Madison Square Garden Pregame Guide
New York Knicks · New York, NY
Madison Square Garden is at 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, sitting directly on top of Penn Station — the A, C and E stop underneath the building — so a Knicks pregame is Midtown rather than anything resembling a lot, and no tailgating policy exists to publish. Two things need planning. Screening is TSA-style and the arena asks guests to arrive at least two hours before tip-off because of it. And the bag rule tightens for basketball: the general policy is that a bag must fit comfortably under your seat with nothing over 22 by 14 by 9 inches, but for some events including Knicks games a strict no-bag policy applies outright, so check the event page before you leave.
Tips & Fan Reports
Allow two hours before tip-off: screening here is TSA-style and the queues reflect it.
The A, C and E put you underneath the building, so driving into Midtown on a game night is the harder option.
Check the event page before you travel — a strict no-bag policy applies to some events including Knicks games, over and above the usual size limit.
Any of the four general entrances will admit you; the one printed on the ticket is a suggestion.
Where to Go Before the Game
Penn Station, directly beneath the arena
Madison Square Garden sits directly above Penn Station at 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, reached on the A, C and E trains to 34th Street/Penn Station. The building is its own transit hub, which is why most people arrive without a car.
Known for Directly above Penn Station · A, C and E to 34th St · 4 Pennsylvania Plaza
The four general entrances
The arena has general entrance points on its north, south, east and west sides, plus separate VIP entrances — the ticket names a suggested one but any of the four admits general guests.
Known for North, south, east, west · Plus VIP entrances
Nearby garages and lots via SpotHero
SpotHero is the arena's official parking app, covering the garages and lots around Penn Plaza. Midtown parking on an event night is best booked rather than hunted.
Known for Official parking app · Midtown garages · Book ahead
Rules to Know
What Madison Square Garden allows, and what it does not.
- Madison Square Garden is at 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, directly above Penn Station, reached by the A, C and E trains to 34th Street/Penn Station.
- The arena has general entrance points on the north, south, east and west sides, plus VIP entrance points.
- Bags must fit comfortably under your seat, and oversized bags larger than 22" x 14" x 9" are prohibited.
- For some events, including Knicks games, a strict no-bag policy is in effect and fans are asked to limit personal items to an absolute minimum.
- Guests are strongly encouraged to arrive at least two hours before tip-off to allow time for screening and entry, which uses TSA-style procedures.
- SpotHero is the official parking app of Madison Square Garden.
- Venue protocols are subject to change and should be checked on the event detail page before travelling.
- The arena publishes no tailgating policy.
What to Bring
- A bag the gate will accept
Bags do not need to be clear but must fit under the seat; bags larger than 22 x 14 x 9 inches are prohibited.
- Only the outside food and drink the rule allows
Outside food and beverages are prohibited inside Madison Square Garden.
- A card or a phone wallet
Madison Square Garden accepts credit and debit cards plus mobile payments such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.
- Your tickets on a charged phone
Madison Square Garden uses digital tickets and recommends downloading them to a phone wallet before arrival.
- A coat for the walk in
January lows average 28°F between the lot and the door at Madison Square Garden.
- A rain layer for the walk in
October averages 4.4 inches of rain outside Madison Square Garden.
New York Knicks Tailgate Gear
Canopies, grills, coolers, and official New York Knicks gear for the ultimate tailgate.
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How We Checked This Page
Every section below names the source it was read from and the day it was read. Where we could not reach a published figure, the page says so rather than presenting an estimate as a checked fact.
- Pregame
Madison Square Garden official site: Directions, Entrances, Visitors Guide and FAQs
- Venue policies
Current Madison Square Garden FAQ, accessibility-services, and venue-guide pages reviewed for New York Knicks game-day policies.
- Weather
NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals