Most first-time visitors to America First Field make the same mistake: they assume they can pull off I-15, drive up to the stadium, and buy a parking pass like they would at almost any other stadium in the country. Real Salt Lake's own matchday parking and directions page says otherwise — on-site lots require a permit purchased ahead of time, and there is no gameday parking sold at the stadium. Show up without a plan and you're circling Sandy side streets that are posted "No Parking" on match nights unless you're holding a permit from the city.
A private charter bus or party bus sidesteps that problem entirely. Your group boards once, rides together down State Street, and the vehicle handles its own staging while your party is inside — no one hunting for a legal spot, no one splitting off in a second car, no designated transportation provider giving up the match to stay sober. Below is everything verified against the stadium's own published rules: where a group vehicle drops and waits, what the neighborhood parking rules actually say, what a TRAX ride costs if part of your group wants the train, and what shapes the price when you compare a Salt Lake City sporting event transportation quote for your date.
Why Rent a Bus to America First Field?
The stadium sits on State Street in Sandy, and the road pattern around it is one-directional and event-specific: all traffic flows south to north before kickoff and reverses north to south once the match lets out, per the official parking page. That's manageable in a single coordinated vehicle following one approach and one exit. It's a lot less manageable when your group has split into four or five separate cars, each hunting for its own spot and each needing to find its own way back out through a flow that's already reversed.
A charter bus or party bus also solves the permit problem before it starts. Instead of every car in your group needing its own pre-purchased lot pass or gambling on a Sandy City-permitted street space, one vehicle carries everyone in, and the parking question becomes something the trip handles rather than something each transportation provider has to solve alone. The RioT Tifo Group, Real's supporters' section, already treats the match as a group event — their "March to the Match" gathers in the northwest lot and walks in together an hour before kickoff, and a private group bus gets your group to that same starting line without anyone worrying about a designated transportation provider.
Charter Bus & Party Bus Drop-Off at America First Field
Gate times depend on which entrance your group is using. The Beddy's Plaza gates on the east and north sides open two hours before kickoff, while the Spanish Stairs, West, and South gates open 90 minutes prior, according to the stadium's A-Z matchday guide. That 30-minute gap matters for a group riding in together: if your bus is dropping near Beddy's Plaza, your party can be inside and settled a half hour earlier than a group aiming for the south side.
Accessibility runs through four of those five gates. The West, South, North, and East gates are all ADA accessible; the Spanish Stairs gate is not. A separate Staff Entrance on the stadium's west side serves South Stands and Field-level ADA ticket holders specifically, so a group with wheelchair users should plan its drop point around that entrance rather than the nearest gate.
Where a Group Bus Waits During the Match
The published parking guidance doesn't call out a dedicated bus or RV lot, and it's written for passenger cars: on-site lots require a pre-purchased permit, and the newer Jordan Commons lot next to the stadium sells day-of parking for $15 per vehicle, card only. Because neither option explicitly addresses oversized vehicles, the staging spot for a charter bus or party bus is one of the details confirmed at booking rather than something your group should guess at a closed gate on match day.
What is published and worth planning around: ADA parking is complimentary, first-come, first-served, and requires a valid placard or plate; electric vehicle parking is limited to the West Lot on the same first-come basis. Neither applies to a rented group vehicle, but both tell you the on-site lots fill by type well before kickoff on busy nights, which is one more reason a bus staging off-site and returning for pickup beats hoping a spot opens up.
America First Field Parking, Permits & Neighborhood Rules
The stadium sits between 9000 South and 9400 South on State Street, and the routing depends on which direction you're coming from. From the south, the official directions say to take I-15 northbound to the 10600 South exit, head east, turn left on State Street, left on 9400 South, then right on Rimando Way. From the north, take I-15 southbound to the 9000 South exit, go east on 9000 South, turn right on State Street, continue past the East Entrance, then right on 9400 South and right on Rimando Way.
The neighborhood rule is the one that catches visiting groups off guard. Streets in the residential blocks around the stadium are posted "No Parking" on event days for anyone without a valid permit from Sandy City, per the official parking page. A car that parks there anyway risks a ticket or a tow before the match even starts — a private bus never tests that rule, because it's staged through the venue's own logistics rather than left on a residential curb.
