New Yorkers are no strangers to transit headaches, but the upcoming FIFA World Cup is about to take commuter chaos to an entirely new level.
It turns out that parts of NY Penn Station will be strictly off limits to everyone except World Cup ticketholders for a whopping four hours before matches at MetLife Stadium this summer.
The massive news originally broke yesterday via an exclusive report by NorthJersey.com, and it is already sending shockwaves through the daily routines of countless local commuters.
What exactly is happening at Penn Station?
During eight specific match days this June and July, the busiest transportation hub in North America is basically rolling out the red carpet for soccer fans and putting up a giant roadblock for regular commuters.
According to the reported transit plans, NJ Transit riders will not be able to board New Jersey bound trains from Penn Station for four hours leading up to the games.
Instead of the usual hustle and bustle, the main entrances on 32nd and 33rd Streets along Seventh Avenue will be transformed into exclusive ticket checkpoints.
Only fans holding a verified World Cup ticket will be allowed through those specific doors.
How will this impact your daily commute?
The timing of these closures is the real kicker here.
Four of the eight games fall squarely on weekdays, meaning rush hour is going to be completely upended.
For example, the Monday, June 22 match will shut down access from 4 – 8 pm.
That is absolute prime time for folks who are just trying to get home from work!
While Amtrak and Long Island Rail Road passengers will still be able to catch their trains, they will be forced to use alternate entrances to bypass the massive soccer crowds.
The MTA confirmed that the LIRR concourse and subway stations will remain open, but with tens of thousands of extra people funneling through detours, you can expect major bottlenecks everywhere you turn.
Why the sudden closure?
Parking at MetLife Stadium is expected to be incredibly limited for the entire tournament, meaning public transit is taking on the heavy burden of transporting fans.
NJ Transit plans to shuttle ticket holders directly to Secaucus Junction so they can transfer to stadium bound trains. Once the matches finally wrap up, trains will arrive empty at Secaucus purely to haul fans back to the city.
When are the Penn Station closures happening?
While the exact hours for every single match are still being ironed out by the host committee, we know the exact dates you need to circle on your calendar.
You will definitely want to plan ahead, work from home, or find an alternate route if you normally commute on these days:
- June 13: Brazil vs. Morocco
- June 16: France vs. Senegal
- June 22: Norway vs. Senegal
- June 25: Ecuador vs. Germany
- June 27: Panama vs. England
- June 30: Round of 32 Match
- July 5: Round of 16 Match
- July 19: The Final
Locals are already sounding off online about the impending logistical nightmare, calling it everything from outrageous to an absolute disaster.
We highly suggest keeping a close eye on the MTA and NJ Transit alerts as we get closer to the summer.
Dodging this transit mess is going to require some serious strategy.
