NJ Transit announced Thursday that round-trip tickets to MetLife Stadium for World Cup matches this summer will drop to $105 after the state secured sponsors to cover some of the cost.
The reduction comes weeks after transit officials unveiled a plan to charge World Cup ticketholders $150 to travel to MetLife Stadium from any NJ Transit train station, including New York Penn Station, a massive hike from the normal cost.
In a statement, NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri said he is “pleased we are able to reduce the price by at least 30%.”
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NorthJersey.com was first to report on the price reduction.
Typically, an NJ Transit train ticket from MetLife to New York Penn Station costs $12.90. Kolluri said at a press conference in April that the price increase isn’t about profit or price gouging, but recovering the $48 million in additional costs associated with the soccer tournament.
The price hike sparked immediate backlash. Gov. Mikie Sherrill argued that New Jersey commuters should not have to pay the extra costs associated with World Cup transportation.
In a statement on Thursday, Sherrill spokesman Steve Sigmund said the governor was clear that FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, should “contribute to transport its fans to World Cup games.”
“Since it hasn’t, she directed NJ Transit to seek private and non-taxpayer dollars to significantly reduce the fare. The Governor appreciates all the companies that have already stepped up to lower the costs for ticket holders,” Sigmund said.
The governor’s office did not comment on what companies are offering private funding that allowed for the price drop, or whether more sponsors could get involved to lower the cost further.
“Governor Sherrill committed that she would not impose any financial burden on New Jersey commuters and taxpayers for FIFA related transportation costs. Understanding how important it is for New Jersey to showcase the state to the world, she asked NJ Transit to find private sponsorships and other sources to reduce the cost of the ticket,” Kolluri said in a statement.
A FIFA spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. When the World Cup transit plan was announced, FIFA officials said the high ticket prices would have a “chilling effect” and noted that other cities found sponsors to help defray the cost.
NJ Transit tickets for the matches go on sale May 13. The transit agency said they must be booked in advance by match attendees, and only 40,000 will be sold per match. Tickets will not be sold at train stations or ticket vending machines, and they will have specific boarding times. Trains will begin running four hours before each match and run for three hours after it ends.
Shuttle bus tickets are available for $80. The buses will leave from Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine in Clifton and drop people off at the Meadowlands Racetrack, roughly a mile away from the stadium.
Transit officials have also said people can take Uber or other ride-hail services to MetLife.
Motorists will not be allowed to park at the stadium. The nearby American Dream mall will offer limited parking, with prices beginning at $225.
Commuters taking the train during the matches but not attending them will pay a discounted price, although NJ Transit officials are urging people to work from home if they can, particularly on June 22 and June 30, when match time will coincide with commuting hours.
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