Writer Canoes 4 Miles to MetLife Stadium as World Cup Transit Costs Hit $98
Updated
Updated · The New Yorker · Jun 16
Writer Canoes 4 Miles to MetLife Stadium as World Cup Transit Costs Hit $98
1 articles · Updated · The New Yorker · Jun 16
Summary
A writer reached MetLife Stadium in under three hours by portaging a 65-pound canoe four miles to the Hackensack River, then paddling about 15 minutes to pick up World Cup press credentials.
The improvised route was meant to bypass severe access problems around the venue, where parking and private drop-offs are banned, nearby mall parking costs $225, and a normal $13 NJ Transit round trip was selling for $98.
The trip also highlighted how constrained the stadium approach is for the roughly 80,000 fans expected per match: shuttle buses took an hour to go two miles, some never arrived, and ride-hail users reported waits of up to three hours.
Even the water route may not last, with River Barge Park warning it will close on World Cup game days, underscoring broader concern over transport planning for the eight matches MetLife will host, including the final.