United Center Parking Guide: Lots, Transit and Rideshare for Games and Concerts

How does United Center parking work?

The United Center is at 1901 W. Madison Street in Chicago, home to the Bulls and the Blackhawks. The Bulls' parking page says parking is "purchased on a first-come, first-served basis upon arrival, or in advance on Ticketmaster," and recommends buying in advance for the lowest prices ^[1]. The same page lists lots E, L, M, R, T and W as available to attendees.

The Blackhawks' parking page gives more of the layout. It says drive-up lots W and M are west of Damen, and lots L, R, T, P and E are east of Wood, with a separate set of coupon-only lots (A, B, C, F and MXC) for pass holders ^[2]. The Blackhawks page names an additional lot (P) not listed on the Bulls page, so lot availability may vary by team and event. Check the page for your event. For a wider look at how other venues compare, see all venue parking guides and our arena guides.

It helps to think of the lots as groups rather than memorizing letters. West of Damen is one cluster (W and M), east of Wood is another (L, R, T, P and E), and the coupon-only lots belong to pass holders. If a lot letter on your confirmation does not match the groups above, trust the confirmation and the signs on the day, since the team pages say assignments have changed around the arena. Knowing which side of the campus you are on makes the walk to the gates, and the walk back, far less confusing after dark.

Should you buy parking in advance or pay on arrival?

Both options exist, and the Bulls page says plainly that buying in advance is recommended for the lowest prices. Paying on arrival has a real risk on big nights: you may not get the lot you want, or the line at the entrance may cost you time before the doors open. Buying ahead through the official ticketing page gives you a confirmed spot and less guessing.

The Blackhawks page also recommends reserving in advance through a parking reservation app it links to, and says lots open one hour before the gates for all games ^[2]. If you drive up on arrival, aim to be there when lots open, not at puck drop.

If you are comparing choices, here is how we would rank the main options. These are qualitative judgments based on the official pages, not measured times.

Option	Certainty of a spot	Walk	Best for
Buy ahead	High	Short to medium	Anyone driving
Drive up on arrival	Lower on busy nights	Short to medium	Flexible plans
CTA bus or train	Not needed	Medium	Avoiding traffic
Rideshare	Not needed	Short	Groups, late nights

For a look at when driving beats a ride, try the parking vs rideshare calculator, which uses your own numbers because rideshare prices vary by time and demand.

What time should you arrive?

The Blackhawks page says lots open one hour before the gates, and it also warns that the north entrances may be crowded because of changed campus parking assignments. It suggests entering through Gates 6 and 7 on the south side of the arena ^[2]. The same page says construction for The 1901 Project continues around the arena, and all gates are open and not affected by it.

Because the lots open one hour before gates, the rideshare zone opens earlier. The Uber Zone opens two hours before games and stays open up to one hour after. That makes it the first choice if you want to be dropped off early.

How do you get to the United Center by CTA?

The Chicago Transit Authority lists several ways to reach the arena at 1901 W. Madison ^[4]:

• Blue Line: Illinois Medical District station. The arena is a few blocks north. The shortest walk is to exit at the western-most exit onto Damen Avenue, then walk north to Madison.
• Green Line: Damen station. The arena is about two blocks south and one block east.
• Green and Pink Lines: Ashland/Lake station. The arena is about two blocks south and three blocks west.
• Buses: CTA lists the #9 Ashland, #19 United Center Express, #20 Madison, #50 Damen and #126 Jackson as ways to reach the arena or get within a few blocks.

The CTA page does not describe post-event service, so check the CTA trip planner for late departures before a night game. Our walking descriptions are the CTA's own directions, so for exact paths use its page or a map.

Where do rideshare and taxis go?

The Bulls page says there is a designated pick-up and drop-off zone steps from the arena entrances. The Blackhawks page puts the rideshare zone at Madison and Wood Streets (Lot E). It opens two hours before games and stays open up to one hour after.

Plan the pickup carefully. After a sold-out game, many drivers and fans are heading to the same place. Follow posted signs and staff directions at the zone. For help deciding whether a ride makes sense, see the calculator.

What about accessible parking and other rules?

The Blackhawks page says Lots C and H offer ADA spaces for vehicles with ADA placards. If you need accessible parking, check the current page for your event, and plan extra time.

Two arrival rules also affect your trip. The Blackhawks require guests to enter home games with a mobile ticket, and the arena is fully cashless ^[3], so buy parking in advance rather than counting on cash. Backpacks are prohibited, and guests may bring a small purse or bag up to a stated size, so leave bulky bags in your lot, car or at home.

Also remember that the venue's own site, unitedcenter.com, has full parking and directions information, and the Bulls page links to it. We could not read that site automatically, so we point to the team pages above for the facts in this guide.

The lot times and rideshare hours we quote come from the Blackhawks' game-night page, and the Bulls page covers how parking is sold. Concerts and other events are ticketed through their own event pages, so the safest habit is to read the parking notes attached to your specific date. If the event page and this guide disagree, follow the event page. Our guide explains how parking works at this venue in general, and it cannot know about a one-off closure, a construction change around The 1901 Project or a late schedule shift. For general advice that applies to any trip, our parking guides and editorial policy explain how we check and date our facts.

If you also go to football games in Chicago, the picture is different: Soldier Field uses prepaid passes near the stadium and shuttles from farther garages, as we explain in the Soldier Field parking guide.

What should you check before you leave home?

A short checklist helps, because most United Center problems come from small gaps in the plan. These steps come from the facts on the official pages above.

1. Decide how you are getting there. Driving, CTA or rideshare each have a different plan, and you can mix them, for example by driving to a train station.
2. Buy parking in advance if you are driving. The Bulls page recommends it, and a confirmed lot beats circling on arrival.
3. Know your lot group. Drive-up lots sit west of Damen and east of Wood, while coupon-only lots are for pass holders, so a coupon-only lot is not a place to try your luck.
4. Set your arrival time. Lots open one hour before the gates, and a concert or special event may have its own schedule on the event page.
5. Carry a mobile ticket and a small bag. Home Blackhawks games require a mobile ticket, backpacks are prohibited, and the arena is cashless.
6. Plan the exit. Know where your car is, where the rideshare zone is and which CTA route you will take home.