Transit officials urge NY, NJ commuters to work from home during FIFA World Cup
FULL: NJ Transit CEO defends $150 train fare for World Cup trips to MetLife
NJ Transit has confirmed it will charge $150 for round-trip train tickets from New York Penn Station to MetLife Stadium during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as officials unveiled more details of a sweeping transportation plan for the tournament.
NEW JERSEY - As the region gears up for the FIFA World Cup this summer, transit officials are issuing a stark warning to New York and New Jersey commuters: work from home if you can.
What we know:
The New York City area is preparing for an unprecedented surge in ridership as global soccer fans flood the region.
Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia warned that both the city and New Jersey will be incredibly congested.
"If you are not attending one of the events, please, if possible, work from home, because the city will be incredibly congested and so will New Jersey," Garcia said at a press conference last week.
The director also discouraged commuters from using ride-share services to bypass inflated public transit prices during the World Cup.
NJ Transit sets $150 train fare for World Cup trips to MetLife Stadium
Officials say the pricing is driven by a $48 million transportation plan to handle up to four times the usual ridership, with only $13.6 million covered by grants from FIFA and the federal government.
Dig deeper:
If you are planning to take public transit to the matches, prepare for major sticker shock. The cost of a round-trip ticket to and from MetLife Stadium on NJ Transit will skyrocket to $150.
The 775% increase from the usual $12.90 fare is a massive price hike implemented to manage the anticipated crowds and operational costs.
The Source: Information from this article was sourced from the Port Authority and previous reporting by FOX 5 NY.