Tips/Tricks for getting to/from a concert at Giants Stadium? archived

I'd drive but think you can get NJ Transit train from Lautenberg Station too

I will drive, too -- I'm trying to figure out when to get there/best lot to park in (for easy departure), etc. I have never done it before!

With all the construction on the new stadium there is no 'good' option, they're all pretty equal and lousy. I've been going since the stadium opened in 1976 and this is by far the worse year I've seen and it's been only one day so far.

As for my suggestion, if you're going to drive, I would use the entrance on Rt. 120, which is actually across the highway from the stadium, but the ramp goes back over to the stadium side. Then park in the first lot you can enter. When you leave you can get back on Rt. 120, headed to Rt. 3 and go east to the NJT or west to the GSP, whatever you prefer.

Hope that's helpful. Enjoy the concert.

Great! Where do I find Route 120? Is it off Route 3?

Yes, Route 120 is a little side road between Route 17 and Route 3.


Actually, my recommendation would be to get a car service.

Has anyone taken the rail connection from secaucus? How is it post-concert, getting back to Secaucus?

Car service, hmm...how much does that cost?

You can get to Rt. 120 one of two ways, that I know of. Traveling west on Rt. 3 from Secaucus there will be an exit. You can also take the NJT to exit 16W, then follow the signs to Rt. 120, at one point the road now splits, make sure to take the access that says to Stadium & Arena.

i would suggest that you take the NJ Transit Meadowlands Train Service. You would take the train to the Seacaucus Transfer Station and change trains to the Meadowlands Train straight into Giants Staduim. I recently attended the Jets-Eagle game and used the service. The service runs for two hours after the event.

Bandit,
I tried looking on the NJ transit website for the route, and they gave mesome wild route with buses and light rail that took three hurs. Youmean you can just take the train from SO to Secaucus and transfer?

Tried again, and it worked -- apparently the train only leaves maedowlands once an hour, though. I am wondering, is it jammed and crazy? I will be with my daughter.

You are only going one stop and it's about 15 minutes each way. The train wasn't bad and their were parents traveling with kids from the game. After the game, there were 2 trains waiting to take us back to Seacaucus. I would recommend the train.

I'm also going to the Wednesday show. Here is the information emailed to me from Ticketmaster (I didn't realize parking would cost $25, so maybe I'll take the train too):

