The local organizing committee for the World Cup has announced that Philadelphia will provide free train travel for fans attending matches this summer.
Thanks to a collaboration with World Cup sponsor Airbnb, fans can take advantage of complimentary rides on the Broad Street Line (B line) from half-time until two hours after full-time, starting from NRG Station, conveniently located near Lincoln Financial Field.
Additionally, fans can expect to pay only $2.90 (£2.14) for rides to the stadium from any B line station, as the local transit authority confirmed there will be no fare hikes linked to the tournament.
Transportation costs have been a hot topic recently, particularly after New Jersey announced that spectators traveling from central New York to MetLife Stadium would be subjected to a $150 (£111) round-trip fare.
This pricing decision faced backlash from fan groups and drew criticism from FIFA, which cautioned that it could negatively impact transportation access around the stadium.
Philadelphia’s initiative is likely to be appreciated by fans, especially with the city hosting high-profile matches featuring teams such as Brazil and France during the group stage, along with a round-of-16 match on the Fourth of July.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro praised the initiative, expressing his satisfaction that fans will have “accessible and affordable means to get home safely.”
Other cities, including Kansas City and Dallas, have also unveiled favorable transportation pricing for attendees of the tournament.
Kansas City, where England’s training camp is located, is offering free bus rides from the airport to the city center fan festival, as well as unlimited regional travel passes priced at $25 for daily, weekly, and tournament access.
Moreover, ticket holders can utilize the Stadium Direct service, which connects four park-and-ride locations with the fan festival and Arrowhead Stadium for a $15 fee per person, according to the host city committee.
In Dallas, fans heading to AT&T Stadium—where England will face Croatia on June 17—will only pay $6 for a round trip from downtown Dallas to the Centreport station, with complimentary buses assisting in the final leg of their journey. Return fares from Fort Worth to Centreport will be just $4, as confirmed by the organizers.
New Jersey’s Governor Mikie Sherrill remarked that “FIFA should cover” the transportation costs, one day prior to NJ Transit revealing the $150 round-trip fare from Penn Station to MetLife Stadium.
The initial hosting agreement required cities to provide free transportation to fans, but revisions allowed for transport to be offered “at cost.”
FIFA’s critique of New Jersey’s transportation plan follows previous criticisms directed at the organization over match ticket pricing and its implementation of a dynamic pricing model.
Information from PA was utilized in this report.