Laura Rugarber Works From Home as 530 Buses Stage Near Penn Station — Metlife World Cup Games
World Cup transportation operations ramped up on Tuesday as officials told commuters to plan ahead for the France-Senegal match at MetLife Stadium, with metlife world cup games traffic already changing Midtown Manhattan. West 42nd Street was restricted to FIFA vehicles and buses carrying fans from 9 a.m. through 8 p.m.
Officials positioned 530 contracted buses near Penn Station in case transit problems developed, while streets east of Madison Square Garden were closed as hundreds of standby buses were staged nearby. World Cup ticket holders could enter a dedicated NJ Transit entrance at Penn Station from Sixth and Seventh avenues starting 11 a.m., four hours before kickoff.
Penn Station and Midtown
NJ Transit was the recommended route for fans heading to the stadium, and officials described it as the fastest and most reliable option. The bus plan had already sold out, with all 12,000 available seats reserved before the match. Laura Rugarber, an NJ Transit commuter, said, “I will work from home and our company has allowed for that, to work remotely for those days.”
American Dream and Uber
Drivers who still chose to go could park at American Dream, where parking was limited and cost $225 per vehicle. Uber offered a $49 shuttle service for fans traveling to and from the game, but individual vehicles were not permitted to approach MetLife Stadium on match days.
That restriction left commuters and fans with a narrow set of options during weekday rush hours, when the streets around Penn Station, Madison Square Garden and West 42nd Street were already under control for the match. Lamel Clark said, “I may drive until the last goal is made. I'd rather pay the Verrazzano toll than take New Jersey Transit.” Officials also urged travelers to leave extra time on Tuesday.
