MetLife Stadium: getting there by train and bus, parking, bag policy and entry
How to reach MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford by NJ Transit rail or the 351 bus from Port Authority, plus parking hours, the clear bag policy and items to leave at home.
MetLife Stadium is in East Rutherford, New Jersey. For big events, NJ Transit runs the Meadowlands Rail Service from Secaucus Junction, a ride of about 10 minutes that ends at the stadium’s front door. Coach USA’s 351 bus runs from the Port Authority, and fans can also drive. The rule to know before leaving home is the clear bag policy: one clear bag no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches, or one small clutch no larger than 4.5 by 6.5 inches.
How to get to MetLife Stadium by NJ Transit train
NJ Transit runs the Meadowlands Rail Service for events with anticipated attendance above 50,000. Trains leave from Secaucus Junction, where most of the NJ Transit rail system connects, and run to the Sports Complex station. The stadium puts the trip at about 10 minutes.
Service starts a few hours before kickoff and runs for a couple of hours after the event ends. The stadium’s transit page does not list exact train times or fares. Smaller events may not get rail service, so confirm that trains are running for your event before you count on them. For live subway service on the New York side of the trip, see the How2NewYork subway status page.
To catch the train after an event, leave through the MetLife Gate or the Verizon Gate. On select occasions, NJ Transit also runs buses between Secaucus Junction and the stadium. When it does, NJ Transit staff direct riders to the boarding areas, and the stadium says the bus takes about as long as the train.
Full details are on the stadium’s public transportation page, which also has a downloadable transit map.
Coach USA 351 bus from Port Authority
Coach USA runs the 351 Meadowlands Express from the Port Authority to the MetLife Sports Complex for NFL games and other large events at the stadium.
- Buses start running two and a half hours before the start of the game.
- Service to the stadium continues until half an hour after the start.
- Return service runs for about one hour after the game ends.
Buses drop off and pick up in Lot K, near the Quest Diagnostics Performance Center. To reach it after the event, exit through the MetLife Gate. The stadium’s page does not list fares. For more information, visit 351express.com or call 800-877-1888, ext. 3.
Driving and parking at MetLife Stadium
The lots usually open five hours before an event and close two hours after it ends. Hours can vary, so check the event page or the event’s “Know Before You Go” document. Drivers who arrive before the lots open are not let into the Sports Complex and may be told to leave the roads that serve it.
For non-NFL events, prepaid parking permits are sold through ParkWhiz, and parking can also be paid on arrival. The stadium’s parking page does not list prices. Fans in general seating are sent to the lots closest to where they enter the Sports Complex, and moving between lots is not allowed.
- There is no overnight parking on the Sports Complex.
- Parking on nearby roads, medians, grass and breakdown lanes is prohibited. Violators can be ticketed or towed at the owner’s expense.
- New Jersey State Police may search vehicles, sometimes with a canine unit. Drivers who refuse a search are not let into the Sports Complex.
- Charter buses park in Lot L.
- Trucks, trailers, buses and other oversized vehicles may not park in the enclosed parking deck at American Dream.
To avoid traffic right around the stadium, ticket holders can park at the Laz at Edison Park Fast lot at the Frank R. Lautenberg Station at Secaucus Junction, 675 New Country Road in Secaucus, off Exit 15X on the eastern extension of the New Jersey Turnpike, and ride NJ Transit to the game. The lot has 1,100 spaces and is open 24 hours a day, and reservations are recommended. Check that rail service is running for the event before choosing this option. More details are on the stadium’s parking page.
Taxi, rideshare and drop-off
Taxis and limousines drop off and pick up at the curb between Lots D and E, and using the area is free. A driver with a prepaid parking permit can enter the Sports Complex for an additional fee but must stay with the car. A vehicle that takes up more than one space is parked along a curb or somewhere it does not block traffic.
Rideshare drop-off is on the roadway between Lots D and E, and pickup is in Lot E. The stadium warns that surge pricing is often in effect after an event and that waits in large crowds can run past two hours, and it encourages fans to take public transportation instead.
MetLife Stadium bag policy
The stadium follows the NFL Clear Bag Policy. These bags are allowed:
- One clear bag per person, 12 by 6 by 12 inches or smaller.
- One small non-clear purse or clutch per person, 4.5 by 6.5 inches or smaller.
- A one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag.
