Sky-high World Cup fare
- Fans traveling from Penn Station to MetLife for summer World Cup matches face a $150 NJ Transit round-trip fare. (x.com) - That price sharply contrasts with the normal fare of about $12.90, and the spike has prompted widespread outrage on social platforms. (x.com) - The fee increase is tied to special-event pricing for stadium service during those matches, raising affordability concerns for traveling supporters. (x.com)
Fans heading from New York Penn Station to MetLife Stadium for this summer’s World Cup matches will pay $150 for a round-trip NJ Transit rail ticket. (njtransit.com) NJ Transit and the New York New Jersey Host Committee announced the matchday transportation plan on April 17, 2026. Rail tickets go on sale May 13, are sold only through the NJ Transit app, and require a valid FIFA match ticket. (njtransit.com) (nbcnewyork.com) The $150 fare covers the usual Penn Station-to-Secaucus trip and the Meadowlands shuttle train to the stadium. ABC7 reported the regular round-trip fare for that ride is $12.90 for a roughly 15-minute, 9-mile trip from Manhattan to East Rutherford. (njtransit.com) (abc7ny.com) NJ Transit says the higher price is tied to a tournament-specific operating plan built for far larger crowds than a normal event. The agency told NBC New York it expects to move more than 78,000 spectators per match and is facing nearly $50 million in added costs. (nbcnewyork.com) (abc7ny.com) Governor Mikie Sherrill has said FIFA, not New Jersey commuters, should cover those costs. NJ Transit President and Chief Executive Officer Kris Kolluri told ABC7 the agency is trying to recover a $48 million operating bill and is “not trying to gouge anybody.” (nj.com) (abc7ny.com) The transportation plan also changes how Penn Station works on match days. For four hours before kickoff, rail service between Penn Station and Secaucus Junction will be limited to World Cup ticket holders, and for three hours after the match, inbound service to Penn Station will be limited to stadium trains. (njtransit.com) (abc7ny.com) NJ Transit says 40,000 round-trip rail tickets will be available per match day, and they will not be sold at station windows or vending machines on the day of the game. The tickets are non-transferable and non-refundable, according to NBC New York. (nbcnewyork.com) Rail is only one part of the plan. NJ Transit says bus tickets from Port Authority Bus Terminal or a Midtown East shuttle pickup will cost $80 round trip, while USA Today reported most fans will not have on-site parking at the stadium. (nbcnewyork.com) (usatoday.com) MetLife Stadium, renamed “New York New Jersey Stadium” for the tournament, is scheduled to host eight matches: five group-stage games, a Round of 32 match, a Round of 16 match, and the final on July 19. FIFA’s schedule lists the first match there on June 13 and the final there as match No. 104. (fifa.com 1) (fifa.com 2) For fans weighing whether to take the train, the transit agency’s answer is now explicit: use Penn Station, buy early in the app, and expect World Cup transportation to cost far more than a normal Meadowlands trip. (njtransit.com) (nbcnewyork.com)
