New York leaders discuss World Cup transportation plan: "No city is better prepared"
New York leaders are assuring residents and fans that they are well prepared for the thousands of people who will be going to the World Cup.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, MTA CEO Janno Lieber and other officials held a news conference Thursday morning with the matches just days away.
Mamdani encouraged people to take the subway, buses, walk or bike to their destinations rather than drive. He reiterated the number of changes being implemented regarding street traffic. That includes special bus lanes, changes at Penn Station and delivery restrictions.
"No city is better prepared than New York," Hochul said.
More subway trains
Lieber said more subway trains will be running into Penn Station on match days, including the C, 1 and F trains. The MTA will also be running more 7 trains for fans to reach the watch parties and events in Queens.
1 and C trains will be increased all day on weekend match days between 10 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. In addition, 1, C and F train service will be increased for post-match travel.
While LIRR will be running normally, Lieber said riders should consider going into Atlantic Terminal or Grand Central on match days to avoid large crowds.
Both the LIRR and Metro-North will provide connections to the shuttle bus service near Grand Central and trains to the game at Penn Station, according to a news release.
"I'm confident that the MTA team is up to the task. New York always has a buzz," he said.
NJ Transit service is also being adjusted, while LIRR, Metro-North and PATH are expected to operate normally.
Several plans have been announced to help fans get to the games cheaper and faster. Round-trip tickets on NJ Transit cost $98, well below the original $150 price tag. Hochul also announced round-trip bus tickets from Manhattan to the stadium will be $20 instead of $80.
Emergency management plans
Office of Emergency Management Commissioner Christina Farrell said her team has been planning for more than a year for the big event.
"We have participated in more than 30 interagency tabletop exercises that simulated everything from blackouts and sudden crowd surges to flash flooding and coastal storms," she said.
Mamdani also noted that there will be an emergency operations center with an expanded response team.
