Northwest Stadium, which fans still call FedExField, sits in Landover with two things going for it that most suburban stadiums do not: a Metro station within walking distance, and one cash lot that does not require a prepaid pass. Everything else here runs on prepurchase, and the team has listed season parking as sold out, so the Gray Lot and the Metro are the realistic answers for most visiting fans. The tailgating rule to know before you plan a day: everything must be packed up and finished by kickoff, and staying in the lots after the game starts without a ticket can get you treated as a trespasser.
The short answer
Cheapest and simplest: ride Metro to Morgan Boulevard and walk. If you drive without a pass: the Gray Lot is cash only, first come, and cannot be prepurchased, which makes it the one walk-up option. Most lots open 4 hours before kickoff, RedZone A opens 5 and has wider spaces for bigger vehicles. Tailgating is allowed in every lot except H-Burgundy, but it all has to end at kickoff. Worst plan: assuming you can buy a regular pass at the gate.
Compare every option
| Option | Cost | Walk | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro to Morgan BoulevardFree street | Metro fare | A walk from the station to the stadium | Skipping the sold-out parking problem entirely |
| Gray Lot (cash only, no pass needed)Community lot | Cash only, price set on the day | At the complex | Anyone driving without a prepaid pass, which is most visiting fans |
| Prepaid lots (Black, Gold, Burgundy and the lettered lots)Stadium lot | Reported roughly $50 to $100 and up depending on lot and game | At the complex, varies by lot | Anyone who bought ahead |
| RedZone A lotStadium lot | Prepaid | At the complex | Larger vehicles and longer tailgates |
| Accessible parking (Lots E and H)Stadium lot | Requires a prepaid pass | At the complex | Drivers with a placard who bought ahead |
| RV, bus and limo parkingStadium lot | Requires the specific pass type | At the complex | Groups arriving in something oversized |
Every option, in detail
Free street
Metro to Morgan Boulevard
Metro fareA walk from the station to the stadium /// Metro service hours
The stadium is walkable from Metro, which is unusual for a suburban NFL stadium and is the single best reason not to drive here. Given that season parking passes have been listed as sold out and most lots require prepurchase, this is the option that always works.
Heads up: It is a real walk from the station rather than a door-to-door drop, so factor in weather and time. Check Metro's post-game service for a night kickoff.
Via northweststadium.com (The stadium directs fans to its public transit page for Metro and bus detail. Morgan Boulevard as the station and the walking approach are described consistently across independent 2026 guides)
Community lot
Gray Lot (cash only, no pass needed)
Cash only, price set on the dayAt the complex /// 4 hours before kickoff, first come first served
This is the most practically useful fact here. The Gray Lot cannot be pre-purchased and runs first come, first served on event days, taking cash at the gate. In a stadium where everything else is prepaid and sold out, it is the only real walk-up option.
Heads up: Cash only means cash only, so stop before you get to Landover. First come means arriving when lots open four hours out, especially for a marquee opponent.
Via northweststadium.com (Official Northwest Stadium parking page, which states the Gray Lot is cash only, cannot be pre-purchased, and is first come first served)
Stadium lot
Prepaid lots (Black, Gold, Burgundy and the lettered lots)
Reported roughly $50 to $100 and up depending on lot and gameAt the complex, varies by lot /// 4 hours before kickoff
The main lot system uses lettered lots (A, D, E, F, G, H) with color designations. The stadium strongly recommends prepurchasing, which it says guarantees your spot and speeds entry.
Heads up: Commanders season parking has been listed as sold out, with resale the remaining route. Prices are estimates from independent 2026 guides rather than published figures, and they move by opponent. Verify availability before driving out.
Via northweststadium.com (Lot structure and the prepurchase recommendation from the official Northwest Stadium parking page. Price range is an estimate from independent guides)
Stadium lot
RedZone A lot
PrepaidAt the complex /// 5 hours before kickoff, an hour before every other lot
RedZone A is the only lot opening five hours out, and it offers wider spaces for larger vehicles. If your setup is big or your tailgate is the point of the day, this is the one worth paying for.
Via northweststadium.com (Official Northwest Stadium parking page)
Stadium lot
Accessible parking (Lots E and H)
Requires a prepaid passAt the complex /// 4 hours before kickoff
Lots E and H are the designated accessible areas. Enter Lot E from Sean Taylor Road and Lot H from Garrett Morgan Road, which is worth programming into your navigation before you leave.
Heads up: You need both a valid state-issued placard or plate and a prepaid pass. A placard alone will not get you in, which is a stricter combination than several other stadiums, so sort the pass in advance.
