Parking, MARTA, tickets, food, and the rules to know before your next event at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Downtown Atlanta’s glass-and-steel showpiece has hosted everything from the Super Bowl to Taylor Swift to World Cup matches. Whether you’re a first–timer flying in for a game or a local heading downtown for the 10th time, the basics work the same no matter who’s on the field.
Here’s what to know before you go.
Where is Mercedes-Benz Stadium?
Atlanta’s largest sporting venue sits downtown at 1 AMB Drive NW, in the city’s new sports and entertainment district. It’s walkable to major attractions like Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia Aquarium, and State Farm Arena. It sits a short MARTA ride from most points around the city.
What happens here?
Mercedes-Benz Stadium is home to the Atlanta Falcons (NFL) and Atlanta United FC (MLS), but the building’s retractable roof and reconfigurable seating mean it flexes for a lot more than pro sports: concerts, the Peach Bowl and Celebration Bowl, SEC Championship, college football playoff games, and recent matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
High school football has a home here too, most notably the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic, which opens Georgia’s prep football season each August and has been played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium since 2018.
If you’re not sure what kind of crowd to expect, event type is the best clue. Falcons games typically run around 71,000, Atlanta United matches scale down to roughly 42,500-45,000, and major events or championships have filled the building to 75,000-83,000.
Tickets
There’s no single ticket price for this venue—pricing depends entirely on the event. A few starting points:
Falcons and Atlanta United tickets are sold through the teams’ official sites and Ticketmaster, with pricing driven by opponent, seat location, and how close to game day you buy.
High school events, like the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic, are typically sold game-by-game through GoFan rather than the stadium box office.
Concerts and one-off events are priced independently per show.
The stadium’s box office, near Gate 1 off Northside Drive, handles only event-day ticket resolutions, not general sales.
Kids catch a break at Falcons and Atlanta United games: children under 33 inches tall get in free as long as they sit on a guardian’s lap. Other events may require a ticket for every age.
Parking
More than 20,000 parking spots sit within a 20-minute walk of the stadium, spread across official decks (Silver, Red, and Orange) and surface lots. Pricing swings hard based on demand: Official lots list starting rates around $15 for lower-demand events, but premium decks for high-demand games or concerts can run well past $100 on the resale market.
Buy in advance through the stadium’s official ParkHub-powered portal when you can. Lots do sell out, and there’s often no walk-up option for big events.
Insider tip: If you drive a Mercedes-Benz, there’s a free loyalty lot on Northside Drive near Gate 1, reserved for Falcons and Atlanta United ticket holders. Reservations open online at noon two days before each game, and spots go fast.
Getting there by MARTA
MARTA is the locals’ move. Two rail stations sit near the stadium—SEC District Station (formerly GWCC/CNN Center) and Vine City Station—but SEC District, right at the stadium’s doorstep, is the more direct option for both arrival and departure. Either stop runs $2.50 each way on the Blue or Green line, a fraction of parking cost and usually faster leaving after the final whistle. Parking at MARTA stations is free.
Riders coming from the Red or Gold lines can transfer to the Blue or Green line at Five Points.
A separate option, the MARTA Rapid A-Line, is a bus rapid transit route connecting Downtown Atlanta with Capitol Gateway, Summerhill, Peoplestown, and the Atlanta BeltLine. It drops riders at South Downtown station rather than SEC District—a walkable but slightly longer trip to the stadium—and connects to MARTA’s rail system at Five Points, Georgia State, and Garnett stations.
Rideshare
Pickup and drop-off is zoned rather than curbside, and the zone that works best depends on which gate you’re exiting.
Zone 1 sits at GWCC Bus Lane C on Northside Drive, best for guests exiting Gate 1 and heading north across the Home Depot Backyard bridge, about a 10-minute walk from the stadium. If wait times run long, Vine City Station (Blue/Green line) is the closest MARTA stop for a faster exit; transfer to the Red or Gold line at Five Points from there.
Zone 2, a newer option on Broad Street between Trinity and Mitchell streets, is best for guests exiting Gates 2 through 4 and offers quicker access to the airport and I-20/I-75/85. It’s also about a 10-minute walk from the stadium, and Garnett Station (Red/Gold line) is the closest MARTA stop. You can transfer to the Blue or Green line at Five Points.
Falcons games also come with a Fetii gameday shuttle option, running fans between Atlantic Station and the stadium’s GWCC Bus Lane C drop-off for a small fee, starting two hours before kickoff.
Entry and gates
Plan on gates opening 90 minutes before kickoff for Falcons and Atlanta United events—other events run their own clock, so double-check your event page before leaving the house. And skip the print-at-home ticket idea entirely; entry is mobile-ticket only.
Leave the cash at home, too. Mercedes-Benz Stadium runs on card and mobile payment only, right down to the last hot dog. Show up with nothing but bills, and kiosks outside sections 101 and 122 will trade them for a prepaid debit card.
Bag rules are strict but simple: clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC, capped at 12 by 6 by 12 inches. A small non-clear clutch under 4.5 by 6.5 inches sneaks in too. Anything bigger has to be left in the car or checked at the gate.
And once you’re in, you’re in. There’s no slipping out for some air and coming back in on the same ticket.
Food and drink
Pricing
This is the stadium’s real claim to fame. Since opening in 2017, Mercedes-Benz Stadium has run what it calls “fan-first pricing,” a model driven by owner Arthur Blank that keeps concession costs low and stable rather than treating food as a captive audience profit center.
Hot dogs run at $2, an NFL low, and that same $2 tier covers sodas, pretzels, and popcorn. Beer starts around $5 for domestic draft, climbing to roughly $6 to $11 for premium and craft pours.
Booze is where things start to climb. Higher-end alcohol, like signature cocktails and premium club-level bars, runs more in line with typical stadium pricing. Alcohol sales also come with a few rules: a valid ID is required for every purchase, there’s a two-drink limit per transaction, and sales cut off at the end of the third quarter for football or the 75th minute for soccer.
Local flavor
Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s food program leans on real Atlanta and Georgia restaurants rather than generic concessions, though the lineup has shifted over the years. Here are a few highlights:
J.R. Crickets (sec. 318) brings Atlanta’s favorite wet lemon pepper wings, a Midtown staple since 1982, to the concourse.
Irie Mon Caribbean Cafe (sec. 116, 208) serves jerk chicken and curry goat from the former Atlanta food truck.
H&F Burger/Hop’s Chicken (Field Level) pairs a James Beard winner’s double cheeseburger with fried chicken from the same Atlanta kitchen.
Farm Burger (sec. 245) keeps its grass-fed, locally sourced approach even at stadium scale.
Williamson Bros. BBQ (sec. 238, 329, 136) is a Marietta barbecue institution that took over the former Fox Bros. stalls, bringing smoked meats and house sauce to three sections of the stadium.
Insider tip: The stadium’s site lets you search vendors by concourse, food type, or dietary need (vegetarian, gluten-free) before you go.
Other things worth knowing
Stadium tours
These tours run on most non-major-event days and include a behind-the-scenes route through locker rooms and the field. It’s a solid option for out-of-towners who want to see the building without buying an event ticket.
Home Depot Backyard
This 11-acre greenspace outside the stadium is the designated tailgate and pregame hangout space, with free weekly programming that runs throughout the year.
The art collection
Mercedes-Benz Stadium is home to a Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)-curated collection of more than 180 pieces with Atlanta roots. Don’t miss the 41.5-foot-tall falcon sculpture out front; this is one of the building’s most popular photo spots.
WiFi
Free WiFi is available throughout the stadium. Connect to “ATTWiFi@MBS” once you’re inside.
