What California Fans Need to Know
This summer, California is at the center of the world. Millions of soccer fans from across the globe are descending on Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, one of the biggest sporting events in history.
Transportation systems will play a key role in helping fans get to and from the games safely. Expanded transit service and transportation options will support travel to and from venues in Santa Clara and Inglewood, meaning more people than ever will be riding public transportation, driving, walking near, and crossing railroad tracks throughout California.
With so many new riders, including international visitors unfamiliar with our transit systems, it’s the right moment to talk about rail safety. And since June is National Safety Month and June 24th is also Emergency System (ENS) Awareness Day, it’s the perfect time to make sure every fan, visitor, and tourist traveling to a match and exploring California understands the one sign that could make a critical difference when encountering railroad tracks and crossings in an emergency.
Know Before You Go
With so many international and out-of-state visitors, more people will be navigating unfamiliar transportation systems, railroad crossings, and rail corridors, making safety awareness especially important.
Before you head out to cheer on your team, review our rail safety tips so you know what to expect at and around any highway-rail grade crossing.
A few essentials to keep in mind:
- Always cross at designated crossings. Never cut across tracks between stations or take shortcuts along a railroad right-of-way, trains travel much faster and more quietly than people expect.
- Put the phone down. Game-day excitement is real, but distraction near railroad tracks is dangerous. Stay aware of your surroundings at every crossing.
- Obey all signals and gates. A flashing light or lowered gate is never a suggestion. Even if you don’t see or hear a train, one may be approaching from either direction.
- Stay behind the yellow safety line on train platforms at all times.
June 24th is ENS Awareness Day. This Sign Could Save Your Life
Here’s something that most Californians, and almost all international visitors, don’t know: at every highway-rail grade crossing in the country, there is a blue and white sign posted with a phone number. That sign is called an Emergency Notification System (ENS) sign, and these signs provide a phone number and location information needed to quickly report emergencies or safety concerns around tracks and trains directly to the railroad.
If you ever find yourself at a crossing where a vehicle is stalled on the tracks, a gate is malfunctioning, or something else dangerous is happening, the ENS sign tells you exactly who to call and provides a crossing ID number so the railroad can respond to stop train traffic. If you cannot locate the blue and white ENS sign, call 911.
Trains can take a mile or more to stop, so using the information on the blue-and-white ENS sign can help the railroad quickly identify the crossing and take action to stop train traffic.
June 24th, 2026 is ENS Awareness Day, this campaign aims to raise awareness about who to call when you encounter malfunctioning gates or when there is an emergency at the railroad crossing. Before you head to a World Cup match this summer, or anytime you’re near tracks, take a moment to find the ENS sign at crossings in your area. Knowing where it is before you need it can save critical minutes that can help save lives.
A Global Moment, a local responsibility
California has one of the most extensive rail networks in the country, and this summer it will carry millions of fans who have never ridden these systems before. Visitors from around the world will be navigating our crossings, stations, and rail corridors, often unfamiliar with how quickly and quietly trains approach.
That’s why rail safety education matters beyond any one person or any one crossing. If you’re a local Californian headed to a match, bring a friend from out of town up to speed on what they need to know. If you’re a business, school, or community organization near a World Cup venue, share these resources with your networks. Our Save Lives Tell 5 program is built on exactly this idea: that each of us can educate the five people around us, and that one conversation can prevent a tragedy.
You can also request a free rail safety presentation for your school, organization, or community group, a great way to make sure your corner of California is ready for the crowds this summer.
Enjoy the Beautiful Game, Safely.
The World Cup is a celebration. It’s a once-in-a-generation event for California, and we want every fan, local and visiting, to experience it fully and come home safe. Take a moment before game day to review the rail safety tips on our website, find the ENS sign at your nearest crossing, and share what you know with the people around you.
The beautiful game is even more beautiful when everyone makes it home safely.
California Operation Lifesaver is a non-profit dedicated to ending collisions, fatalities, and injuries at highway-rail grade crossings and on railroad rights-of-way across California.