America First Field Transportation: Every Option Compared
A private bus is not the only way to reach America First Field, and it's not the right call for a party of two. Here's an honest look at how the main options stack up for a group.
| Option | Cost shape | Arrive together? | Parking hassle | Best group size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private charter bus or party bus | One flat rate, split by the group | Yes — one vehicle, one arrival | None — handled at booking | 15–56 |
| TRAX Blue Line (Sandy Expo) | $2.50 one-way / $5 day pass per rider | Only if riding the same train | None if you skip driving at all | Any, but no group control |
| Rideshare | Per car each way, plus post-match surge | No — multiple cars, multiple ETAs | None, but drop point isn't guaranteed | 1–4 per car |
| Everyone drives & parks | Pre-bought permit or $15 Jordan Commons pass per car | No — caravans split up | High — permits, no gameday sales, neighborhood risk | 1–2 cars |
TRAX Light Rail to America First Field
The Sandy Expo station on UTA's TRAX Blue Line is the transit stop closest to the stadium, also serving the Mountain America Exposition Center and Jordan Commons next door. A one-way fare currently runs $2.50, and a day pass covering unlimited rides is $5, per UTA's current fares page. Trains run on the TRAX Blue Line schedule, which is worth checking against your specific kickoff time before counting on it for a group.
TRAX works fine for a couple of fans who don't mind a walk from the platform and a return trip through a crowded car after the match. It doesn't work for keeping 20 or 30 people together, timing a return departure around a match that could run long, or getting anyone home who's had a drink at a tailgate first — which is where a group vehicle earns its keep.
What Size Bus Fits Your America First Field Group?
The right vehicle for a match at America First Field comes down to headcount and whether your group is tailgating first. Saltlakecityminibuscompany.com compares options from a large network of bus companies serving Salt Lake City, so you're not stuck picking between one or two vehicle types.
| Vehicle | Typical seats | Best for | Key amenities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sprinter van | Up to ~14 | Small groups, suite holders | Premium leather seating, USB charging, tinted privacy windows |
| 18-passenger minibus | ~18 | Small fan groups, quick downtown pickups | Powerful A/C, plush reclining seats |
| Party bus | ~15–40 | Supporters' groups wanting the pregame started early | Built-in bar, color-changing LED lighting, Bluetooth sound system |
| 30-passenger minibus | ~30 | Mid-size fan groups, corporate outings | Reclining seats, overhead storage, climate control |
| Charter bus | Up to 56 | Large fan groups, school and club soccer teams | Reclining seats, WiFi, power outlets, onboard restroom, undercarriage storage |
A party bus makes sense for a supporters' group that wants the pregame energy to start the moment the vehicle pulls away from the curb. A full-size charter bus makes more sense for a corporate outing or a youth club team, where the undercarriage bays carry gear and an onboard restroom matters on the return trip. Browse the full vehicle lineup to compare what's available for your date.
America First Field Bus Rental Prices
There's no single sticker price for a bus to America First Field, because the quote is shaped by a few clear factors: vehicle size, total hours booked, your pickup point, and the date itself — a Saturday night MLS match against a rival draws heavier demand than a Tuesday preseason friendly. To give you an idea, a 6-hour rental on a 35-passenger minibus for a group splitting the cost across 30 riders might run somewhere in the neighborhood of $1,400–$1,700, or roughly $47–$57 per person — figures that move with the date, the hours, and the vehicle, so the number you get for your specific trip comes from a real quote.
A Match-Night Example
To give you an idea of how the timing works: for a 7:30 PM Wednesday match, a 32-person group books a 35-passenger minibus with pickup from a downtown Salt Lake City hotel at 5:00 PM. The bus reaches America First Field by 5:30 PM, right as the Beddy's Plaza gates open, giving the group two full hours before kickoff. Post-match pickup is set for 9:45 PM, and the group is back downtown before 10:15 — one flat rate for the vehicle instead of 30 separate rideshare fares home.
Compare vehicles and rates through the Salt Lake City bus rental prices page, or call 801-880-6650 any time for a free quote at no obligation to you.
Getting to America First Field: Routes, Traffic & Timing
America First Field sits about 15 minutes south of downtown Salt Lake City and roughly 25 minutes from Salt Lake City International Airport, per Real Salt Lake's own directions page, both by way of I-15. Those estimates hold outside of match hours; build in extra time once you factor in the south-to-north traffic pattern the venue enforces before kickoff, especially for a weekend match drawing a full house.
The good news for a group riding in one vehicle: that traffic pattern is somebody else's problem to navigate. Instead of your group's cars getting separated between the 9000 South and 10600 South exits, a single bus follows one approach, drops your group near the gate that matches your section, and stages until it's time to leave.
