There will be no tailgating at Super Bowl XLVIII in New Jersey

Stephen Edelson | USA TODAY Sports

SECAUCUS, N.J. - Standing in the rotunda at the Secaucus Junction train station, each of the speakers who stepped to the microphone repeated the same theme, referencing the importance mass transportation will be play in making Super Bowl XLVIII a success.

Two-thirds of the ticketholders are expected to travel to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Feb. 2 via public transportation. That is due to limited parking space. The 28,500 parking spaces normally available for a game will be reduced to around 13,000.

Fans who do drive to the game will be able to bring food and drink into the parking lots, but tailgate items like chairs and grills will not be allowed.

Parking passes will be available for purchase beginning Dec. 12, although the NFL has yet to announce what they will cost.

Unlike a Jets or Giants game at MetLife Stadium, there will be no ability to drop fans off at the stadium, and patrons will not be allowed to walk to the game.

"This is a Super Bowl of firsts," Giants co-owner Jonathan Tisch said. "This is the first time a Super Bowl will be played in a northern city in an open-air building. This is the first time the game will be hosted by two teams. The first time the game is being hosted by two states, and we are excited about all of the opportunities as it relates to the first public transportation Super Bowl."

New Jersey Transit used the press conference to unveil a $50 Super Pass. It will be good from Jan. 27 to Feb. 3, and can be used for travel on any of their trains, buses and light rail lines for travel to all events during the week, including the game.

"We're ready to meet the expected heavy customer demand and insure world class seamless travel experience for Super Bowl guests," said James Weinstein, executive director of New Jersey Transit, who indicated that extra trains and buses will insure there is no inconvenience to area commuters.

For travel to and from the game, there will be Fan Express bus service from nine locations throughout the metropolitan area, with a round-trip ticket costing $51.

Three of the locations are in New Jersey, including the Airport Marriott at Newark Airport, the Hanover Marriott in East Hanover, and The Plaza at Harmon Meadow in Secaucus, with more information available at www.sbfanexpress.com.

"As we sit here, we're 55 days from Super Bowl XLVIII," Al Kelly, CEO of the NY/NJ Host Committee, said. "Actually 48 days from the beginning of Super Bowl week, so while we're that close, but we've been at this collaboration on transportation for much longer extended period of time.

"We want to take advantage of our transit assets as a way for people to get around."

The state, particularly South Jersey, got a glimpse Sunday of the weather that could potentially descend on the area for the game. While snow did not begin to fall until the Jets' game was ending, it was falling at a rate of three inches per hour in Philadelphia during the Eagles' game, while games from Baltimore to New England, and travel to and from them, were impacted by the weather.

Stephen Edelson also writes for the Asbury Park Press