Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Jun 16
Train Reaches Boston Stadium in 75 Minutes as Drive Takes 90 for Iraq-Norway Match
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Jun 16

Train Reaches Boston Stadium in 75 Minutes as Drive Takes 90 for Iraq-Norway Match

3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Jun 16

Summary

  • WBZ-TV’s side-by-side trip found rail slightly faster for Tuesday’s Iraq-Norway World Cup match: about 75 minutes including a 30-minute boarding queue, versus roughly 90 minutes by car from South Station.
  • The train itself reached Foxboro in under 45 minutes after a 1:15 p.m. departure, while the drive slowed most on I-95 and then near Walpole and Route 1 as traffic backed up around stadium parking lanes.
  • MBTA had sold 11,000 tickets by midday, well below the more than 19,000 rail riders for Scotland-Haiti, with General Manager Phillip Eng saying Iraq’s late qualification made this one of the slower-selling matches.
  • Fans split on the transit value—some called the fare too expensive, while others, especially visitors from Norway, said about $80 was cheap by comparison—and several Iraq supporters said rail beat a tiring postgame drive.

Insights

With $80 train fares, is Boston's World Cup transit plan prioritizing profits over the promised fan experience?
Will the World Cup's transit upgrades leave a lasting legacy for Boston commuters or just a temporary, expensive fix?