Parking, travel guide for World Baseball Classic at loanDepot park

Starting Saturday, the World Baseball Classic is going to take over Miami’s loanDepot park for 11 days.

The ballpark, home of the Miami Marlins, will be the first venue to be involved in every phase of the tournament — pool play, quarterfinals, semifinals and championship — that is now in its sixth iteration.

If you’re planing to attend any of the 15 games happening at the ballpark between Saturday and March 21, a fair warning: Heavy traffic and congestion is expected in Little Havana and parking on-site at the ballpark is not guaranteed.

Here’s what you need to know.

On-site parking

If you do plan to park on site in one of the four garages or one of the six surface lots, it’s $40 per game and first-come, first-serve — no advanced parking sales. Payment is made through the PayByPhone app.

The Marlins suggest you arrive at least two hours before first pitch of the game you are attending if you want to park on site.

Government Center

For an alternative to parking on-site, the Marlins and loanDepot park put together a transportation and parking plan.

A World Baseball Classic Transportation Hub has been established in downtown Miami at the Government Center, with a parking fee of just $15 that includes a complimentary shuttle service to and from loanDepot park.

The hours of operation for the shuttle: 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. during pool play (Saturday through Wednesday), when there are games at noon and 7 p.m., and from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. for the rest of the tournament (March 17–21) from 3 p.m. – 1 a.m.

Public transportation, including the Metromover and the Metrorail, have stops at the Government Center to get to the complimentary shuttle service.

Brightline

Brightline is also adjusting travel schedules for its trains during the tournament and is offering free shuttle service to and from MiamiCentral Station and loanDepot park during the World Baseball Classic.

The timing is as follows:

▪ Pool play (Saturday through Wednesday): Trains are scheduled to arrive at MiamiCentral Station 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon as well as 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. The shuttle will leave MiamiCentral Station for loanDepot park about 10 minutes after the train arrives.

Shuttles back to MiamiCentral Station are scheduled to leave loanDepot park at 2:15 p.m., 3:15 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. (for those attending the first game) during pool play pokies.

For those attending the night games on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday, the shuttles from loanDepot park to MiamiCentral Station leave 9:15 p.m., 10:15 p.m. and 11:15 p.m., with trains set to leave at 9:48 p.m., 10:47 p.m. and 11:47 p.m.

On Monday and Wednesday, the late shuttles will leave the ballpark at 9:30 p.m., 10:15 p.m. and 10:45 p.m., with trains departing at 10:17 p.m., 10:57 p.m. and 11:17 p.m.

▪ Quarterfinals and beyond (March 17-21): The same night schedules apply — 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. dropoffs at MiamiCentral Station, 9:15 p.m., 10:15 p.m. and 11:15 p.m. shuttles from the ballpark to the station.

Tickets can be purchased on Brightline’s website.

Rideshare

From 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. and again from 10 p.m. until midnight, there will two rideshare zones at the ballpark.

One is at the intersection of Northwest 16th Avenue and West Flagler Street (the west side of the ballpark, near Gate 7 and the First Base Entrance). The other is at the intersection of Northwest 13th Avenue and West Flagler Street (the east side of the ballpark, near Gate 9 and the Center Field Entrance).

This tale was at first revealed March 8, 2023, 8:32 AM.