Potential strike means no NJ Transit service to MetLife Stadium for sold-out Shakira concert
There will not be any rail or bus service to the stadium during the Shakira concerts on Thursday, May 15 or Friday, May 16.
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Concertgoers headed to MetLife Stadium this week via New Jersey Transit will need to come up with a new plan.
There will not be any rail or bus service to the stadium during the Shakira concerts on Thursday, May 15 or Friday, May 16. NJ Transit says it’s because of the potential rail strike.
“That’s a major blow for sure with that rail station,” said Doug Palsi, who owns the nearby Redd’s Restaurant and Bar. “It just adds to the congestion.”
Rail engineers could walk off the job as early as midnight Friday as negotiations continue - that’s when concertgoers at Thursday’s sold-out show could be leaving the stadium.
Coach USA is offering bus tickets between Port Authority and MetLife Stadium for upcoming events. Drivers may have a harder time. Guests can buy parking on-site, but the stadium is urging folks to arrive early and said it could take up to two hours to book a rideshare after the show.
MORE INFORMATION: NJ Transit Rail Strike
RELATED: Possible NJ Transit strike could impact service to MetLife Stadium
That’s where Redd’s restaurant in Carlstadt enters the picture. They’ve been offering event shuttles for 40 years and are expecting a busy week.
“We shuttle you kind of into the madness over there, and we’ll get you out, and then when you get into your car after the game, the egress part of it is a lot easier,” Palsi said. “You just get on a local road and you can just get home on Route 17 or 80 or the Turnpike.”
It’s a big season ahead at MetLife. It has booked Beyonce for five nights around Memorial Day weekend and the FIFA Club World Cup begins in a month.
A stadium spokesperson says that they are focusing on the Shakira shows first. Should the potential strike impact future events, a new contingency plan will be put into place.
