Dubbed the “Sommermarchen,” or “Summer Fairy Tale,” the 2006 World Cup in Germany was a widely praised showcase for a modern, unified nation that was welcoming to fans from around the globe.Part of that success was the “KombiTicket”, which gave fans free access to local public transportation on match days.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listSince then, World Cup host countries have invested heavily in getting fans to and from matches, especially in Russia in 2018, where even long-distance trains between host cities were free, and Qatar in 2022, where free metro access helped turn stadium-hopping into part of the tournament experience.Then came the United States.Already reeling from astronomical ticket prices, expensive flights and exorbitant hotel costs, fans have been outraged to discover that getting to some stadiums via rail will come with another hefty bill: $98 round-trip train fares in New Jersey and $80 in Massachusetts – trips that normally cost NFL fans $12.90 and $20, respectively.Officials insist they are not trying to rip off fans, but are instead just trying to cover the costs of security and expanded train service without being a drain on taxpayers. Yet fans see it as just another way that tournament organisers are burdening fans who are already paying huge sums to visit the US, a huge, car-centric country where public transit has long been an afterthought in many …
