NJ: NJ Transit has put World Cup mass transit tickets on sale. Here’s how fast they are selling.

NJ Transit slashed its cost to provide transportation to World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium from $48 million to $31 million through increased advertising revenue, officials announced Wednesday as mass transit tickets went on sale for the June and July matches.

Rail tickets went on sale at midnight Wednesday for holders of tickets to the eight World Cup matches to be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. In seven hours, 5,000 tickets were sold.

The all-rail or rail-to-Transitway tickets can only be bought using the new NJ Transit app.

CEO Kris Kolluri announced that increased advertising revenue allowed NJ Transit to cover more of the cost of security surrounding transporting 40,000 people per match.

The added advertising sales raised $11 million toward $48 million cost, reducing it $31 million, Kolluri said. The agency also received $19 million in federal and host committee grants.

“Since FIFA still will not cover the cost of transporting its fans despite making $13 billion from the World Cup, we are finding a solution that protects our residents,” Gov. Mikie Sherrill said in a statement. “Thanks to strong partnerships with private sponsors, we’re driving down the cost of transit and delivering a plan that supports this historic moment without placing any additional burden on NJ Transit riders or New Jersey families.”

Sponsorships by seven corporations— DoorDash, Audible, FanDuel, DraftKings, PSE&G, South Jersey Industries, and American Water — allowed ticket prices to be reduced from $150 to $105 on May 7.

Train ticket prices were further cut to $98, which Sherrill announced Tuesday night on X.

On Wednesday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a reduction in the price of World Cup shuttle bus tickets to $20 from $80. New York residents will have priority to purchase 20% of those 18,000 bus tickets per match.

Sell ads on everything

Kolluri cited stronger than expected advertising revenues for being able to raise more revenue to cover World Cup costs.

“The (original) budget was $62 million, then we looked for all the grants that federal government had,” Kolluri said. ”Then we went ahead and raised sponsors through advertising on our system."

The second part that was ”a nice surprise is that we have higher than anticipated advertising revenue," he said.

Kolluri credited NJ Transit’s advertising and marketing departments for finding creative ways to deliver on Sherrill’s edict to use all the assets the agency owns for revenue making opportunities to cover costs.

“NJ Transit advertising agents and our marketing team did a remarkable job looking at all the assets we have,” Kolluri said.

“We’re wrapping trains, locomotives and buses (in ads), selling naming rights,” he said. “We got very creative. In the end we met the governor’s objective without FIFA’s help.”

The reason for the high cost

World Cup rail service is more complex and therefore, more expensive than service to regular MetLife Stadium concerts and sporting events, Kolluri said.

The much-quoted $12.90 regular price rail ticket price to MetLife has an operational cost that carries an 82% subsidy, he said. On the average fares covered 37% of the cost to provide train service, according to agency data.

Taking away MetLife Stadium parking spaces also changed the scope of the World Cup operation to a transit orientated one. Other stadiums, such as Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, still have available parking.

“If FIFA hasn’t taken away 19,000 parking spaces we’d be having a different conversation,” Kolluri said.

More security, employee and police overtime and operating costs, are the big expense drivers, he said

A big cost driver is “this is a level one security event ... the heaviest security event in the country,” he said.

NJ Transit is responsible for three different security levels, at Penn Station New York, where NJ Transit and Amtrak police will screen ticketed passengers, at Secaucus train station and at MetLife.

The 28,000 passenger per match expected to ride from New York Penn are “more than we ever handled, the costs are extraordinary,” Kolluri said.

Making sure Transitway is ready

Transitway, the bus rapid transit system that is an integral part of NJ Transit’s World Cup match day transportation system, is in testing, Kolluri said.

Each MetLife Stadium train will accommodate 1,400 people. Transitway will be counted on to move 20,000 fans a day, he said.

The largest, most recent tests involved running 100 buses on the line between Secaucus rail station and MetLife Stadium, the buses ran at 15 minute intervals, Kolluri said.

“They did a test run last weekend with one hundred buses, they were doing fifteen minute head ways which is two minutes off what I’d like,” he said. “They’re fine tuning some of the traffic signals and we’ll be in good shape.”

Kolluri said he hopes to get a Transitway test ride next week.

“Both the Secaucus transfer and modular bus terminal are almost done and they were doing test runs this weekend to make sure we work out final signalization issues and we believe they’ll be ready in the next two weeks,” Kolluri said.

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