Via northweststadium.com (Official Northwest Stadium parking page, including the specific entry roads)
Stadium lot
RV, bus and limo parking
Requires the specific pass typeAt the complex /// 4 hours before kickoff
RVs and buses need a Bus/RV parking pass and enter from Sean Taylor Road. Limousines need an A-Limo pass and enter via Garrett Morgan Road. The entry roads differ by vehicle type, so check yours rather than following the main traffic.
Via northweststadium.com (Official Northwest Stadium parking page)
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Skip parking entirely
Being walkable from Metro is Northwest Stadium's best feature, and it matters more here than at most stadiums because parking is prepaid and has been selling out. The team also recommends checking live navigation for road closures, which tells you something about game-day traffic in Landover.
Metro to Morgan Boulevard
Metro fareThe nearest station, within walking distance of the stadium. For anyone coming from DC or the inner suburbs this beats driving out to Landover and dealing with the lots.
Bus service
Transit fareThe stadium maintains a public transit page covering Metro and bus options together. Check it against your kickoff time and, more importantly, your return.
Rideshare
Fare, surges after the gameThe stadium publishes rideshare drop-off guidance on its transit page. As everywhere, the postgame wait is the hard part, and the Metro walk is the more predictable option.
When to get there
Most lots open four hours before kickoff, with RedZone A at five. If you are relying on the Gray Lot, treat the four hour mark as your arrival time, because it is first come and it is the only lot you can buy into on the day. The stadium recommends live navigation for road closures around Landover, which is worth heeding.
Getting out after
The wrinkle here is that the lots empty into the Beltway corridor, so the exit is genuinely slow. It is also the reason the Metro walk is worth considering even in bad weather. Note that unlike Houston or Dallas, there is no lingering-and-tailgating option afterward: tailgating has to be finished by kickoff.
Tailgating rules
Tailgating is permitted in all parking lots except H-Burgundy and lots designated for team personnel and staff. Lots open four hours before the event, RedZone A five hours before.
The hard rule that catches people: all tailgating activities must conclude by the start of the event. Tents, canopies, umbrellas, tarps and portable latrines have to be broken down and put away before you enter the stadium, and flames and grills must be extinguished, with ash dumpsters provided in the lots. The stadium also warns that people without event tickets who remain in the parking areas after kickoff may be treated as trespassers, so this is not a place to plan a lot party for the friend without a ticket.
Via commanders.com
Questions, answered
- How much does parking cost at Northwest Stadium?
- Stadium lots run Reported roughly $50 to $100 and up depending on lot and game to Requires the specific pass type. Offsite and community lots cost less, and nearby street parking can be free. Cheapest and simplest: ride Metro to Morgan Boulevard and walk. If you drive without a pass: the Gray Lot is cash only, first come, and cannot be prepurchased, which makes it the one walk-up option. Most lots open 4 hours before kickoff, RedZone A opens 5 and has wider spaces for bigger vehicles. Tailgating is allowed in every lot except H-Burgundy, but it all has to end at kickoff. Worst plan: assuming you can buy a regular pass at the gate.
- Is there free parking near Northwest Stadium?
- Metro to Morgan Boulevard: Metro fare, A walk from the station to the stadium. It is a real walk from the station rather than a door-to-door drop, so factor in weather and time. Check Metro's post-game service for a night kickoff.
- What time should I get to a Commanders game?
- Most lots open four hours before kickoff, with RedZone A at five. If you are relying on the Gray Lot, treat the four hour mark as your arrival time, because it is first come and it is the only lot you can buy into on the day. The stadium recommends live navigation for road closures around Landover, which is worth heeding.
- Can you get to Northwest Stadium without a car?
- Being walkable from Metro is Northwest Stadium's best feature, and it matters more here than at most stadiums because parking is prepaid and has been selling out. The team also recommends checking live navigation for road closures, which tells you something about game-day traffic in Landover. Metro to Morgan Boulevard: Metro fare.
Selling food, beverages, tickets or merchandise in the lots without written approval is prohibited, which rules out the informal lot commerce that operates at some other stadiums.
Sourced from the stadium, the city, local outlets, and fans who park here every week. Checked 2026-07, and we recheck three times a year. Prices and lot rules change, so every claim above links where it came from. Click through before you build your day around one spot.
Citing this guide
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Dispatch Sports, “Parking at Northwest Stadium: Washington Commanders Gameday Guide.” Checked 2026-07. https://dispatchsports.com/nfl/commanders/parking
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