City. It’ll cost $5 for a day pass, $25 for a seven-day pass and $50 for a tournament pass.

The Johnson County United Link service will operate from June 9 to July 13, with buses arriving every 20 minutes. Buses will run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. most days, with some dates featuring late night service until 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.

See a breakdown of the circulator route dates and times

Dates with standard service, with buses running from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.:

• June 9, 10, 11, 15, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30

• July 2, 7, 8, 9, 13

Dates with buses running from noon to 2 a.m.:

• June 12, 13, 16, 20, 24, 25, 26

• July 1, 4, 12

Dates with buses running from 2 p.m. to 4 a.m.:

• June 27

• July 3, 11

Dates with buses running from 10 a.m. to midnight.:

• June 14, 19

• July 5, 6, 10

Visit joco.org/transit to see timetables with scheduled arrival and departure times.