World Cup Travel Experience: A Surprising Journey
If you’ve ever encountered mentions of “World Cup,” “NJ Transit,” or “train,” well, you might have mixed feelings. It’s understandable—who wouldn’t?
As you step off the Metro at Herald Square on a Tuesday afternoon, heading for MetLife Stadium for the 3 p.m. kickoff between France and Senegal, you can’t help but notice the long line snaking down 32nd Street and up Sixth Avenue. At that moment, you might even think, “This isn’t so bad.”
So, here’s the scoop: the train experience was… impressive.
The round-trip ticket cost $98, which—let’s be honest—felt a bit steep, typical of anything World Cup-related in America. But, despite the price, it was smooth and enjoyable.
There was a palpable connection felt among passengers regarding the fare. One traveler before the game mused, “Maybe it’s not packed because of the high prices.”
Originally priced at $150, the fare had shifted to $105 before finally landing at $98—a steep jump from the usual $12.90 ride for a Giants-Eagles game. Weird, right?
Interestingly, while the local World Cup organizing committee managed to subsidize a $20 shuttle bus service (those tickets vanished quickly, especially considering some were before a Knicks game), this train fare offered no such relief.
On top of that, parking at the nearest American Dream Mall lot was an eye-watering $225. But I suppose you’d have to factor in how many people you could cram into the car.
Some folks on Tuesday’s train mentioned they’d secured parking but opted not to use it, particularly after hearing horror stories about train delays from a previous match.
I left my downtown Manhattan apartment around 11:30 a.m. After a quick 20 minutes on the B train, I joined the throngs of fans. Wearing jerseys of both Kylian Mbappé and Zinedine Zidane, I carried a clear bag for my essentials. Moving through the ticket checks and security, the operation was well organized—almost surprising, really.
Everyone got red wristbands that doubled as tickets. After a brief stop at a section on Seventh Avenue, we were directed to Penn Station, where trains departed every ten minutes.
Interestingly, while other NJ Transit services were on hold, leaving the concourse surprisingly empty, it felt… well, eerie.
Passengers eagerly boarded the train to Secaucus, then transferred through a quiet terminal before heading on to the Meadowlands. The whole trip took about 40 minutes. Arrive by 1 p.m.—easy enough, right?
“I thought the train would be the least of my worries,” remarked New York resident Brian Nose after stepping off. “Sure, the fare hikes are painful, but at least the process wasn’t a disaster.”
After the match, exiting the stadium and entering the platform line, it was just a casual “Raise your wristband!” as they boarded the train following France’s victory, with Mbappé scoring twice to justify the moment. The train filled up, and we were on our way.
The ride back did experience a slight bottleneck in Secaucus, but, honestly? It was mostly smoothed out, like most premium New York services, and given the cost, that’s the expectation.
