Taylor Swift Chicago shows: How to get to Soldier Field, where to buy merch and how to comply with the bag policy

Planning on attending The Eras Tour at Soldier Field? Here’s everything you should know before heading to the stadium.

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Taylor Swift fans in Chicago outside of Soldier Field holding merchandise

Taylor Swift fans pose with their merchandise a day before Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour outside Soldier Field, Thursday, June 1, 2023. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

Taylor Swift once said: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

That’s true for the thousands of Swifties heading to Soldier Field for her three-night stint at the stadium this weekend. With preparations for NASCAR underway and other events happening downtown, traveling to Soldier Field will require some thinking ahead.

Here’s how to get “...Ready for It?”

Taking the CTA

The city is planning to increase Red Line service and No. 146 bus service during the shows, according to Soldier Field.

The closest L stop to Soldier Field is the Roosevelt Red Line stop, which is about a 20-minute walk from the stadium. The No. 146 bus stops at the Museum Campus, which is just a few steps from Soldier Field.

Driving

All Soldier Field parking is sold out, according to the stadium. For fans who did purchase parking at the stadium, the lots will open at 2 p.m.

Additional parking will be available at the McCormick Place parking lots (2301 S. King Drive), and shuttles will be operating from the Millennium Park Garages to Soldier Field.

For those using ride-hailing services, Columbus Drive will be closed between Roosevelt Road and Balbo Drive as a pickup and drop-off area before and after the concert, according to the Chicago Police Department.

Bag policy

Soldier Field follows the NFL All-Clear Bag Policy. In order to bring a bag in, it must fall into one of these categories:

  • Clear plastic and under 12”x6”x12”
  • A 1-gallon clear plastic freezer bag
  • A small clutch bag (4 12” x 6 12” or smaller), that can fit inside a clear plastic bag

Fanny packs, backpacks, briefcases and diaper bags aren’t allowed.

Securing merchandise

Soldier Field will open some merchandise stands ahead of time, so fans can get their hands on Taylor Swift gear before the show. The early merchandise locations are at the Stadium Green, outside gates three and four, and along the sidewalk north of the Waldron Deck.

Here are the early merchandise hours, according to Soldier Field:

  • 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday.
  • Noon until the end of the show on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

There have been some fans, the unlucky ones who weren’t able to get tickets, who are looking to gather outside Soldier Field this weekend. The stadium says fans without tickets are “strongly discouraged” from gathering outside the stadium.

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