Where to Stay if You Want to Avoid World Cup Traffic

The infrastructure around MetLife Stadium was built to handle 80,000 cars, but during a World Cup, international fans relying heavily on rideshare apps create massive vehicular bottlenecks. If your primary goal is to avoid the paralyzing post-match traffic jams on Route 3, you need to be highly strategic about your hotel location.

1. Stay on the Train Line (Hoboken/Secaucus)

The absolute best way to avoid traffic is to not be in a car. Booking a hotel in Hoboken or right near Secaucus Junction means you rely entirely on the NJ Transit train system. While the train lines will be crowded, they physically cannot get stuck in highway gridlock. The W Hotel in Hoboken or the Harmony Suites in Secaucus are prime examples.

2. Stay North on Route 17 (Carlstadt/Hasbrouck Heights)

If you must drive or take an Uber, staying directly north of the stadium on Route 17 (e.g., Holiday Inn Hasbrouck Heights) is vastly superior to staying east or west on Route 3. Traffic flowing north away from New York City tends to clear significantly faster than traffic attempting to merge toward the Lincoln Tunnel.

3. The Pedestrian Approach (Hilton Meadowlands)

It bears repeating: the Hilton Meadowlands allows you to completely bypass all vehicles. By using the pedestrian overpass, you walk directly over the gridlocked traffic below you. You can be in your hotel room while thousands of fans are still trapped in the parking lot.

Traffic Evasion Tactics

• The Rideshare Walk:

  If you are forced to use Uber, walk to the American Dream Mall or the Hilton lobby first. Getting picked up slightly off-site saves you from the primary stadium traffic loop.

• Patience:

  Sometimes the best traffic avoidance is waiting. Head to a tailgate or the mall after the game and let the initial surge clear for two hours.