Chicago · Soldier Field
First time at Soldier Field
Entry, bags, food, the train, and the cheapest-seat limit for a Bears game. Each policy line is from a page loaded for this guide. A Fire match can use a different bag page. Read the page for the event you are attending. No ticket price is invented here.
Entry and gates
The Bears A–Z guide says stadium gates open two hours before kickoff. It says to arrive early because walk-through metal detectors are used, and that no re-entry is permitted. Every guest passes a security checkpoint. All gates are ADA accessible on that page.
The same page’s table lists a 12:00 p.m. kickoff with gates at 10:00 a.m., and a 7:20 p.m. kickoff with gates at 5:20 p.m. A kickoff that is not on that table is covered by the two-hour line, not by a time this page calculates.
Medical bags are screened at gates 8, 38, and 47. The A–Z guide says service animals enter at Gate 8. Lost and found during the game is the Gate 1 Guest Services office. After the game, items go to the stadium management office at Gate 14.
Fans at their first Bears game at Soldier Field can get a certificate at the Chicago Bears Kids Club tent in the South Courtyard any time before the third quarter. The A–Z guide says that.
Bag policy
Soldier Field’s bag page says the NFL clear-bag policy is in place for all events. Approved bags are clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches, including clear backpacks, clear fanny packs, and clear cinch bags. Hardware or décor may not hide any part of the bag. A one-gallon clear freezer bag is allowed. A small non-clear bag no larger than 4.5 by 6.5 inches may be carried with a clear bag.
The Bears bag page matches those sizes. It says a non-clear crossbody of that size may not be worn around the waist. Clear diaper bags that fit 12 by 6 by 12 inches are permitted. Non-clear diaper bags are prohibited. Medical bags are screened at gates 8, 38, and 47. Blankets are permitted for Bears games and may be carried in hand or in an approved clear bag.
The A–Z guide says prohibited-item lockers on game day are at the Field Museum East Terrace, inside the Miller Lite Chicago Bears Ultimate Tailgate, next to McFetridge Drive, and at the 18th Street turnaround just west of DuSable Lake Shore Drive. The rental is $10, credit card only.
Food
The Bears A–Z guide says Levy is the food and beverage partner, and that food for personal consumption may enter if the container follows the NFL bag policy. Alcohol may not be carried in. The same page says the stadium is cashless and takes major credit cards. It says menus are in the Bears app or at a Fan Services booth. This page does not copy a menu or a concession price.
Cheapest sections
Soldier Field publishes a seating map. The page is a diagram. It does not name a cheapest section, so this guide does not name one. Compare buyer fees on the ticket-apps page. No marketplace link is added here.
Getting there
The directions page says Soldier Field is at 1410 S. Museum Campus Drive, Chicago, IL 60605. The bag-policy footer lists 1410 Special Olympics Drive. Both lines are on those pages.
CTA lists the stadium at 1410 S Museum Campus Dr. The Red, Orange, and Green Lines stop at Roosevelt, a few blocks east, about a 15-minute walk or a short bus ride. Walk east on Roosevelt from State until you cross Columbus, take the Museum Campus walkway and the underpass under Lake Shore Drive, then turn right and walk south past the Field Museum.
For Bears games, the #128 is nonstop between the Ogilvie Transportation Center, Union Station, and Soldier Field. CTA says buses leave those stations starting about two and a half hours before game time until 30 minutes after kickoff, then run about an hour back after the game. The #146 connects with the Roosevelt trains. CTA says the buses stop in front of the stadium. This page does not copy a fare. Use the CTA guide.
Metra’s Soldier Field page returned 403 on this check, so the walk from a Metra station is not described here.
Soldier Field directions CTA sports directions CTA #128 Metra to Soldier Field
Parking
The Bears A–Z guide says lots immediately around the stadium need a pre-paid pass, open four hours before kickoff, and close two hours after the game. It says rates can change and names SoldierFieldParking.com for single-game parking. Checked notes, without a new rate, are on the parking guide.