With any trip I take, I aim to be as climate-friendly as possible. While I can’t avoid travel, I can do my absolute best to use public transit and walk as much as possible. Not only is this better for the climate, but I find that I save myself a lot of time and money this way.
Whether you’re looking to go to the biggest concert of the year or join your team for the season opener, you’re going to need to find a way towards a major stadium or arena. Navigating so many transit systems may seem complicated (how the heck do you even get to New Jersey?) but Bluedot Living Brooklyn’s Shoes On guide will make it simple.
All calculations and directions were prepared as if traveling from Penn Station/Moynihan Hall unless otherwise specified. Adjust accordingly for your needs.
Barclays Center, Brooklyn — Home of the 🏀Brooklyn Nets and 🏀NY Liberty
Getting There: Take the 2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, N, Q, R, or W subway towards Brooklyn. Get off at Atlantic Ave-Barclays Center and walk 2 minutes to the Barclays Center.
OR Conveniently, Barclays Center is right on top of the Atlantic Ave terminal, so if you’re coming from Long Island then take any LIRR Train terminating at Atlantic Terminal. Get off at Atlantic Terminal and walk 2 minutes to the Barclays Center
Time: 25 minutes from Penn Station.
Cost: $2.90 each way by Subway
Emissions and Time Savings: 7 miles in a car and 30 minutes to 70 minutes depending on traffic.
Citi Field, Queens — Home of the ⚾️NY Mets
Getting There: Take the 7 train towards Flushing-Main Street. Get off at Mets-Willets Point and walk 5 minutes to Citi Field.
Time: 35 minutes (25 minutes if you catch the 7 Express).
Cost: $2.90 each way.
Emissions and Time Savings: 10 miles in a car and 40 minutes to 80 minutes depending on traffic.
Madison Square Garden, Manhattan — Home of the 🏀NY Knicks and the 🏒NY Rangers
Getting There: Take any Subway, train, or bus heading towards Penn Station/Moynihan Hall or 34 St/Herald Square. Get off at Penn Station/Moynihan Hall or 34 St/Herald Square. Madison Square Garden is on top of Penn Station.
Emissions and Time Savings: Why would you try to drive into Penn Station when almost every form of public transit will go there?
Metlife Stadium, Secaucus, NJ — Home of the 🏈NY Giants and 🏈NY Jets
Getting There: From Penn Station, take any NJ Transit train making a stop at Secaucus Junction. Transfer at Secaucus Junction and take the Bet MGM Meadowlands Rail line towards the Meadowlands. Get off at Meadowlands Station.
Time: 40 minutes.
Cost: $5.50 each way.
Tickets: Tickets are available on the NJ Transit app at NJ Transit ticketing kiosks in Penn Station.
Emissions and Time Savings: 8.4 miles in a car and about 35 minutes depending on traffic.
Prudential Center, Newark, NJ — Home of the 🏒NJ Devils
Getting There: Take the PATH towards Journal Square from 34 St/Herald Square (the 33rd St PATH station). Transfer at the Grove Street Station and get on the PATH towards Newark. Get off at the Newark Station. Walk 9 minutes to Prudential Center.
OR Take the PATH towards Newark from the World Trade Center Station. Get off at the Newark Station. Walk 9 minutes to Prudential Center.
Time: 45 minutes from 34 St/Herald Square (33rd Street PATH Station). 35 minutes from World Trade Center.
Cost: $2.75 each way.
Tickets: PATH stations accept MetroCards. PATH tickets are available at kiosks in the PATH station.
Emissions and Time Savings:16.3 miles in a car and 35 minutes to 70 minutes depending on traffic.
Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ — Home of the ⚽️NY Red Bulls
Getting There: Take the PATH towards Journal Square from 34 St/Herald Square (the 33rd St PATH station). Transfer at the Grove Street Station and get on the PATH towards Neward. Get off at the Harrison Station. Walk 8 minutes to Red Bull Arena.
OR Take the PATH towards Newark from the World Trade Center Station. Get off at Harrison Station. Walk 8 minutes to Red Bull Arena.
Time: 40 minutes from 34 St/Herald Square (33rd Street PATH Station). 30 minutes from World Trade Center.
Cost: $2.75 each way.
Tickets: PATH stations accept MetroCards. PATH tickets are available at kiosks in the PATH station.
Emissions and Time Savings: 12.5 miles in a car and 35 minutes to 70 minutes depending on traffic.
UBS Arena, Long Island — Home of the 🏒NY Islanders
Getting There: Take the LIRR Hampstead Branch from either Penn Station/Moynihan Hall, Grand Central Station, or Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn. Get off at Elmont-USB Arena station. Walk 11 minutes to UBS Arena.
Time: 51 minutes from Penn Station.
Cost: $13 each way (peak).
Tickets: Get tickets on the MTA TrainTime app or at ticket machines in LIRR stations.
Emissions and Time Savings: 18 miles in a car and 55 minutes to 110 minutes depending on traffic.
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Queens — Host of the 🎾US Open
Getting There: Take the 7 train towards Flushing-Main Street. Get off at Mets-Willets Point and walk 8 minutes to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
OR take the LIRR Port Washington Branch from either Penn Station/Moynihan Hall or Grand Central Station towards Long Island. Get off at Mets-Willets Point and walk 8 minutes to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Time: 35 minutes by Subway (25 minutes if you catch the 7 Express). 30 minutes by LIRR.
Cost: $2.90 each way by subway. $9.25 each way by LIRR (peak).
Emissions and Time Savings: 10 miles in a car and 40 minutes to 80 minutes depending on traffic.
Yankee Stadium, Bronx — Home of the ⚾️NY Yankees and ⚽️New York City FC
Getting There: Take the 4 or the B subway towards the Bronx. Get off at 161 St-Yankee Stadium. Walk 4 minutes to Yankee Stadium.
Time: 25 minutes.
Cost: $2.90 each way
Emissions and Time Savings: 10 miles in a car and 35 minutes to 100 minutes depending on traffic.
This article is part of the Bluedot Living Brooklyn series, “Shoes On,” all about travel from NYC using trains and other forms of clean transportation. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest destinations, right to your inbox.
