New Jersey Transit Plans to Charge $100 for Train Tickets During the World Cup: Report

A NJ Transit train prepares to leave Newark Penn Station in Newark, N.J., Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

NJ Transit, New Jersey’s public transportation service, reportedly plans to increase train ticket prices to more than $100 for this summer’s FIFA World Cup.

News of the extreme price hike was first reported by The Athletic on Tuesday. According to the report, the pricing change would specifically impact the route between New York’s Penn Station and MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The stadium was selected as one of the venues for the international tournament.

The report added:

The 18-mile rail journey, which includes a stop at Secaucus station, ordinarily costs $12.90 for a return ticket — the same pricing for the FIFA Club World Cup final last summer. The new special event pricing, however, is due to come into effect for the World Cup and is currently due to be over $100. While NJ Transit ordinarily offers concessionary prices for seniors, children and disabled passengers, the World Cup pricing will be one blanket price for all categories. A final decision on the price is expected to be made in the next few days.

In a statement obtained by The Athletic, an NJ Transit spokesperson stressed that prices had not been finalized.

This year’s World Cup — hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada — is shaping up to be extraordinarily expensive for soccer fans. In addition to public transportation potentially getting pricier, hotels across the continent have more than tripled rates in specific host cities. Some international fans coming to the U.S. are also subject to bond payments of at least $5,000 per person thanks to President Donald Trump’s new visa policy.

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