Salt Lake City Airport to America First Field
For a group flying into Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), a private bus turns the arrival into a single pickup instead of a scramble for rideshares with luggage in tow. Shuttle, limousine, and hotel transportation companies at SLC load from the ground level of the terminal, between columns 1B and 5B, per the airport's own ground transportation page — a coordinated curb rather than the general rideshare lane.
Rideshare pickups at SLC use a separate curbside area on the ground level, marked B-Lane, and vehicles must hold an airport operating permit to load there. That's a workable option for one or two people; it's a headache for a group of 20 trying to split into enough cars to fit everyone and their bags at once. One bus solves it in a single pickup, whether the run is straight to your hotel or straight to a match.
See the Salt Lake City airport transportation page for more on arranging that pickup.
Tailgating at America First Field: The Rules
Tailgating is allowed in the parking lots, but the stadium's matchday guide draws a clear line: charcoal grills and open fires are prohibited. Groups planning to tailgate should plan around that restriction rather than find out about it once they've unloaded a grill.
The RioT Tifo Group, RSL's supporters' section, tailgates in what's known as the 90th lot on the northwest side of the stadium, then leads the "March to the Match" starting an hour before kickoff. A group riding in on a charter bus or party bus can time its arrival to join that walk-in rather than pulling into a gate cold, which is as close as you'll get to a proper pregame at a soccer-specific stadium built without a dedicated tailgate lot.
Leaving America First Field After the Match
The traffic pattern that ran south to north before kickoff reverses once the final whistle blows, and every vehicle on-site is funneling out through the same reversed flow at once. A group that's split into separate cars is also splitting up the search for each other in a lot that just changed direction.
With a bus, your group sets a pickup time and meets at the same drop point rather than trying to relocate a car in a lot everyone else is also trying to leave. The vehicle takes the cleared route back toward I-15 while your group recaps the match instead of hunting for an exit.
Tips for Visiting America First Field
- Check the bag policy before you pack. Bags larger than 4″ x 6″ x 2″ are not allowed inside; medical, cultural, and diaper bags up to 14″ x 14″ x 6″ are permitted but get searched, per the fan code of conduct.
- Leave the big camera at home. Personal still cameras with a lens no longer than 4 inches are fine; video cameras, tripods, monopods, and commercial camera gear are not.
- There's no re-entry. The stadium's guide states plainly that guests may not exit and re-enter on the same ticket, with no exceptions.
- Alcohol sales cut off at the 75-minute mark of the match, and Section 24, the Toyota Family Section, is alcohol-free.
- It's a smoke-free facility, including e-cigarettes and vaporizers.
- Save the box office number. Will Call and the box office are on the stadium's west side, open three hours before kickoff through halftime; the number is 844-REAL-TIX.
- Know where to find help. Guest Services sits on the East Concourse and Level 1 of the West Concourse for seating assistance, lost items, and stroller check-in; First Aid is on the northeast corner above Section 34.
What's on the Calendar at America First Field
America First Field carries a full slate most of the year. Real Salt Lake's MLS regular season runs roughly February or March through October, with the playoff window stretching into November for teams that qualify; Utah Royals FC, the NWSL club that shares the stadium, runs a similar spring-through-fall schedule. Both bring the same on-site parking rules described above for every home date.
The stadium expands past its roughly 20,000 soccer capacity for its biggest concerts, and it's hosted acts from The Eagles to Kiss and Journey over the years, so a non-soccer event at the same address is worth checking for before you assume a quiet Saturday. Whatever's on the schedule, the same booking logic applies: lock in a vehicle early for marquee matches and big-name shows, since the right-size vehicles for a rivalry night or a sellout concert go first.
Groups That Book Transportation to America First Field
The same door-to-door pickup works for America First Field no matter who's riding along:
- Supporters' groups and fan groups wanting the pregame to start on the ride down, timed to join the "March to the Match" instead of arriving cold.
- Corporate and suite groups moving clients or staff from a downtown hotel to a match without anyone worrying about a permit or a neighborhood parking ticket. See the Salt Lake City corporate transportation page.
- Youth and club soccer teams attending a match as a group outing, where a full-size bus handles both the team and their gear in one trip.
- Birthday and celebration groups turning a match night into the occasion itself, with a birthday party transportation package built around it.
