U.S. Bank Stadium Game Day Guide
Minnesota Vikings · Minneapolis, MN
Know Before You Go
Essential details checked against official venue information.
- Bag policy
U.S. Bank Stadium permits clear bags up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, one-gallon clear freezer bags, and clutches up to 4.5 x 6.5 inches.
Applies to: Minnesota Vikings games
- Medically necessary items are allowed after inspection at a designated gate.
- Bag storage
U.S. Bank Stadium offers a bag-check service during all events for bags that exceed the policy limits.
Applies to: U.S. Bank Stadium events
- A rejected bag must be returned to a vehicle, disposed of, or checked; the venue does not publish the current fee or location.
- Gate opening
U.S. Bank Stadium gates open two hours before kickoff for NFL games.
Applies to: Minnesota Vikings games
- Mobile tickets
Digital tickets are the only accepted ticket format for Vikings games and can be opened in the Vikings app or a mobile wallet.
Applies to: Minnesota Vikings games
- Screenshots do not scan; display the rotating barcode or the wallet ticket.
- Re-entry
Guests may not exit and re-enter U.S. Bank Stadium with the same ticket.
Applies to: U.S. Bank Stadium events
- In an emergency, speak to a Guest Experience representative or Security supervisor before leaving; any exception must be authorized at the gate.
- Prohibited items
U.S. Bank Stadium prohibits weapons, noncompliant bags, hard-sided containers, outside food and alcohol, large camera equipment, laptops, noisemakers, fireworks, strollers, and other listed items.
Applies to: Minnesota Vikings games
- Review the current safety page before arrival for the complete list and exceptions.
- First aid
First Aid stations are behind Sections 114, 124, and 316.
Applies to: U.S. Bank Stadium events
- Notify a stadium employee or text VIKES and the issue and location to 612-777-8977.
- Nursing and lactation
Mamava lactation suites are near Sections 103, 114, 309, and 332, and a Mothers Room is near Section 122.
Applies to: U.S. Bank Stadium events
- The Mothers Room accommodates up to four people and includes a changing table and television.
- Family restrooms
Accessible, gender-neutral family restrooms are available throughout U.S. Bank Stadium.
Applies to: U.S. Bank Stadium events
- Baby-changing stations are in all public restrooms, and an adult-changing table is in the family restroom near Section 114.
- Tickets for children
One child under 36 inches tall may enter a Vikings game free with one ticketed adult.
Applies to: Minnesota Vikings games
- The child receives a wristband at the gate and does not receive an assigned seat.
- Guest services
Guest Services is on the Main Concourse near the Gold and Purple lobbies and on the Upper Concourse near Section 307.
Applies to: U.S. Bank Stadium events
- For discreet in-stadium help, text VIKES with the issue and location to 612-777-8977.
- Service animals
Certified service animals and service animals in training are welcome at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Applies to: U.S. Bank Stadium events
- Service animals must remain leashed or harnessed; other animals are prohibited.
- Smoking and vaping
U.S. Bank Stadium is entirely smoke-free, including electronic cigarettes and vaporizers.
Applies to: U.S. Bank Stadium events
- The ban applies inside the building and outdoors within the security perimeter.
Game Day Timeline
What the day looks like at U.S. Bank Stadium, hour by hour.
The Commons Opens
The Commons park adjacent to U.S. Bank Stadium becomes the epicenter of pregame festivities. Food trucks, live music, and purple-clad fans fill the park for the outdoor pregame experience.
Downtown Bar Scene
Minneapolis bars and restaurants along Hennepin Avenue and in the North Loop fill with Vikings fans. The Warehouse District and Mill District offer dozens of pregame options within walking distance.
Gates Open
U.S. Bank Stadium gates open. Enter early to see the Gjallarhorn up close, explore the concourses, and appreciate the translucent roof's natural light before it fills with 66,655 fans.
Player Warmups
Players take the field for stretching and warmups. The natural light through the ETFE roof panels creates a unique photo opportunity you won't find in any other dome stadium.
Find Your Seats
Grab a Jucy Lucy burger and settle in. The energy builds as the stadium fills with purple and the pregame video plays on the massive end-zone video boards.
SKOL Chant & Game Time
The Gjallarhorn blasts, the SKOL chant erupts, 66,655 fans clapping in unison create one of the most dramatic pregame moments in the NFL. The fixed-roof dome amplifies the sound into a deafening roar.
Exit Strategy
Walk to the Blue Line light rail station directly outside the stadium or head to downtown Minneapolis bars and restaurants. The Mill District and Warehouse District are a short walk for post-game dining and drinks.
Tips & Fan Reports
Arrive no less than 2 hours before kickoff. US Bank Stadium opens 2 hours prior and it's worth wandering around when it's less crowded, especially your first time.
Arrive early for the SKOL chant. It's best experienced from your seat as the entire stadium claps in unison before kickoff.
The Gjallarhorn sounds before kickoff and after every touchdown. It shakes your chest if you are in the lower bowl. Incredible atmosphere.
The Blue Line light rail stops directly at US Bank Stadium. $2 and connects from Mall of America and MSP Airport. Easiest transit in the NFL.
The Blue Line light rail stops directly at the stadium. It's the easiest and most popular way to get to the game.
The SKOL chant before kickoff is the signature moment. The entire stadium claps in unison. Be in your seat early enough to experience it from the start.
Weather
U.S. Bank Stadium is indoor, so these are the conditions for the parking lot and the walk in, not the seats.
Across the NFL season the warmest month is September, with an average high of 72°F, and the coldest is January, when the average low is 8°F. September is the wettest month at 3.4 inches and January the driest at 0.9 inches.
That January low ranks 1st coldest of the 32 NFL venues, and September here ranks 20th wettest.
September
3.4 inchesOctober
3.0 inchesNovember
1.7 inchesDecember
1.3 inchesJanuary
0.9 inchesMinnesota Vikings Clear Bag Policy
Most venues require a clear bag. Get an approved one before you travel.
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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.
- Game day timeline
Gate opening time checked against the venue's own gate-opening policy: U.S. Bank Stadium gates open two hours before kickoff for NFL games.
- Weather
NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals
- Venue policies
Current U.S. Bank Stadium A-Z, safety, accessibility, and concessions pages plus Minnesota Vikings ticketing and parking guidance reviewed for all structured venue-policy topics.