Any non-clear bag bigger than 4.5 by 6.5 inches is not allowed. That includes purses, camera and binocular cases, backpacks, fanny packs, diaper bags, briefcases and computer bags. Seat cushions are allowed only for medical needs. Medically necessary items are allowed after inspection at a gate set aside for that purpose.
Bags that are too big can go back to the car or into a Bag Check Facility outside each open gate. Bag check is free for NFL events and costs $5 for non-NFL events. The full rules are on the stadium’s bag policy page.
Entering the stadium: security and gate times
Everyone is screened before entering. Guests must take all metal objects, including phones, out of their pockets and bags and put them on the security table. They then carry their bag and any hand-carried items through the metal detector and collect their metal objects on the other side. Safety Services staff inspect every bag and may ask guests to shift or remove the contents.
The stadium’s general policy pages do not list gate opening times. Those are set for each event and appear on the event page and in its “Know Before You Go” document, which also lists any item rules specific to that event.
Prohibited items at MetLife Stadium
Leave these at home. The stadium says the rules can change by event:
- Glass bottles, coolers of any kind, thermoses and ice chests.
- Alcohol of any kind.
- Banners and signs of any size, unless the event page says otherwise, and flags of any size at every event except international soccer.
- Umbrellas, strollers, car seats, laser pointers and balls of any kind, including full-size footballs.
- Drones, single-purpose video cameras and still cameras with a lens longer than 6 inches.
- Weapons, including firearms and knives, and anything that could be used as a projectile.
- Animals other than service animals, and adult-size football helmets with face masks.
Since umbrellas are banned, check the forecast before you leave.
Food, water and what you can bring
The stadium allows these items, all subject to screening:
- Food of any kind in a clear plastic bag (not in suites).
- Factory-sealed water or soft drinks of 20 ounces or less, in cans or plastic bottles.
- Empty reusable plastic or aluminum bottles of 20 ounces or less, which can be filled at water fountains inside.
- Hand sanitizer of 6 ounces or less, and disinfecting wipes.
- Binoculars and still cameras with a lens of 6 inches or less, without cases.
- Tablets, e-readers and laptops without bags or cases, and small handheld USB fans.
- Jackets and blankets carried by hand, which will be patted down or searched.
Battery-operated clothing is allowed if the battery is no larger than an ordinary cell phone (3 by 6 by 1 inches). Larger batteries are prohibited. At entry, disconnect the battery and put it on the security table. At international soccer games only, official national flags of the competing countries and the official American flag are allowed, no larger than 3 by 5 feet and without poles. The full lists are on the guest policies page.
Alcohol, ID and conduct rules
Anyone who appears to be 40 or younger must show ID to buy alcohol. Accepted IDs are a valid U.S. driver’s license, any valid U.S. state or federal government ID, a U.S. passport or passport card, a U.S. military ID or a valid foreign passport. Under New Jersey law, international guests must show a passport, because a driver’s license from another country is not accepted as proof of age.
Guests may not buy or hold more than two alcoholic drinks at a time. At football games, concession stands in the general seating areas close at the start of the third quarter. For other events, stadium management sets the cutoff. Visibly impaired guests are not let in, and the stadium is smoke-free.
Guests who break the code of conduct can be ejected or arrested and can lose their PSL, and anyone ejected needs written permission to return. To report a problem, tell the nearest Guest Services or Safety Services representative, go to a Guest Services booth, or text “Alert MLS” to 848261.
Sources
Checked on October 15, 2026. This guide is updated as the organizers, the city and the MTA publish new details.
Quick answers
How do you get to MetLife Stadium from New York by train?
Take NJ Transit to Secaucus Junction, then the Meadowlands Rail Service to the Sports Complex station, about 10 minutes. The rail service runs for events with anticipated attendance above 50,000.
Is there a bus from Port Authority to MetLife Stadium?
Yes. Coach USA runs the 351 Meadowlands Express for NFL games and other large events. It starts two and a half hours before the start of the game and returns for about one hour after it ends, from Lot K.
What size bag can I bring into MetLife Stadium?
One clear bag no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches, or one small clutch no larger than 4.5 by 6.5 inches. A one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag is also allowed.
When do MetLife Stadium parking lots open?
Usually five hours before an event, and they close two hours after it ends. Hours can vary, so check the event page or its Know Before You Go document.
Where is rideshare pickup at MetLife Stadium?
Rideshare pickup is in Lot E, and drop-off is on the roadway between Lots D and E. The stadium warns that waits can exceed two hours after an event.
