World Cup Final Venue in New Jersey Ranked Worst for Transit Access

A new Holafly study says MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, which will host the World Cup final on July 19, is the hardest of the 16 North American host cities to reach and the most expensive in terms of transport. The stadium area was ranked last for convenience and access, even though it will stage the tournament’s biggest match.

According to the report, fans will effectively have only two transit options: the World Cup’s official shuttle buses or NJ Transit services. The official buses will depart only from three locations, Port Authority, Midtown East near Grand Central, and Hackensack Meridian Medical School in New Jersey. Those choosing rail will need to get to Secaucus Junction and then take a direct shuttle to the stadium.

Price is the main problem. A round-trip NJ Transit ticket from Penn Station will cost $98, after the original proposed fare of $150 was reduced following public anger. The study says that is still 775 percent above a normal fare. In regular conditions, the average ticket in the area costs $12.90, compared with a $4.02 average across the other host cities.

NJ Transit will also run two ferries carrying 600 passengers each across the Hudson River from Weehawken back to New York. Travel time is another burden, with the trip to the stadium taking an average of 47.5 minutes each way. At the top of the ranking is Houston, Texas, which offers eight transport options at an average cost of $2.50 per ride, followed by Monterrey and Vancouver. Just above New Jersey at the bottom are Dallas, Guadalajara and Miami.