GOING TO THE U2 360° CONCERT AT GIANTS STADIUM?
HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
U2 360° TOUR
With special guest Muse
Giants Stadium
QUICK FACTS
• Dates are September 23 & 24, 2009
September 23rd performance rescheduled from September 25th – all tickets valid at the door.
• Doors 5:30 PM / Show 7:00 PM
• Parking lot #16 will open at 8 AM for both shows for General Admission ticket holders only.
• Parking lots for all other ticket holders will open at 1:30 PM.
• Concert is rain or shine
venue website: www.meadowlands.com
GETTING TO THE STADIUM
Over 80,000 fans will be at the stadium each night, similar to the attendance for a Giants or Jets football game. As a result, off-site parking will be utilized to handle the overflow of cars onto the Meadowlands Sports Complex.
ALL TICKET HOLDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CAR POOL, USE NJ TRANSIT RAIL SERVICE, ARRIVE EARLY AND ALLOW EXTRA TRAVEL TIME TO THE MEADOWLANDS SPORTS COMPLEX.
CARPOOL
U2 Fans interested in ride sharing or carpooling to attend the U2 360º Tour concert are invited to sign up for a PickupPal account which is free to join and to use. On the site members can post routes as passengers and/or drivers. For complete details, visit: http://u2.pickuppal.com
TAKE THE NEW MEADOWLANDS RAIL
Avoid the hassles of driving and take the train to the concert! The New Meadowlands Rail Line is the best way to get to and from the U2 concert. Operated by NJ TRANSIT, trip time to Giants Stadium is just a short 10 minutes from the Frank R. Lautenberg Station at Secaucus Junction.
What fans need to know:
• The new rail line gives New Jersey fans statewide rail access to the Meadowlands Sports Complex with connections at Hoboken Terminal and Secaucus Junction. Fans coming from NYC connect through Penn Station New York.
• Trains will operate between Hoboken, Secaucus Junction and the Meadowlands Rail Station beginning at 3:20 PM (approximately 3-1/2 hours before the concert). There will be no mass transportation service available to the Meadowlands Sports Complex prior to 3:20 PM.
• The Meadowlands Train Station is located near Gate B at Giants Stadium.
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• Return rail service begins immediately after the concert ends and will continue to operate for 2 hours after the event.
• THERE IS NO EVENT BUS SERVICE (#351) FROM NY PORT AUTHORITY FOR THE U2 CONCERTS.
Travel tips:
• Purchase round-trip tickets in advance from any NJ TRANSIT rail ticket vending machine or ticket office. Select “Meadowlands Sports Complex” as your destination. (On older ticket vending machines, use station code 410.).
• On the train, present your ticket to the conductor. If you are connecting at Secaucus Junction, your ticket will be returned to you.
• Customers connecting from Northeast Corridor or North Jersey Coast Line trains must use their ticket to pass through the fare gates at Secaucus Junction. Each ticket will open the fare gate one time.
• Trains to the Meadowlands depart from the lower level.
• For schedule and fare information, visit www.njtransit.com/meadowlands and use the trip planner to confirm your schedule, for information on connecting trains at Secaucus Junction or Hoboken Terminal, and specific fares.
PARKING AT GIANTS STADIUM
1. Parking lot #16 will open at 8 AM for both shows for General Admission ticket holders only.
2. Parking lots for all other ticket holders will open at 1:30 PM.
3. Parking Fee: $25 cars, limos and RVs; $50 buses
4. No reserved parking permits will be issued for these concerts (as they are for Giants and Jets games).
5. There is no overnight parking permitted.
6. Parking for guests with disabilities is available in Lots 10, 12, 14 and 18.
7. DROP OFF AREA: The location for taxis, limousines and cars to drop off or pick up a patron is adjacent to the walkover bridge on the stadium side of the bridge (near parking lots 10/12).
8. If you park in the IZOD Center parking lots, shuttle buses will be available to transport you to the Stadium side of the Sports Complex. Buses will be available after the concert for reverse trip. You can also cross over using the walkover bridge.
OFF-SITE / SATELLITE PARKING LOT INFORMATION
1. Off-site parking (same location as NFL games) will be utilized for the two U2 concerts.
2. The off-site parking lots are located approximately 2 miles from the Meadowlands Sports Complex at 1050 Wall Street West, Lyndhurst, NJ 07071.
3. The cost to park in the off-site parking lots is $20.
4. Courtesy shuttle bus service (load and go school buses) will be provided from and to the off-site parking lots and the Meadowlands Sports Complex (parking lot 17 next to the Timex Performance Center Giants Training Facility).
5. Shuttle buses will begin operating at 5 PM, run continuously through the concert and conclude approximately 1.5 hours after the show.
6. All off-site parking lots will be color coded and specific drop off and pick up information will be provided at these lots.
