PPG Paints Arena Game Day Guide
Pittsburgh Penguins · Pittsburgh, PA
Know Before You Go
- Bag policy
Only wallets or wristlets measuring 4 x 6 x 1 inch or less, medical bags, and diaper bags are permitted, subject to entry screening.
Large bags, coolers, backpacks, and sealed packages are prohibited; medical and diaper bags pass through X-ray screening.
- Bag storage
PPG Paints Arena does not provide secure storage or a drop-off area for personal items.
Items that fail security screening must be returned to a vehicle.
- Gate opening
Doors generally open one hour before Penguins games.
Check the individual event page for the confirmed time.
- Mobile tickets
Display a rotating mobile ticket from My Penguins Account or the Penguins app; screenshots and paper printouts do not work.
Apple Wallet tickets scan without displaying a barcode; guests without a usable mobile ticket should visit the DICK'S Sporting Goods Box Office inside Highmark Gate.
- Re-entry
Exit and re-entry are not permitted at PPG Paints Arena.
- Prohibited items
Prohibited items include bags and backpacks, air horns, coolers and thermoses, cans, bottles and flasks, alcohol, laser pointers, recording devices, professional cameras or detachable lenses, laptops, tripods, signs on poles, and weapons.
iPads are permitted for Penguins games, and the venue may reject other dangerous or inappropriate items.
- First aid
UPMC First Aid stations are adjacent to Guest Services near Section 104 and behind the concession stand at Section 232.
The upper-concourse station may be closed for some events; notify any arena employee when medical help is needed.
- Nursing and lactation
Nursing pods and rooms are behind Sections 117 and 225.
Guests may breastfeed wherever they feel comfortable and can ask any Guest Services location for help finding a room.
- Family restrooms
Family restrooms are near Sections 107, 109, 121, 201, and 213, in PNC Legends Level Suites 13 and 44, and at Peoples Gate.
Baby-changing stations are available in all restrooms on every seating level.
- Tickets for children
Children younger than 2 may attend a Penguins game without a ticket when sitting on an adult's lap throughout the game.
A child who has reached their second birthday needs a ticket.
- Guest services
The main Guest Services room is behind Section 104, with kiosks behind Sections 110, 216, and 234 at most events.
During an event, text GOAL with the issue and location to 69050 for assistance.
- Service animals
Trained service animals are welcome and must remain leashed or harnessed and under the handler's control.
The animal must rest within the guest's seating area rather than an aisle.
- Smoking and vaping
Smoking and use of e-cigarettes or vapor cigarettes are prohibited everywhere inside PPG Paints Arena.
Guests cannot exit to smoke and re-enter.
Game Day Timeline
What the day looks like at PPG Paints Arena, hour by hour.
Arrive in Pittsburgh
Park in the arena garage or downtown lots. Walk through the Golden Triangle toward the Uptown district.
Pregame on Fifth Avenue
The bars along Fifth Avenue near the arena fill with Penguins fans. Primanti Bros is a pre-game tradition.
Enter PPG Paints Arena
Doors open 90 minutes before the game. Walk in, grab a pierogi plate, and watch warm-ups.
Find your seat
The arena fills steadily. Penguins fans are knowledgeable. They react to every play and know the game deeply.
Game time
Three 20-minute periods. The Penguins have one of the best hockey atmospheres in the league. When they score, the building erupts.
Hit the concourse
Grab a Primanti Bros sandwich or an IC Light. The concourse is modern and well-designed with varied food options.
Head downtown
Walk to the bars on Fifth Avenue or head downtown to Market Square for postgame options.
Tips & Fan Reports
Pittsburgh hockey fans are among the most knowledgeable in the sport. The crowd reads the game, not just the scoreboard.
PPG Paints Arena is walkable from downtown Pittsburgh (15 min). Cross the Smithfield Street Bridge for a scenic route.
Primanti Bros at the arena has the classic Pittsburgh sandwich: coleslaw, fries, meat, all between the bread.
Penguins fans know their hockey. This is one of the most knowledgeable fan bases in the NHL.
