Going to North America '26: tickets, accommodations, etc. (non-politics)

The bus timeslots for purchase begin at 1 pm, NJ Transit on the other hand an hour earlier, at noon. To me that implies the train will be slower/more congested

 

Well - I am in full on logistics mode now (unavoidable for a commodities trader).
Thing is - the jet fuel situation is gradually building. One way of managing it for airlines is that on routes that have multiple flights per day - say DFW to JFK - the operators can cancel one or 2 and still move the same number of passengers. That might not be a problem if you are put on an earlier flight, but it could be catastrophic (well missing a game is not a catastrophe in life, but you know what I mean) if you are put on a later one.
Again, I would suggest looking at your itineraries and stress for a fight change.
(I was involved in just such an incident on a cancelled flight last week within the UK).
It is more likely to happen to shuttle flights.

 

I think it rather depends on the kick off times.

 

Thank you so much for your input. May you reach whatever tickets you want

 

Two (no longer Three) reasons train could be better than bus

1) Longer walk to stadium: NOT A PROBLEM. I found this in the FAQ: "You can—but for a smoother, more enjoyable matchday, the Official NYNJ Stadium Shuttle is the way to go. Stadium access is restricted to FIFA-permitted vehicles, and private cars without a permit are limited to drop-off and pick‑up at American Dream, followed by a walk to the Stadium. The Official NYNJ Stadium Shuttle skips the restrictions and drops you off right where the excitement begins—making it the easiest and most reliable option for matchday travel."

2) Traffic: The trains don't deal with traffic. The buses supposedly have their own express lane but you never know how traffic can still clog things up.

3) No Air Conditioning in many of the buses. I'm not sure what A/C will be available on the buses, but the yellow school buses probably don't have A/C. At least the trains have A/C, even though they can break down, especially on really hot days!

Their official breakdown: https://nynjfwc26.com/getting-to-nynj-stadium/
And: https://nynjfwc26.com/faq/
Giants Map showing typical Shuttle drop offs: https://www.metlifestadium.com/assets/img/Giants-Parking-2025-e972e58c51.png

 

I think he already has!

 

There's no way the school buses don't have AC.

 

You'd be suprised: "Air-conditioning in NYC Public School Buses: An Urgent Need" https://advocate.nyc.gov/blog/air-conditioning-in-nyc-public-school-buses-an-urgent-need

 

unbelievable! theyre running a third world country in NY.

 

But there will also be a 20% processing fee.

 

I'm of the opinion that demand and prices for the 3 US matches will increase significantly once the tournament starts. Americans will embrace the WC once it gets going but it's not on their radar yet. Right now they're focused on the NBA playoffs and baseball. They've heard about the WC coming but it hasn't really hit them yet.

 

it'll all depend on how the team USA performs in M4; and if they can avoid getting drawn into politics.

 

Trying to get on the train after the Metlfe SuperBowl looked like World War Z with people stuck for 3-4 hours after the game

Busses zoomed right out of the lot and got you back to midtown in 20 minutes

 

Vancouver

I have done it. Can recommend.

Harbour Air | Vancouver Harbour Scenic Flights & Tours

 

Oh damn. I feel like I chose the wrong door on Let's Make a Deal with my more expensive, NON-REFUNDable train ticket.

New postgame plan: At least 1 Yard of Beer at the Yard House at American Dream.

 

Those familiar with MetLife do you think it will be possible to catch a 10pm JFK flight with no checked luggage after M91 game? The game starts at 4pm and could end around 7pm worst case. What's a reasonable time to get to Secaucus if I leave before the main crowd?

 

What if it goes to extra time? Penalties?

 

Another 2 of my tickets have dropped into the app.
They were from the second presale and both in Kansas City.

 

Every option getting out of MetLife is slooowww. If you stay until the end of a penalty kicks match (7pm), I don’t think you’d make it. Or perhaps just barely. Very optimistically one hour from your seat to Penn Station and then one hour to JFK from there. Taking an Uber or taxi might be even slower. I’d probably take the bus into Manhattan and try to be on the first ones going out. The road traffic should be much lighter than normal since there’s no public parking.

If it ends at 6pm, you have a decent chance if you hustle. Do you need to make any stops for luggage?

 

That sounds very risky because you are heading back across the river. Wouldnt want to be doing that if I had more than hand luggage.

 

Trains only operate on fixed tracks, so when those tracks fail - which can happen for any number of reasons in hot weather - the entire system can grind to a halt. That’s enough of a reason to take bus IMO.

 

I’m curious why the USA Turkey match is so much cheaper than the USA Australia match.

 

That's why I estimated 7pm. With no extra time it should end around 6:15pm max.

 

Bus is 100% the way to go. Getting there is very quick if you’re on an early bus. And for the return, there will be dedicated bus lanes and much less car traffic than normal, with the parking lots all closed. The 3 or 4pm weekday kickoffs will hit the heart of rush hour. But the train is a lot of logistics and a transfer and moves very slowly. And bus is $20 versus $100 for the train.

 

LA has two US games to split up the demand. I’m surprised Turkey fans didn’t drive up the price, but they also have two other much cheaper matches to go to.