The most useful fact about parking at U.S. Bank Stadium is that the stadium doesn't run any of it. Every ramp and lot around the building belongs to somebody else, which is why prices and rules vary block to block. What the stadium does offer is two things that matter more in Minnesota than anywhere else: light rail that stops at a station named after the stadium, and a skyway connection to the Stadium Parking Ramp, meaning you can park and reach your seat without going outside. In December, that is worth more than saving ten dollars. There is also a long tailgating window here, opening five hours before a weekend kickoff and running until three hours after the game.
The short answer
Cheapest: the METRO Blue or Green Line to U.S. Bank Stadium Station, reported around $2. Warmest: the Stadium Parking Ramp, which connects to the stadium by skyway so you never step outside. Downtown ramps run a reported $15 to $25, and the stadium manages none of them, so rules and prices vary by operator. Tailgating opens 5 hours before weekend games and 3 before weekday games, running until 3 hours after the game or midnight, whichever comes first. Note: no charcoal or wood fires, gas grills only.
At $65, nothing we have priced costs more, and 21 of the 22 NFL stadiums we have priced cost less. See every NFL stadium ranked.
Compare every option
| Option | Cost | Walk | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| METRO Blue and Green Line light railTransit | Reported around $2 | The U.S. Bank Stadium Station is at the building | Almost everyone, and especially in winter |
| Stadium Parking Ramp (skyway connected)Stadium lot | $65 for Vikings games | Connected to the stadium by skyway | Cold weather, which in Minneapolis is most of the season |
| Downtown ramps and lotsOffsite lot | Reported around $15 to $25 | Varies, most a short downtown walk | Paying less than the closest options |
| Accessible parking and drop-offStadium lot | Varies by lot | Reserved spaces across surrounding lots and ramps | Drivers with a placard, and this is handled well here |
| RideshareStadium lot | Fare, surges after the game | Two designated zones | Downtown stays |
| Bike parkingFree | Free | At the stadium | Minneapolis being Minneapolis |
Every option, in detail
Transit
METRO Blue and Green Line light rail
Reported around $2The U.S. Bank Stadium Station is at the building /// Metro Transit service hours
Two light rail lines stop at a station named for the stadium, connecting Minneapolis, St. Paul and Bloomington. For a couple of dollars you skip both the ramp pricing and the downtown traffic, and you're dropped at the door rather than a shuttle ride away.
Heads up: The fare figure comes from an independent guide rather than Metro Transit, so confirm the current fare, and check post-game service for a night kickoff.
Via usbankstadium.com (Light rail service and the station are confirmed on the official U.S. Bank Stadium directions page. The approximate fare comes from an independent guide)
Stadium lot
Stadium Parking Ramp (skyway connected)
$65 for Vikings gamesConnected to the stadium by skyway /// Ramp hours
A six level ramp at 740 S 4th Street, connected to the stadium by skyway, which matters in a Minneapolis December more than anything else on this page. It is the practical answer to "where do I park at the stadium" even though the stadium itself manages no public parking.
Heads up: At $65 it is the most expensive way to do this, and downtown ramps a few blocks out run a fraction of it. You're paying for the skyway. On a mild day that is a bad trade, and in a blizzard it isn't.
Via denisonparking.com (Rate posted by Denison Parking, which runs the ramp, for the facility at 740 S 4th Street. Worth knowing: U.S. Bank Stadium states it "doesn't directly manage any public parking areas, although the Stadium Parking Ramp is connected via skyway to U.S. Bank Stadium." So this is the closest thing to stadium parking here, but the stadium doesn't run it and the rate comes from the operator. Checked July 2026.)
Offsite lot
Downtown ramps and lots
Reported around $15 to $25Varies, most a short downtown walk /// Standard ramp hours
Downtown Minneapolis has deep ramp supply and the whole market is in play, since nothing here is stadium-controlled. Several ramps tie into the skyway network, so ask about that before choosing on price alone.
Heads up: Because every operator sets its own terms, tailgating permission, opening times and prices differ from ramp to ramp. Check what you're actually buying, particularly if you plan to tailgate.
Via usbankstadium.com (The stadium confirms it manages no public parking areas. Price range is an estimate from independent Minneapolis guides)
Stadium lot
Accessible parking and drop-off
Varies by lotReserved spaces across surrounding lots and ramps /// Event hours
Reserved accessible spaces are available in all parking lots and ramps surrounding the stadium, rather than concentrated in one lot, and staff direct guests with disabilities to monitored areas. There is a dedicated drop-off for guests with disabilities on 10th Avenue South between 6th and 7th Streets South.
Heads up: Because each ramp is independently operated, confirm accessible availability and rate with the specific ramp when you book.
Via usbankstadium.com (Official U.S. Bank Stadium directions page, including the dedicated drop-off location)
Stadium lot
Rideshare
Fare, surges after the gameTwo designated zones /// Event hours
Two designated rideshare zones: 9th Avenue South between 6th and 7th Streets South, and 3rd Street between Park and Portland Avenues. Having two spreads the postgame crowd, so pick the less obvious one.
