Secaucus Junction
NJ Transit interchange station in Secaucus; mandated transfer hub for World Cup fans heading to MetLife.
Last refreshed: 2 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Can Secaucus Junction handle 80,000 World Cup fans while 650,000 commuters are diverted?
Timeline for Secaucus Junction
MetLife: $150 rail, four-hour Penn shutdown
2026 FIFA World Cup- How do I get to MetLife Stadium for a World Cup match?
- Take NJ Transit from Penn Station via Secaucus Junction. A round-trip rail ticket costs $150 and must be pre-purchased; 40,000 rail seats are available per match day. Regular commuters are diverted to PATH during the four-hour pre-match window.Source: NJ Transit / NY/NJ Host Committee
- Why is Penn Station closing before World Cup matches?
- Penn Station's New York to Secaucus Junction service is reserved for World Cup ticket holders for four hours before each of the eight MetLife Stadium matches. Regular commuters are diverted to PATH at no extra fare.Source: NJ Transit
- How do I get to MetLife Stadium by train for the 2026 World Cup?
- Take NJ Transit from Penn Station to Secaucus Junction, then transfer to the MetLife Stadium shuttle. A round-trip costs $150; tickets must be purchased before match day (no day-of sales). 40,000 rail seats are available per match.Source: Lowdown
- Why is Penn Station closing for World Cup matches?
- NJ Transit is reserving the Penn Station to Secaucus Junction service for World Cup ticket holders for four hours before each MetLife match. Regular commuters are diverted to PATH trains at no extra fare during these windows.Source: Lowdown
- What is Secaucus Junction station?
- Secaucus Junction (formally the Frank R. Lautenberg Station) is New Jersey Transit's main interchange hub in Secaucus, NJ, opened in 2003. It connects the Northeast Corridor to multiple NJ Transit lines and serves as the key transfer point to MetLife Stadium.Source: Lowdown
Background
Secaucus Junction is a New Jersey Transit railway interchange station in Secaucus, Hudson County, New Jersey, opened in 2003 (formally named the Frank R. Lautenberg Station at Secaucus Junction). It connects the Northeast Corridor and the Morris & Essex Lines, the Main/Bergen County Line, the Port Jervis Line, and several other NJ Transit routes, making it the primary transfer hub between New York Penn Station and the broader New Jersey rail network. NJ Transit operates over 1,000 weekday trains through the station.
For the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Secaucus Junction is the required transfer point for fans travelling from Penn Station to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. The NY/NJ Host Committee and NJ Transit confirmed in April 2026 that Penn Station to Secaucus Junction services will be reserved exclusively for World Cup ticket holders for four hours before kickoff at each of the eight MetLife matches, including the 19 July final. Regular commuters are diverted to PATH trains at no extra fare during these windows. A round-trip rail ticket via Secaucus costs $150 (bus: $80); 40,000 rail seats are available per match day, none purchasable on the day itself. The Monday 22 June closure (Norway vs Senegal, 4–8pm) falls during the peak commuter rush.
The station's capacity to absorb 80,000 fans per MetLife match day, combined with the pricing and no-day-of-sale rules, has made Secaucus Junction a focal point in public criticism of the World Cup transport plan. Commuter advocacy groups have highlighted that 650,000 daily Penn Station users will be displaced from normal services during match-day closure windows.