Guide to Citi Field

Built next to the site of the now-demolished Shea Stadium (1964-2008), Citi Field offers numerous upgrades over its predecessor, along with better parking access and new amenities.

Remember Shea’s cramped corridors and tiny bathrooms? Citi Field's spacious 360-degree concourses and modern facilities are a welcome sight. Seats are wider, with better legroom. Concessions have been upgraded, with a wide array of food and beverage options on every level of the Stadium. There's even a Wiffle Ball field for kids.

The main entrance to the stadium brings fans into the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, honoring the former Brooklyn Dodgers great who broke baseball’s color barrier. Don't miss a great photo op with a glowing, blue, 8-foot-tall 42; it's a tribute the only man to have his number retired by every Major League team.

The Mets Hall of Fame, adjacent to the rotunda, is just one of several changes the team has made to alleviate concerns about the stadium's lack of Mets identity.

New in 2010

After receiving complaints about Citi Field’s lack of Mets culture and history, ownership announced the construction of a Mets Hall of Fame, which will take the space previously occupied by the team store in the Jackie Robinson Rotunda.

The museum will have interactive exhibits in addition to the usual artifacts and memorabilia from the team's history. The Mets also anticipate having items on loan from the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

The museum will have a separate entrance, so a ticket to that day’s game will not be required for admittance.

More Mets team colors, player banners and logos will be added throughout the ballpark.

For fans who love the long ball, that should get slightly easier with the Mets lowering the U-shaped cutout in front of the Home Run Apple in centerfield, making it a flat 8 feet all the way across.

Finally, a change is being made to the bullpens that will rotate both so that they face the field after visiting pitchers complained of an obstructed view of the field.

How to get tickets

Last-minute seats are sometimes available in the lower (more expensive) sections of the stadium, but reasonably priced tickets may be hard to come by.

Check the Mets’ official site at http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/ first to see what’s available.

In case of a sellout, try New York Tickets Online.

Here’s a seating chart to help you find your seats.

Getting there

BY CAR

If you plan to arrive more than an hour before the game, take the westbound Southern State Parkway to the northbound Cross Island Parkway to Whitestone Expressway Exit 13D to the Northern Boulevard / Citi Field exit.

... OR Take westbound Northern State Parkway / Grand Central Parkway Exit 9E, Citi Field / Northern Boulevard east.

If you plan to arrive less than an hour before the game, take the Long Island Expressway west to Exit 22B - College Point Boulevard. At the first light, take a right onto College Point Boulevard. Follow the signs to Citi Field Parking.

BY TRAIN

For those traveling on the Long Island Rail Road from Long Island, the new ballpark is just six minutes from Woodside, 17 minutes from Great Neck and 27 minutes from Port Washington. From Long Island, customers may go directly to the stadium from Port Washington Branch stations. Customers from other branches should transfer at Woodside. For fare and schedule information, call 516-822-5477.

BY SUBWAY

Take the No. 7 train to the Mets / Willets Point Station, the last stop on the Queens-bound line.

BY BUS

Connections to the No. 7 train can be made at Flushing / Main Street via Long Island Bus lines N7, N20, N21. For more information, call MTA Long Island Bus 516-228-4000.

BY BIKE

Citi Field is easily accessible by bicycle and provides safe bike parking locations around the ballpark. For more information on how to plan your route to Citi Field, visit http://nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bicyclists/bikemaps.shtml

Dining at Citi Field

Here are some links to help you enjoy dining in and around Citi Field:

>> Guide to dining at Citi Field

>> Five places to eat at Citi Field

>> Top five restaurants near Citi Field

Contact info

Citi Field

126th Street and Roosevelt Avenue
Flushing, NY 11368
718-507-8499
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/nym/ballpark/index.jsp