Millions in aid to NY and NJ, still sky-high fares — Who’s paying for World Cup transit?

⚽ NJ Transit plans $150 train tickets for World Cup games

⚽ FIFA warns steep prices could push fans to drive

⚽ Federal officials say $10.4M was given to help keep transit affordable

New Jersey commuters and soccer fans are staring at a $150 train ticket to get to World Cup games, even after the Trump administration handed states millions of dollars to keep transit affordable.

NJ Transit plans to charge $150 round-trip from New York Penn Station to MetLife Stadium for World Cup matches. At the same time, shuttle buses will cost $80, adding up to a steep price just to get to the game.

UPDATE (May 7): NJ Transit reduces cost of train ticket to World Cup

💸 Millions sent — prices still sky-high

Federal officials say the region already got help. The Federal Transit Administration handed out $100.3 million nationwide for World Cup transit, including $10.4 million to New York and New Jersey alone. NJ Transit has not received its share of the funds as of Monday.

The goal, according to the White House World Cup task force, is to keep transportation affordable. Instead, fans are being hit with triple-digit fares.

“I’m going to focus on what the president has done… to make sure it can be affordable,” said Andrew Giuliani, pointing to the federal funding — estimating it could offset about $30 per ticket.

NJ Transit also expects to receive approximately $10.6-10.7 million in federal funds in support of the World Cup, according to the governor's office.  This includes $6.5 million in security grant funding from FEMA which will go to NJ Transit police department expenses. These funds plus the task force money have already been factored into NJ Transit's anticipated World Cup costs.

That leaves a big question: why are riders still paying $150?

Gov. Mikie Sherrill said the train ticket rate is to make sure New Jersey commuters do not bear the transportation costs. NJ Transit is also giving discounts of 3 to 5% to weekly and monthly pass holders who could be affected by the game-day restrictions at New York Penn Station, which will only allow World Cup ticketholders to take trains to New Jersey for several hours each day.

The office of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul did not respond to New Jersey 101.5's request for information about the funds on Monday morning.

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🚗 FIFA warns: this could backfire

FIFA, which is set to make billions from the tournament, is sounding the alarm.

The international soccer agency said that the plan will have a “chilling effect” that will push fans to “alternate transportation options” to avoid the high-priced train and bus fares, creating congestion and "broader ripple effects that ultimately diminish the economic benefit and lasting legacy."

Where does $11 billion go?

State Sens. Declan, R-Monmouth, and Paul Sarlo, D-Bergen, called on FIFA to “chip in a small fraction” of the “unprecedented transportation costs” that the state cannot be expected to shoulder.

“FIFA says it will make as much as $11 billion from the events. Clearly, it can — and should – help to cover the transportation costs for its fans. We should not be subsidizing World Cup ticket holders at the expense of New Jerseyans who rely on NJ Transit," the Senate Budget Committee members said. "If FIFA would just commit to chipping in a small fraction of the huge amount of money they claim they’ll make from the World Cup, then we could easily avoid forcing New Jerseyans to pick up the tab for proposed train ticket costs."

The group that is overseeing the largest sports event ever in New Jersey said the $11 billion generated by the tournament, cited by Sherrill, is reinvested into the game, especially for women and youth.

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