7. No drinking or eating will be permitted on the shuttle buses.
8. Off-site parking lots will be patrolled by local law enforcement officers.
9. Portable restroom facilities will be available at the off-site lots.
10. ALL FORMS OF TAILGATING WILL BE PROHIBITED AND STRICTLY ENFORCED.
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WILL CALL / RESERVATIONS
1. Will Call / Reservations Pick-up for all shows is at Giants Stadium gate D. Windows will open at 4:30 PM.
2. Government issued photo ID (i.e. drivers license) or the credit card used to purchase the tickets is required to pick up tickets.
ENTRY PROCEDURES
1. There are four gates at Giants Stadium: A, B, C and D. All gates will open at 5:30 PM to allow entry into the stadium. Patrons with tickets located in lower tier (100’s) mezzanine (200’s) and upper tier (300’s) may enter through Gates A, C or D.
2. All patrons with General Admission (GA) field tickets may only enter through Gate B. Entry to Giants Stadium with GA tickets will be denied at Gates A, C and D. Please note that all General Admission tickets are “hard tickets”. There were no GA tickets sold with the Ticketfast print-at-home option for these concerts.
GENERAL ADMISSION LINE
1. The field will be all General Admission – no chairs.
2. General Admission will line up at Gate B beginning at 8 AM. The order for the GA line will be first-come, first-serve. No overnight camping or parking is permitted. If you arrive before 8 AM, you will not be able to park and you will not be allowed to line up. (Parking lots open at 8 AM).
3. Concession stands will be available on the field during the concert.
ADMISSION POLICIES
1. Due to heightened security measures at the gates, we strongly urge all guests to arrive at the Stadium as early as possible to avoid entrance delays.
2. Physically challenged guests requiring assistance should contact a Guest Services Representative at the gates or Mike Smith, ADA Manager, in advance, at (201) 935-3900.
3. To determine where your seat is within a section, remember that the "higher numbered seat is closer to the higher numbered section." So, if you have seat 1 in section 111, you are on the aisle next to section 110 and seats 2, 3, 4, etc. will be going towards section 112. If you have seat 1 in section 222, you are on the aisle next to section 221 and seats 2, 3, 4, etc. will be going towards section 223. For field seating, same rule applies.
4. Exit/Re-entry into Giants Stadium is not permitted. All guests entering the Stadium are subject to search. Refusal may be grounds to prohibit admission.
PERMITTED ITEMS (all items are subject to inspection)
The following items may be brought into Giants Stadium: plastic bottles of water (one bottle per fan with cap removed), small point-and-shoot cameras, binoculars, small purses and fanny packs, and Aramark bags containing just-purchased merchandise.
PROHIBITED ITEMS
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS MAY NOT BE BROUGHT INTO GIANTS STADIUM: UMBRELLAS, PROFESSIONAL CAMERAS, VIDEO CAMERAS, LARGE BAGS, BACKPACKS, CANS, LASER POINTERS AND ANY ITEM DEEMED BY MANAGEMENT TO BE DANGEROUS OR INAPPROPRIATE.
PROHIBITED ITEMS THAT ARE DISCOVERED DURING INSPECTIONS AT STADIUM ENTRANCES MUST EITHER BE RETURNED TO THE
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OWNER’S VEHICLE OR DISCARDED. THE STADIUM WILL NOT PROVIDE A STORAGE AREA FOR THESE ITEMS. UNLAWFUL ITEMS THAT ARE DISCOVERED DURING SECURITY INSPECTIONS ARE SUBJECT TO BEING CONFISCATED AND THE PERSON IN POSSESSION OF THOSE ITEMS IS SUBJECT TO ARREST. GUESTS ARRIVING BY TRAIN MUST TAKE PARTICULAR CAUTION NOT TO BRING ANY PROHIBITED ITEMS, AS NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE.
TAILGATING
1. Tailgating is permitted provided guests tailgate in the same space occupied by their vehicle – the “one car, one space” rule. Open parking spaces should not be used for tailgating.
2. Tailgating is permitted in IZOD Center surface parking lots. However, tailgating is prohibited in Deck 23 (parking garage next to IZOD Center).
3. Grills are allowed. However, their use near buildings or in any area where guests or property may be damaged is strictly prohibited. Please do not discard hot coals near vehicles or in plastic waste receptacles.
4. Open fires are not permitted.
SMOKING POLICY - Smoking is permitted on the spirals and at ground-level plazas at all gates. Smoking is prohibited in all other areas of Giants Stadium.
TICKET RESALE
1. In accordance with New Jersey state law, the maximum resale value is an additional 20 percent of the face value of the ticket (excluding service charges).
2. Anyone trying to resell tickets for a greater value is subject to arrest.
AREA HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS - For information on local hotels and restaurants, go to www.stayinthemeadowlands.com
All information is subject to change

