World Cup transit surcharge

New Jersey Transit says World Cup fans heading from Penn Station to MetLife Stadium will pay $150 round trip for match-day rail service. (njtransit.com) The agency and the New York New Jersey Host Committee announced the fare on April 17, 2026 as part of a regional mobility plan for the eight World Cup matches in East Rutherford, including the final on July 19, 2026. FIFA says MetLife, rebranded as New York New Jersey Stadium for the tournament, will host five group-stage games, two knockout games and the final. (njtransit.com) (fifa.com) The usual Penn Station-to-stadium trip costs $12.90 on NJ Transit, and Associated Press reported the World Cup fare is nearly 12 times higher for a roughly 15-minute, 9-mile ride. Officials also set official shuttle-bus service at $80 round trip. (apnews.com) (nbcwashington.com) New Jersey Transit says the pricing is tied to event operations, not ordinary commuting. NBC reported the agency expects nearly $50 million in added costs and plans to sell 40,000 round-trip rail tickets for each match. (nbcwashington.com) (politico.com) The transportation plan also changes how regular riders use Penn Station on match days. NJ Transit says only World Cup match ticketholders will be allowed on Meadowlands rail service, and local outlets reported Penn Station service into New Jersey will be restricted for four hours before matches. (njtransit.com) (northjersey.com) The host committee’s own site had previously told fans that public transportation would be “the easiest and most fan-friendly way” to reach the stadium. It also said match-day transportation would be reserved exclusively for match ticketholders, a sign that crowd control and security were shaping the plan before prices were posted. (nynjfwc26.com) The fare fight has opened a public dispute between Governor Mikie Sherrill’s administration and FIFA over who should absorb those costs. Sherrill said Friday that the state inherited an agreement in which FIFA contributed “zero dollars” toward transporting fans to and from matches. (politico.com) FIFA pushed back, saying host cities had promised to get fans to matches for free under a standard agreement used across all 16 host cities. Heimo Schirgi, FIFA’s chief operating officer for the tournament, said New Jersey’s pricing plan “will have a chilling effect” on fans and regional economic benefits. (politico.com) Tickets for the special rail service go on sale May 13 through the NJ Transit mobile app, according to NBC, and they will be non-transferable and non-refundable. The result is that one of the World Cup’s marquee venues now has a transportation plan built around limited access, advance screening and premium event pricing. (nbcwashington.com)