Visit KC 介绍堪萨斯城有轨电车延长线为会展团体提供免费可持续交通

Kansas City extended its public streetcar system, creating a 6.5-mile transportation offering great for getting attendees out of the convention center and cruising through KC. 

It’s productive. It’s practical. And much like the best things in life, it’s free! Here’s how planners can prioritize public transportation for their KC programs.

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Streetcar Savings

Esther Walker-Young, former meeting planner turned DMO professional, is the director of convention services at Visit KC. 

So, when it comes to planner pain points, Walker-Young knows all about them. Having previously worked as a meeting planner, she has experienced some of the same hardships. 

“One of the biggest sticking points for a lot of planners is transportation costs,” she said. “Since the streetcar is there, they’re now able to manage those costs in a more efficient way and actually utilize the streetcar to supplement [their paid transportation].

“It gives us more tools in our arsenal because basically what you’re looking at is helping the planner be more productive in how they plan their events,” she added. 

Kansas City’s streetcars run every 15 to 20 minutes and each can hold up to 100 comfortably, but from the sound of it, around 200 people were utilizing streetcars at once when the World Cup was in town; “squishing” was the word used to describe the super-full streetcars.

The KC Streetcar starts as early as 5 a.m. and runs until 1 a.m. on the weekends. Visit KC has a good relationship with RideKC, allowing the DMO to schedule early or later transportation if necessary. 

“It is public transportation, so you have no idea who’s going to be on the streetcar,” Walker-Young said. “I encourage them [groups] to use it as a supplement and not as the only mode of transportation.”

Streetcar Meets Sustainability 

Besides big cost savings and more bang for your buck, the streetcar also offers a sustainable mode of transportation. The streetcar can offset fuel emissions by eliminating rideshares; even large groups that need motorcoaches can reduce the number of buses required by allowing some attendees to travel by streetcar. 

“You can transport 500 to 1,000 folks within a matter of maybe four or five turns of the streetcar and get them where they need to be,” Walker-Young said. “It really is a game changer.”

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Attendees can contribute to a greener environment and make a greater environmental impact when they rely on the all-electric streetcar. 

“It does make a difference over time to have an all-electric mode of transportation for people to utilize,” said Makenzie Wolters, communications manager, Visit KC.

Seeing KC

The Kansas City Convention Center, encompassing more than 800,000 square feet and 48 meeting rooms, is located in KC’s downtown area, the Power and Light District. The KC Streetcar allows groups to explore more communities in this Midwestern metro from the doors of its largest meeting facility. 

The streetcar has, in effect, become a citywide scavenger hunt by transporting attendees to offsite venues like CPKC Stadium—an 11,500-seat venue, the first professional women’s sports stadium and home of the KC Current—and other Kansas City landmarks. 

The KC Streetcar runs through the River Market area and near meetings-focused hotels in KC’s Country Club Plaza, plus it can serve as a mode of transportation for dine-arounds that explore the city’s BBQ and craft beer scene. 

“I would say, more so now, that folks are planning conventions that are not only handling business,” Walker-Young said. “When you’re talking about bringing a group to a destination, of course, you want them to get out and experience the attractions, the restaurants, those kinds of things. By making it easier for them to access a free streetcar, it encourages the attendees to get outside and explore the city, which makes for a more well-rounded experience.”

More stops along the expanded streetcar route include academic resources for meeting planners at University of Missouri–Kansas City, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Union Station, National World War I Museum and more. 

“It has opened up a whole plethora of options for our convention attendees now,” she said. 

And according to Wolters, the streetcar wheels keep spinning. She said there’s already discussion about more expansion routes that could eventually bring groups north of the river and into the 18th & Vine Historic District. 

“We’re not done yet,” she said. “For groups that are booking into 2031, 2032 and beyond, the streetcar could look even bigger than it already is now.”

Catching Up With KC

With recent projects that include a 40-gate airport terminal at Kansas City International Airport (MCI) that debuted in 2023, along with the KC Streetcar route expansion and a dozen new hotels in their portfolio, Kansas City is continuing its momentum of welcoming new developments. 

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Expected to come online next spring, Barney Allis Plaza is an event-friendly outdoor lawn and pavilion that will provide additional options for groups meeting at the Kansas City Convention Center. 

“It’s going to be a really great green space right outside of the convention center,” said Makenzie Wolters, communications manager, Visit KC. “We’ll have a dog park, a pavilion, all kinds of public spaces, but it’s also great for convention groups that are coming into town to hold receptions and other events out there.” 

The community park will also allow attendees to enjoy some fresh air and take a walk to find the aforementioned streetcar routes that continue to grow and make the lives of convention-goers easy. 

“One of the great things about being in Kansas City is if you drive in from the airport, you will park your car and, I guarantee you, you won’t have to pull it out the whole time you’re here,” said Esther Walker-Young, director of convention services, Visit KC. “That’s how easy it is to get around Kansas City with the streetcar; it makes it that much easier.”

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About the author

Madeleine Willis joined Meetings Today magazine in September 2025 as a content developer, departments and social media. She is a graduate of the University of Iowa where she studied Journalism and Mass Communication with a certificate in Event Management. She writes for news departments: "The Buzz," "Industry Intelligence," "Going Places" and "New & Renovated." Her contributions to Meetings Today's Next Gen initiatives include her involvement as the editor and producer of the Eventualists podcast. Willis also oversees the publications social media platforms.