This season especially has had Baltimore baseball fans chanting “Let’s go, Os!” But with the team’s success, you might be asking yourself “What’s the best way to go to an Os game?”
Just in case you haven’t heard, the Baltimore Orioles did pretty well this season. That is, if you consider going the entire season without being swept, clocking 101 wins, and landing in first place of the toughest division in baseball doing pretty well. For their considerable, stellar, entertaining, chaotic, bruising efforts, they earned nearly an entire week off and home team advantage in the American League Division Series (ALDS) and, should they advance, the ALCS American League Championship Series (ALCS).
The ALDS begins on Saturday, and nearly 46,000 Orioles fans find themselves in the unfamiliar position of being able to cheer their team on in person in the postseason! Also unfamiliar is navigating getting to the park for a sold-out game, as the Os have only sold out six times this season. Adding to the happy chaos on Saturday is a Billy Joel/Stevie Nicks concert at M&T Bank Stadium Saturday night, and Carín León performing at CFG Bank Arena.
Fear not, though, Orioles ticket holders! Baltimore Fishbowl has done some homework to help make your trip to Camden Yards a little easier. Given that getting to the park even on a regular game day can be a sizeable hassle involving parking far away and a good 20-minute walk (if you drive in), fans can expect that effort to be multiplied in the postseason with not only the games sold out, but the surrounding fanfare.
First, some information from the Orioles website regarding when to arrive.
- All parking lots will open 3-1/2 hours before first pitch.
- Gates will open 2-1/2 hours before first pitch.
(Fan experience has shown that this is a rough estimate, and both the parking lots and gates were open well before the times stated on the website during the regular season.)
- Gates that will be available for entry are Gates A, C, D, F, and H.
- ADA lanes are available at Gates C, Home Plate Plaza, G, and H.
As for how to get there, options abound. Some fans will drive themselves; others will use the MTA bus or light rail; some might wish to take a cab, Uber, or Lyft; and others might hire a limousine or a party bus with a group of friends.
For fans planning to drive:
According to the Ballpark Information A-Z Guide, you can also drop off passengers at two locations.
“For any car or bus, there are two drop-off areas available to both drop off and pick up passengers: the east side of the Warehouse at the Breezeway (directly next to Gate A) and at the Home Plate Plaza area of the service drive (next to Gate E).”
This is especially useful if you have ticket holders who are elderly, have difficulty walking, or use mobility aids to get around.
If you were quick enough to score parking passes in the Orioles parking lots, then you can proceed to park in those lots (those passes are now sold out.) If not, there are many parking garages located around Camden Yards and the Inner Harbor.
For fans planning to use public transportation:
Baltimore Fishbowl spoke to Courtney Mims, Director of Media Relations for the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), who had the following advice and information for those who plan to ditch the cars.
The Maryland Transit Administration is helping Marylanders get to all the exciting activities in Baltimore this weekend. We are anticipating heavy ridership for the Orioles playoff game, Billy Joel / Stevie Nicks concert at M&T Bank Stadium and Carin Leon at the CFG arena. The agency will be using all available Light Rail vehicles plus supplementing them with express shuttle buses. Metro Subway is another great option to get to the weekend’s events.
We encourage everyone to arrive early and stay late to enjoy all the city has to offer and avoid the crowds. Be sure to follow us on social media and on our website for the most up to date travel information as the Oriole’s game times are finalized. Riders can plan their trip at mta.maryland.gov. Real-time tracking of train and local bus arrival information is available on Transit app. The Maryland Transit Administration encourages riders to use the CharmPass mobile ticketing app for a convenient and secure way to pay your transit fare.
Service information is below:
In addition to regular Light Rail service, MTA will operate supplemental Express Shuttle buses from Glen Burnie/Cromwell and Timonium Fairgrounds.
Saturday:
Express Shuttle buses from Glen Burnie/Cromwell and Timonium Fairgrounds to Camden Yards will begin at 8:00 a.m. and will continue through midnight.
Light Rail will operate for one hour after the Billy Joel/Stevie Nicks concert ends.
Sunday:
Express Shuttle buses from Glen Burnie/Cromwell and Timonium Fairgrounds to Camden Yards will begin at 11:30 a.m.
After the game ends, Light Rail service will operate for one hour. Express Shuttle buses also will run from Camden Yards to Glen Burnie/Cromwell and Timonium Fairgrounds.
Orioles: Buses will be staged at Camden Station curb
Concert: Buses will be staged in Lot C
For fans planning to use Uber/Lyft/cab services
Both Uber and Lyft have options to request a ride for now or schedule a ride in advance. In this case it makes sense to make use of the scheduling in advance option.
Be aware that both companies famously employ the practice of surge pricing, or raising prices based on increased demand, so expect demand to be extremely high for these games — especially Saturday, Oct. 7, when there are also the two concerts in the evening. Your price will likely be higher than regular season games for which you may have used these ride-sharing apps.
There are also plenty of taxicab companies fans can call to take them to the games. Fishbowl spoke to Joe from Arrow Cab, whose company policy restricts his giving out a last name, who said that customers can call and schedule rides in advance with them to the Orioles games. He cautioned that they cannot do that between the hours of 1 a.m. and 4 a.m., as they have many fewer drivers, but this policy should not affect Os fans unless there are many, many extra innings.
For fancy fans planning to ride in style:
Listen, we don’t judge, here at Fishbowl! We haven’t been to the postseason in a minute!
Fans can hire a sweet ride in a nice sedan or SUV or gather a group of pals to meet up at someone’s house and ride in a party bus.
Kamran Malik, of Zulk Transportation, told Fishbowl that they already have bookings for people who are going to the Os game on Saturday, though he said he always has bookings for Camden Yards during baseball season.
“There are different types of clients out there,” Malik said. “For example, they are looking for a stretch limousine, time-to-time services, or as-directed, or some of them they’re just looking for a group of, say, 14 people. They really don’t need something fancy, just the standard vehicle to pick up and drop off to avoid the high-rate charges. And sometimes people use a standard bus, go-as-directed because a party bus requires a minimum of six-hour services.”
Their website is under construction, so you’d have to call 443-756-5678 for a quote.
Fishbowl spoke to Mike (who also declined to give his last name) from Just Limos, who said it would cost around $800 to rent a small party bus for five hours for 10-15 people to get from Catonsville to Camden Yards. There is no tax, and tip is between the driver and the riders. If memory and 3rd grade math serves, that’s $80 or less per person, not including tip.
No matter how you’re getting there, be sure to plan ahead, hydrate, rest, consult the A to Z Camden Yards guide, and pray to the weather deities for no rain!
Let’s go, Os!
The Baltimore Orioles did not return our requests for comment on this article.