Planning more than one stop on the same trip — a downtown dinner before kickoff, or a hotel pickup and drop-off on both ends? The Salt Lake City group transportation services page covers multi-stop itineraries.
Booking Your America First Field Charter Bus or Party Bus
- Request a quote with your group size, pickup location, match date, and whether you want tailgate or pre-match time built in.
- Confirm the vehicle and drop plan. Because America First Field doesn't publish a dedicated bus lot, the exact staging spot for your date gets confirmed as part of booking.
- Set a pickup window. Agree on a return time before the group splits up inside, so the vehicle is ready when the reversed traffic flow starts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does a charter bus or party bus drop off at America First Field?
The stadium doesn't publish one single bus drop zone; instead, it publishes gate times and locations — Beddy's Plaza gates on the east and north sides open two hours before kickoff, while Spanish Stairs, West, and South gates open 90 minutes prior. Because the surrounding streets run one-way and reverse direction after the match, the closest workable curb for your group's gate is confirmed as part of booking.
Where does a bus park while our group is inside?
The published parking guidance is written for cars, not oversized vehicles, and doesn't name a dedicated bus or RV lot. On-site lots require a pre-purchased permit with no gameday sales, and the Jordan Commons lot next door sells day-of parking at $15 per vehicle, card only. Staging for a private bus is arranged as part of your booking rather than something to guess at the gate.
How much does parking cost at America First Field?
On-site lots require a permit bought in advance; the stadium does not sell parking on game day. The Jordan Commons lot offers day-of parking at $15 per vehicle, card only. ADA parking is complimentary and first-come, first-served with a valid placard or plate, and EV parking is limited to the West Lot on the same basis.
Can I take TRAX to America First Field?
Yes. The Sandy Expo station on UTA's TRAX Blue Line is the closest stop, and a one-way fare currently runs $2.50, with a $5 day pass for unlimited rides. It's a reasonable option for one or two riders but doesn't keep a larger group together on the platform, especially after a match lets out.
What's the bag policy at America First Field?
Bags larger than 4" x 6" x 2" are not allowed inside. Medical, cultural, and diaper bags up to 14" x 14" x 6" are permitted but subject to a search at the gate.
Can we tailgate at America First Field?
Tailgating is allowed in the parking lots, but charcoal grills and open fires are prohibited. The RioT Tifo Group tailgates in the 90th lot on the northwest side and leads a group walk-in, called the "March to the Match," starting an hour before kickoff.
What time do the gates open?
Beddy's Plaza gates on the east and north sides open two hours before kickoff. Spanish Stairs, West, and South gates open 90 minutes before kickoff. Times shift for non-soccer events, so it's worth checking your specific date.
Is America First Field ADA accessible?
Yes. The West, South, North, and East gates are all ADA accessible; the Spanish Stairs gate is not. A separate Staff Entrance on the stadium's west side serves South Stands and Field-level ADA ticket holders specifically.
How far is America First Field from Salt Lake City International Airport?
About 25 minutes by way of I-15, per Real Salt Lake's own directions page. Shuttle and hotel transportation at SLC loads from the ground level of the terminal, between columns 1B and 5B, making a single group pickup straightforward.
What roads should we use to reach the stadium?
From the south, take I-15 northbound to the 10600 South exit, then State Street. From the north, take I-15 southbound to the 9000 South exit, then State Street. Traffic around the stadium flows south to north before kickoff and reverses afterward.
How much does it cost to rent a bus to America First Field?
Pricing depends on vehicle size, total hours, your pickup location, and the date — a marquee match or a concert prices differently than a weeknight friendly. A real quote takes about a minute online or a call to 801-880-6650.
How far in advance should we book?
As soon as your date is set, especially for rivalry matches, playoff dates, or a big concert, when the right-size vehicles get requested early. For a typical weeknight match, a couple of weeks of lead time is usually workable, but earlier always means more options.
Also planning a trip to a Utah Jazz game at Delta Center or an event at Utah State Fairpark? Those guides cover their own drop-offs and parking rules.
Book Your America First Field Bus Today
Whether it's a supporters' group riding down for a rivalry match, a corporate outing to a suite, or a youth soccer team headed to their first game at a Major League Soccer stadium, Saltlakecityminibuscompany.com makes it easy to compare charter buses, party buses, minibuses, and Sprinter vans for your trip to America First Field. Fill out the quick online form or call 801-880-6650 any time for a free quote — no obligation, and no guessing at a closed gate on match day.
