UBS Arena Game Day Guide
New York Islanders · Elmont, NY
Know Before You Go
- Bag policy
Bags no larger than 12 x 12 x 6 inches are permitted after X-ray or visual screening; backpacks of every size are prohibited.
Medical bags and baby bags are permitted but must be screened before entry.
- Bag storage
A bag-check service is available in the Acrisure Great Hall for bags that cannot enter UBS Arena.
- Mobile tickets
Only digital Islanders tickets displayed on a smartphone are accepted at UBS Arena.
Use the Islanders + UBS Arena app, Apple Wallet, or Google Pay; printouts, physical tickets, and screenshots are not accepted.
- Re-entry
General re-entry is not allowed after a guest exits UBS Arena.
- Prohibited items
Prohibited items include weapons, backpacks and oversized bags, professional cameras and recording devices, laptops, lasers, outside alcohol, fireworks and projectiles, hard-sided drink containers, coolers, large umbrellas, noisemakers, drones, skateboards, and rollerblades.
Signs may not exceed 11 x 17 inches or be attached to a pole, and event-specific restrictions may also apply.
- First aid
Registered nurses staff first-aid stations on the main and upper concourses across from Sections 107 and 224/324.
Ask the nearest team member when medical assistance is needed.
- Nursing and lactation
Private Mother's Rooms are inside the Family Services Rooms outside Sections 106 and 212.
Those rooms also provide couches, folding chairs, a microwave, diapers, and other family supplies.
- Family restrooms
Family Services Rooms outside Sections 106 and 212 each contain a family restroom and a Mother's Room.
Parenting rooms are also at Sections 106 and 212 and inside the women's restrooms near Sections 108, 118, 225, and the PitchBook Suite Level.
- Tickets for children
Children age 2 and older need a ticket; a child younger than 2 may enter without one but must sit on a parent or guardian's lap.
- Guest services
Guest Services kiosks are near the Family Services areas by Section 106 on the main concourse and Section 212 on the upper concourse.
- Service animals
UBS Arena asks guests bringing a service animal to email the accessibility team no later than 48 hours before the event.
Dedicated seating locations are available, and the animal-relief area is in the plaza north of the Great Hall and Main Entrance.
- Smoking and vaping
Smoking and vaping are prohibited at UBS Arena and in its surrounding area.
Game Day Timeline
What the day looks like at UBS Arena, hour by hour.
Plan your travel
Take the LIRR from Penn Station or Jamaica to Elmont-UBS Arena station. Or drive and park in the South Lot.
Explore the arena plaza
The UBS Arena plaza area has food vendors and fan activities on game nights. Arrive early to soak it in.
Doors open
Enter UBS Arena and catch warm-ups. The arena is brand new and the sightlines are excellent from every seat.
Find your seat
The building fills fast. The pregame energy builds, Islanders fans are among the most passionate in the NHL.
Game time
Three 20-minute periods. When the Isles score, the building shakes. The 'Yes! Yes! Yes!' chant is iconic.
Hit the concourse
Grab a Long Island pizza slice or a craft beer. The concourse is wide and modern, easy to navigate.
Head home
LIRR trains depart from the dedicated station immediately after games. The lots clear within 20-30 minutes.
Tips & Fan Reports
The Islanders' fan base is fiercely loyal. Expect loud, passionate crowds especially for Rangers rivalry games.
UBS Arena is designed for hockey, the sightlines and acoustics are purpose-built. Every seat is good.
UBS Arena opened in 2021 and has a dedicated Islanders feel that the old Barclays Center never had.
LIRR Elmont-UBS Arena station was built specifically for the arena. Direct trains from Penn Station.
Take the LIRR, the dedicated Elmont-UBS Arena station is right at the arena. Game-night trains from Penn Station run regularly.
Belmont Park area has limited dining options. Eat before taking the LIRR, or try the expanded arena food.
Check which Cross Island Parkway exit your parking tier uses before you set off. 26A, 26B and 26D lead to different lots and you cannot switch on arrival.
The LIRR stops at Belmont Park on the arena campus, which sidesteps the exit question entirely.
You must leave by the route you arrived on, so the exit you pick shapes the journey home too.
Emerald runs a free shuttle if the walk is too far.
Before the Game
UBS Arena's parking is organised by Cross Island Parkway exit, and getting the exit wrong means a long way round: Emerald Parking is Exit 26D, the Belmont Park Garage is Exit 26A, and Diamond, Ruby and Silver Parking are Exit 26B onto Hempstead Turnpike East. The Belmont Park Garage sits across Hempstead Turnpike and is reached by a walkway; Emerald is a short walk or a free shuttle ride. ADA parking is available in all lots. The rule that catches people leaving is that guests must exit the campus by the same route they entered it.
Where to Go Before the Game
Emerald Parking, Cross Island Parkway Exit 26D
A short walk from the arena, or a free shuttle ride if you would rather not. Entered from Exit 26D specifically.
Known for Exit 26D · Free shuttle · Short walk
Belmont Park Garage, Exit 26A
Across Hempstead Turnpike from the arena and reached by a dedicated walkway, entered from Cross Island Parkway Exit 26A.
Known for Exit 26A · Across Hempstead Turnpike · Walkway access
Diamond, Ruby and Silver Parking, Exit 26B
The closest tier of parking, entered from Exit 26B onto Hempstead Turnpike East.
Known for Exit 26B · Hempstead Turnpike East · Premium tiers
Belmont Park LIRR station
The Long Island Rail Road station on the arena campus, which is the way in for anyone not driving to a numbered exit.
Known for On campus · LIRR · No parking needed
Pregame Rules
What UBS Arena allows before the game, and what it does not.
- Parking is organised by Cross Island Parkway exit: Emerald Parking from Exit 26D, the Belmont Park Garage from Exit 26A, and Diamond, Ruby and Silver Parking from Exit 26B onto Hempstead Turnpike East.
- The Belmont Park Garage is across Hempstead Turnpike and is accessible via walkway.
- Emerald Parking is a short walk or a free shuttle ride from the arena.
- ADA parking is available for all lots.
- When leaving an event, guests must use the same route they used to enter the campus.
- The Belmont Park LIRR station serves the arena campus.
Weather
UBS Arena is indoor, so these are the conditions for the parking lot and the walk in, not the seats.
Across the NHL season the warmest month is October, with an average high of 67°F, and the coldest is January, when the average low is 27°F. March is the wettest month at 4.4 inches and November the driest at 3.4 inches.
That January low ranks 18th coldest of the 32 NHL venues, and March here ranks 7th wettest.
October
4.0 inchesNovember
3.4 inchesJanuary
3.6 inchesMarch
4.4 inchesApril
3.8 inchesWhat to Bring
- Only the outside food and drink the rule allows
Outside food and beverages are prohibited, with exceptions for medical requirements or other special needs.
- A card or a phone wallet
UBS Arena is cashless for food, parking, merchandise, and other sales.
- A coat for the walk in
January lows average 27°F between the lot and the door at UBS Arena.
- A poncho for the walk in, not an umbrella
Umbrellas are on UBS Arena's prohibited list, and March averages 4.4 inches of rain.
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
Official venue page / team game day guide
- Pregame
UBS Arena official site: Know Before You Go, and the published parking and campus maps
- Weather
NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals
- Venue policies
Current UBS Arena bag, accessibility, family services, FAQ, code of conduct, dining, and know-before-you-go pages plus New York Islanders game-day and parking guides reviewed for Islanders policies.