Fans hoping to see the New York Knicks eliminate the Boston Celtics Friday night will likely need extra time if they’re coming in from New Jersey.
NJ Transit service was halted Friday as engineers went on strike. An end-of-week disruption meant many workers adjusted by working remotely, though it comes at the beginning of a busy weekend for events around New York City. The Yankees are hosting a Subway Series against the Mets in the Bronx while fans will head from NYC’s boroughs to Harrison, N.J., for Gotham FC’s match against the San Diego Wave Friday night.
On X, Gotham FC reminded fans that the PATH—a subsidiary of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey—is still operating, though fans who typically use NJ Transit to get to Newark Penn Station and transfer to the PATH will need alternate arrangements.
Meanwhile, New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium is hosting Shakira, with five Beyoncé dates coming over the next two weeks. Coach USA is providing buses from Port Authority Bus Terminal to the home of the Jets and Giants in the meantime.
As of Monday, NJ Transit will support additional bus service, though it has said the routes will likely only support 20% of typical rail traffic. NJ Transit provides roughly 1 million trips each week. Wages are reportedly the main sticking point between NJ Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, with talks mediated by federal officials scheduled for Sunday. NJ Transit engineers last went on strike in 1983; that dispute lasted nearly a month.
In the meantime, travelers are being encouraged to find their own ways into the city. For some that could mean a $100 Amtrak ticket to Penn Station, which connects directly to Madison Square Garden. Others have turned to Uber, though the ride-hailing company has warned of potential delays and increased prices. Then again, for those who have bought one of the most expensive tickets in Knicks history—with the get-in price hovering above $650 as of Friday morning—what’s a few more dollars for the chance to see New York potentially reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1999?
After a win, Knicks faithful might just float home.