Boston parking near stadium hits 600 dollars as side business booms | OneFootball

In Boston, parking around Gillette Stadium has turned into a lucrative trade, as fans look beyond FIFA’s official car parks. Alternative lots promise savings, but costs still bite.

According to Le Progres, official and partner sites are priced between 175 and 600 dollars per vehicle, with spaces nearer the ground costing more. The MBTA temporarily quadrupled express fares from the city centre to the southern suburbs to 80 dollars return.

The scramble is not limited to the World Cup. On New England Patriots days, Washington Street in Foxborough becomes a slow crawl as drivers search for somewhere to leave their pickups and SUVs.

About 10 kilometres out, homemade roadside signs begin to advertise parking on both sides of the main artery. Cheaper, in a manner of speaking.

At an Enterprise car hire branch, spaces sell steadily with state police easing access. Pre-booking is followed by a QR code at the gate, and the day rate is 120 dollars. Staff say it is cheaper because it is farther from the stadium and slower to exit through the jams, yet demand is strong.

The lure of cash feeds a tolerated grey economy. Residents near fan zones open up garages and yards to out-of-towners, and on North Street some insist they take only tips, a claim many doubt.

Posters show prices from 50 to 100 dollars. One homeowner says she can fit around 50 cars, and at 45 euros a space the arithmetic is eye-catching.

Source: Le Progres