NJ Transit Restricts Penn Station Rail for 4 Hours as $98 World Cup Trips Snarl Commuters
Updated
Updated · Gothamist · Jun 16
NJ Transit Restricts Penn Station Rail for 4 Hours as $98 World Cup Trips Snarl Commuters
3 articles · Updated · Gothamist · Jun 16
Summary
Four hours of World Cup-only access at NJ Transit’s Penn Station areas on Tuesday blocked or delayed regular riders as France-Senegal fans headed to MetLife Stadium.
FIFA-mandated security checks drove the plan, with commuters told to use PATH and transfer at Newark while two Penn Station entrances were reserved for ticket holders.
Regular riders said they missed trains, arrived late to work or family events, and questioned whether agencies had prepared for the weekday disruption despite months of warnings.
$98 last-minute NJ Transit tickets also frustrated some matchgoers after 12,000 shuttle bus seats at $20 sold out, leaving tourists to navigate crowded, confusing station routes.
Tuesday’s game was the second of eight World Cup matches in the Meadowlands and the first to interfere with weekday transit service, signaling more disruption in coming weeks.