World Cup Train Tickets Could Hit $150
- Reports say train fares to MetLife Stadium during World Cup could jump dramatically for match days. - Average round-trip from Penn Station to the stadium is currently $12.90, sources note. - Transit price spikes would affect thousands of fans and strain existing rail capacity (patch.com).
New Jersey Transit says a round-trip train ticket to MetLife Stadium for 2026 World Cup matches will cost $150. (nbcnewyork.com) The agency announced the fare on April 17 and said only fans with valid match tickets can buy the special rail passes. Sales start May 13 in the NJ Transit mobile app, and the tickets will be non-transferable and non-refundable. (abc7ny.com) NJ Transit says it will release 40,000 round-trip rail tickets for each match day and run stadium-bound trains out of Penn Station for four hours before kickoff. For three hours after each match, service back to Penn Station will also be limited to stadium trains. (nbcnewyork.com) The price is far above the current fare. ABC7 reported the usual round-trip from Penn Station to the stadium is $12.90 for a roughly 15-minute, 9-mile ride. (abc7ny.com) MetLife Stadium, renamed New York New Jersey Stadium for the tournament, is scheduled to host eight matches from June 13 through July 19, including the final. FIFA’s official schedule says the 2026 tournament will run from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico. (nynjfwc26.com) (fifa.com) NJ Transit President and Chief Executive Officer Kris Kolluri said the agency expects about $48 million in added operating costs, or roughly $6 million per match, to move fans to and from the Meadowlands. He said the fare is meant to recover that expense rather than generate profit. (abc7ny.com) (pix11.com) Governor Mikie Sherrill has argued that New Jersey commuters should not be left paying long-term costs tied to the tournament. PIX11 reported that Sherrill asked FIFA to cover transportation costs, while FIFA said it had not faced the same issue in other host cities. (pix11.com) Rail will not carry everyone. PIX11 reported NJ Transit’s 40,000 tickets would cover about 51 percent of expected spectators, while a host committee shuttle system is expected to handle another 28 percent. (pix11.com) NJ Transit is also selling round-trip bus tickets for $80 from Port Authority Bus Terminal and a Midtown East pickup near Grand Central. The rail plan still puts Penn Station at the center of match-day travel for New York City fans heading to the final and seven other World Cup games. (nbcnewyork.com)
