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Meadowlands World Cup Transit Test Moves Tens of Thousands, Exposes Gaps

Officials say the exercise proved rail and shuttle capacity can work, revealing rideshare congestion, station crowding and pricing disputes that must be fixed before busier weekday matches.

Overview

  • Saturday’s BrazilMorocco match drew about 80,000 fans and ended 1-1, providing the first large-scale test of the region’s World Cup transport plan.
  • NJ Transit reported it moved 21,578 people by bus and rail within 90 minutes after the game, and the NYNJ Host Committee said its official shuttles carried roughly 16,000 riders.
  • Organizers sold large shares of special services and parking: shuttle seats and American Dream parking largely sold out while NJ Transit sold about half of its Meadowlands match tickets.
  • Significant problems surfaced for non-transit travel as rideshare drop‑off and road egress clogged Meadowlands access, Penn Station saw heavy crowds and confused entry procedures, and some fans were stranded for hours.
  • A pricing dispute remains live after a planned $150 NJ Transit fare was cut to $98 following public pushback, and officials are urging ticketholders to use public transit and making incremental fixes ahead of weekday matches that could strain commuter systems.