World Cup goers will see price hike on Commuter Rail
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Maura Kearns/Axios
The Commuter Rail will likely charge people far more for train tickets to the World Cup matches in Foxborough this summer, acting transportation secretary Phil Eng confirmed.
Why it matters: Transportation officials want World Cup attendees to use public transit to minimize car traffic, but it will cost them.
Catch up quick: The Athletic first reported last week that Commuter Rail riders on the way to the Brazil vs. France game paid $30 for a ticket, $10 more than the typical price.
- Massachusetts plans to charge World Cup goers nearly four times as much to take the Commuter Rail to the seven World Cup matches at Gillette Stadium in June and early July, per the Athletic.
State of play: Eng said Monday that the rail system hasn't finalized the price for day passes to and from the tournament, but that the Commuter Rail will charge more for train rides to the matches.
- He confirmed the price hike during a news conference he and Gov. Maura Healey held to promote new discounts for monthly pass holders this summer.
Zoom in: Healey announced the Commuter Rail will be free on Fridays this summer and monthly passes will be 50% off.
- Monthly pass holders will also be able to use their passes on weekend trips and bring a friend for $1.
What they're saying: "We want to give people a break from high costs, especially during this time when gas prices are high," she said.
Yes, but: Free Fridays won't include trains from Boston to the stadium, the CapeFLYER, and any other special event trains to Foxborough, per the governor's office.
What we're watching: It remains to be seen how many tourists will pay extra for train tickets instead of renting a car or using a ride-hailing service.