The arena is modern and comfortable, one of the better NHL buildings opened in the 2010s.
The Strip District (20 min walk or quick bus ride) has excellent pregame food - Primanti Bros and dozens of ethnic restaurants.
The arena garage is for non-hockey events, so it is not an option on a Penguins night.
Do not bring a wrapped gift for a player: sealed packages of any kind are refused.
A 4 by 6 by 1 inch wallet or wristlet is the whole allowance. No backpacks, no coolers, and no sealed packages at all.
Every lot is cashless, so buy through ParkWhiz ahead rather than turning up to pay.
Before the Game
PPG Paints Arena runs its own lots, all cashless, and strongly encourages pre-purchasing through ParkWhiz rather than paying at the gate. There is no tailgating policy published. The bag rule is one of the strictest in the NHL: only wallets and wristlets up to 4 by 6 by 1 inch, plus medical and diaper bags, are permitted at all. Large bags, coolers, backpacks and sealed packages of any kind, including gifts for players, are refused outright. Four ways in: the Peoples Gate at Fifth Avenue and Washington Place, the Highmark Gate at the Centre Avenue lower entrance, the F.N.B. Gate at the Centre Avenue upper entrance, and a private garage entrance for suite holders.
Where to Go Before the Game
The PPG Paints Arena lots
The arena's own parking, entirely cashless, with pre-purchase through ParkWhiz strongly encouraged. Event rates vary and the parking line is 412-804-3371.
Known for Cashless · Pre-purchase via ParkWhiz · 412-804-3371
Peoples Gate, Fifth Avenue and Washington Place
One of the four entry points, at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Washington Place.
Known for Fifth Ave and Washington Place · Main entry point
Highmark and F.N.B. Gates on Centre Avenue
The lower and upper Centre Avenue entrances respectively, which one suits depends on whether you have come uphill or down.
Known for Centre Avenue · Upper and lower entries
The arena parking garage
Available for non-hockey events rather than Penguins games, which is worth knowing before assuming it is an option on a game night.
Known for Non-hockey events only · Covered
Pregame Rules
What PPG Paints Arena allows before the game, and what it does not.
- Only wallets and wristlets measuring 4" x 6" x 1", plus medical and diaper bags, are permitted inside the arena. All items are subject to search on entry.
- Large bags, coolers, backpacks and sealed packages of any kind, including gifts for performers or athletes, are not permitted.
- Parking is available in the PPG Paints Arena lots. All lots are cashless, and pre-purchasing in advance through ParkWhiz is strongly encouraged.
- The parking garage at the arena is available for non-hockey events. Event parking rates vary; the parking line is 412-804-3371.
- There are four points of entry: the Peoples Gate at Fifth Avenue and Washington Place, the Highmark Gate at the Centre Avenue lower entrance, the F.N.B. Gate at the Centre Avenue upper entrance, and a private parking garage entrance for suite ticket holders.
Weather
PPG Paints 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 63°F, and the coldest is January, when the average low is 22°F. April is the wettest month at 3.4 inches and November the driest at 3.0 inches.
That January low ranks 13th coldest of the 32 NHL venues, and April here ranks 20th wettest.
October
3.1 inchesNovember
3.0 inchesJanuary
3.1 inchesMarch
3.2 inchesApril
3.4 inchesWhat to Bring
- Only the outside food and drink the rule allows
Outside food, beverages, and water bottles are prohibited.
- A card or a phone wallet
PPG Paints Arena is cashless and accepts credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
- A coat for the walk in
January lows average 22°F between the lot and the door at PPG Paints Arena.
- A rain layer for the walk in
April averages 3.4 inches of rain outside PPG Paints Arena.
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: Doors generally open one hour before Penguins games.
- Pregame
PPG Paints Arena official site: Directions & Parking, Know Before You Go, A to Z Guide, and Entrance Gates
- Weather
NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals
- Venue policies
Current PPG Paints Arena and Pittsburgh Penguins accessibility, arena-guide, ticketing, parking, payment, and concessions pages reviewed for Penguins policies.