Transport Between 2026 World Cup Host Cities

For most journeys between World Cup host cities, flying is the most practical option. Domestic flights in the United States are relatively economical with advance booking, especially with low-cost airlines like Southwest, Spirit, and Frontier.

High-frequency routes between host cities include: Los Angeles-Dallas (2h 45min, from $89 USD), Dallas-Houston (1h 10min, from $69 USD), Miami-Atlanta (1h 45min, from $79 USD), New York-Boston (1h 15min, from $69 USD). For World Cup weeks, these prices will multiply — book at least 3 months in advance.

Long-distance routes like Seattle-Miami (5h 30min) or Los Angeles-New York (5h 20min) are the most expensive and sell out first. For these routes, booking 6 months or more in advance is essential.

Greyhound is the main intercity bus company in the United States, with routes connecting most World Cup host cities. It is the most economical option for medium distances (200-600 km), though with significantly longer travel times than flying.

FlixBus has aggressively expanded its network in the United States and Mexico, offering modern buses with WiFi and outlets at very competitive prices. For the Dallas-Houston route, FlixBus can be found for $15-25 USD, compared to $60-100 USD by plane.

In Mexico, ADO is the premium reference bus company. It connects the three Mexican venues — Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey — with executive and luxury service. The Mexico City-Guadalajara route on ADO Plus costs approximately 700-900 Mexican pesos ($35-45 USD) and takes about 7 hours.

Amtrak is the only long-distance train service in the United States. For the 2026 World Cup, the most useful corridor is the Northeast Regional and Acela Express, connecting Boston (BOS), New York (Penn Station), Philadelphia (30th Street), and Washington D.C. with high frequency.

The Acela Express between New York and Washington D.C. takes 2h 45min and costs between $100 and $200 USD. The regional Boston-New York train takes 3h 30min and can cost between $30 and $100 USD depending on advance booking. Both routes are competitive with flying when considering airport arrival time and security checks.

Outside the Northeast corridor, Amtrak is significantly slower and less frequent. The Chicago-New York route takes 18 hours, and Chicago-Los Angeles takes 40 hours. For these routes, the train is a romantic and scenic option, not a practical alternative to flying during the World Cup.

Some World Cup host cities have stadiums farther from urban centers or with limited public transportation. Renting a car can be the most logical option in these cases. In Kansas City, Arrowhead Stadium is in the suburbs and public transportation is limited. In Seattle, although Lumen Field has good metro connections, renting a car gives freedom to explore the region.

For groups of 4 or more people, rental costs are split and can be comparable to flying. The most accessible companies are Enterprise, Hertz, Budget, and Alamo. During the World Cup, car availability will be very limited — book 6 months in advance.

Consider additional costs: car insurance in the United States is practically mandatory (between $15 and $40 USD per day), tolls in cities like New York can add up to $50 USD per day, and parking near stadiums during matches can cost $50-100 USD. These additional costs sometimes make taxi or Uber more practical for short trips within the city.

Traveling with organized fan groups is an increasingly popular alternative for the World Cup. The main confederations and national federations (FMF, AFA, CBF) often organize official travel packages including transportation, accommodation, and guaranteed tickets.

There are also companies specialized in sports event tourism like Sports Travel and Tours, ISE Adventures, and Global Sports Travel that offer 2026 World Cup packages at different service levels. Although more expensive than organizing the trip independently, they offer the peace of mind of having everything arranged.

On social networks (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok), fan groups from each country form to organize shared trips, carpooling between host cities, and collective accommodations. Search for groups like 'Mexicanos en el Mundial 2026' or similar for your team — they can be valuable sources of information and savings.