Posted By: deborahgCar service, hmm...how much does that cost?

If I recall correctly, the last time we did this, it was $50 each way. Per person, turned out to be not so bad.

Will be doing this again for the shows in October. Parking at the Meadowlands, especially Giants Stadium, is a royal pain.

I'm definitely thinking the train at this point. Thanks to all for the info!!

My understanding for the train service is that is leaves frequently before the event (every 15 to 20 minutes) and that after the event they have multiple trains lined up to carry people back. The service is new but seems to be functioning quite well. Not sure where you read that the service is hourly.

Yes, you just go from SO to Secaucus and change to a Meadowlands train (the Meadowlands are only one stop away from Secaucus).

I'd seriously consider that to avoid needing to travel major roads in rush hour with tens of thousands of extra cars on the road. Not to mention that the parking fee will probably be in the same range as the tickets. For an adult and a kid, looks like the round trip would be $14.

Finally, here's the info page on the service:
http://www.njtransit.com/sf/sf_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=MeadowlandsTo

(It looks like the best option from SO would be to catch the 5:47 train, which gets to Secaucus at 6:07. Then there's a 6:18 Meadowlands train that gets there at 6:31)

P.S. You can also take any train to Hoboken, and transfer there to the same Meadowlands line. The Meadowlands line runs Hoboken->Secaucus->Meadowlands.

I really want to do the train service, my problem is I would also like to leave earlier than the concert being over...... (I know) but getting home for me is well over an hour and I have to get up at 5 am. So..... do you think they'll have rail service earlier?????

They do run rail service in the middle in case you want/need to leave. Playing around with the thing on the NJT website (you have to enter your trip *to* the Meadowlands first and then click 'return trip' at the bottom with a new time), I see trains departing at 8:05, 9:00, 10:00, 10:20, & 11.

Fabulous, thanks Fred!

One more IMPORTANT thing!

I did it for Sept 23rd. If you're going a different day, check it yourself! Or even if you're going the same day check it anyway, since you don't know me from Adam . I coulda screwed up!

:rolling: True, I do only know you as fredct

Hey, Scarlet,I'll wave to you! Where are you sitting?

Well Deb....it will be Thursday instead of Wednesday, no idea where I am sitting (friend got the tickets). But I am sure the wave will last a night :wink: Otherwise I would say we'd have to meet in person for a drink at the stadium!

beside scarlet who is going thursday night. does anyone know how far a walk it is from the station to the stadium entrance? is the train from Secaucus Junction and the Meadowlands Rail Station handicap accessible? i have to ask my friend if he wants to drive or take the train.

i also have tickets for three of the springsteen shows. i am more concerned about getting sick in the cold then sitting in traffic.

We parked at Secaucus - you can reserve a spot - and took the rail connection to the meadowlands for the Jets game yesterday.

Very easy. Didn't want to connect to midtown direct b/c I felt that would be too stressful worrying about making the connection. I was very impressed with NJ Transit - they hand a nice system going to load up the train.

Here's a recent image with the current Giant Stadium in the foreground, the new one in the background, and the rail station off to the right. As you can see it will be more convenient to the new stadium (which was the point), but isn't bad for the current one:
http://www.wcbs880.com/pages/5230488.php?imageGalleryXRefId=1368022#imgXR

Here's another one from a different angle showing the station better:
http://www.wcbs880.com/pages/5230488.php?imageGalleryXRefId=1368030#imgXR


And, yes, it's handicapped accessible (see the bar on the right here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meadowlands_(NJT_station). Anything that's built new has to be.

Just wanted to follow up and say the train was great. As someone noted, don't buy your ticket on the train -- get it from the ticket guy or the machines now at SO station. You need the actual card ticket (with the arrow/black strip) to get through the machines at Secaucus. Other than that, things are clearly marked and there were tons of NJT employees directing traffic at both Secaucus and the Meadowlands station. They keep adding more trains as needed, so you don't have to worry that you'll be left behind.

We took the 5:47 train from S.O., made the switch with no problem, and reached the Meadowlands by 6:35. On the way back, we got on the trains waiting outside (this took about 15 minutes because there was a big crowd, but it was very friendly and well managed). Grabbed the Montclair train that was leaving as we arrived in Secaucus, switched in Newark to the Gladstone line train coming from Hoboken (not necessary but can save you time by giving you more options), and made it home in just over an hour door to door. Total cost: $11 pp.

For much of the train ride, we had a fine view of the horrendous traffic, which made it that much more satisfying to sit and read my book.

The concert itself was AWESOME, by the way.

Now I am totally confused! On another thread someone said driving was a breeze. No problem getting there and going home. The articles from the concert said it was a mess last night trying to get onto the train, pushing shoving and it was insane.

AHHHHHHH what to do???

Car service. Limousine. Whatever. Just leave early enough and bring some wine. :wink:

No worries, definitely bringing some whatever.....