Via usbankstadium.com (Official U.S. Bank Stadium directions page)
Free
Bike parking
FreeAt the stadium /// Event hours
The stadium provides more than 180 complimentary bike racks, which is a lot, and entirely in character for a city that bikes year round. For early season games this is a free way to arrive.
Via usbankstadium.com (Official U.S. Bank Stadium directions page)
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How it compares
Vikings against the rest of the NFL
At $65 a car, U.S. Bank Stadium is the most expensive we could price. 21 stadiums charge less, and one charges nothing at all.
9 stadiums don't publish a price
At these you find out what parking costs when you get there, which is why they're missing from the comparison rather than sitting at the bottom of it.
AT&T Stadium · Caesars Superdome · Highmark Stadium · Huntington Bank Field · Lumen Field · M&T Bank Stadium · MetLife Stadium · Nissan Stadium · Raymond James Stadium
Skip parking entirely
Minneapolis pairs rail at the door with an indoor skyway network, which together make this one of the easiest cold-weather stadiums to reach. Given that the stadium manages no parking and every ramp sets its own price, the train is also the most predictable option.
METRO Blue and Green Lines
Reported around $2Both stop at U.S. Bank Stadium Station, connecting Minneapolis, St. Paul and Bloomington. Fast, frequent, and it puts you at the building.
Minneapolis Skyway
FreeThe downtown skyway network connects into the stadium, including from the Stadium Parking Ramp. In January this is the difference between a pleasant walk and a miserable one.
When to get there
Tailgating opens five hours before kickoff for weekend games and three hours before for weekday games, though NFL flex scheduling can move that, so check your specific game. Because ramps are independently operated and not stadium-controlled, there is no single lot-opening time to plan around: confirm with whoever you booked.
Getting out after
Tailgating can continue until three hours after the game ends or midnight, whichever comes first, which is one of the more generous postgame windows in the league and lets you wait out downtown traffic. If you took the train, none of that matters, and the skyway route means you can stay warm while deciding.
Tailgating rules
Tailgating is authorized in designated lots and ramps for Vikings games only. For any other event at the stadium, permission comes from the individual parking operator rather than the stadium. Weekend games open five hours before kickoff, weekday games three hours, and everything must end three hours after the game or at midnight, whichever is earlier.
Permitted: gas grills with propane cylinders up to 20 pounds, portable outdoor furniture, tents and awnings provided they use no stakes and don't block spaces or drive aisles, portable generators, and alcohol consumed legally by adults. Prohibited: charcoal or wood fires of any kind, kegs, glass containers, loud music, large furniture, drones and other flying objects, and any sales or unauthorized promotion. One permit means one space, and holding spaces for friends arriving later isn't allowed. Tailgating lots are equipped with coal disposal bins, trash receptacles and portable toilets.
Questions, answered
- How much does parking cost at U.S. Bank Stadium?
- Stadium lots start at $65. Cheapest: the METRO Blue or Green Line to U.S. Bank Stadium Station, reported around $2. Warmest: the Stadium Parking Ramp, which connects to the stadium by skyway so you never step outside. Downtown ramps run a reported $15 to $25, and the stadium manages none of them, so rules and prices vary by operator. Tailgating opens 5 hours before weekend games and 3 before weekday games, running until 3 hours after the game or midnight, whichever comes first. Note: no charcoal or wood fires, gas grills only.
- Is there free parking near U.S. Bank Stadium?
- There is no reliable free parking near U.S. Bank Stadium. The cheapest options are listed above.
- What time should I get to a Vikings game?
- Tailgating opens five hours before kickoff for weekend games and three hours before for weekday games, though NFL flex scheduling can move that, so check your specific game. Because ramps are independently operated and not stadium-controlled, there is no single lot-opening time to plan around: confirm with whoever you booked.
- Can you get to U.S. Bank Stadium without a car?
- Minneapolis pairs rail at the door with an indoor skyway network, which together make this one of the easiest cold-weather stadiums to reach. Given that the stadium manages no parking and every ramp sets its own price, the train is also the most predictable option. METRO Blue and Green Lines: Reported around $2.
The charcoal ban is the rule most likely to catch a visiting tailgater, since gas grills only is stricter than most stadiums, which permit charcoal in surface lots. If you're driving in with a charcoal setup, it won't be allowed.
Sourced from the stadium, the city, local outlets, and fans who park here every week. Checked July 2026, and we recheck three times a year. Prices and lot rules change, so every claim above either links where it came from or says plainly that it is fan-reported and unconfirmed. Click through before you build your day around one spot.
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Dispatch Sports, “Parking at U.S. Bank Stadium: Minnesota Vikings Gameday Guide.” Checked July 2026. https://dispatchsports.com/nfl/vikings/parking
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