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Inside the new Highmark Stadium on a game day, the stands packed and the Bills end zone painted red

The new Highmark Stadium on a game day, October 2026. Photo: Dekema, CC BY-SA 4.0

AFC East · Orchard Park, New York

Where to stay for a Buffalo Bills game Hotels near Highmark Stadium, by time to the gate

Checked against 9 sources on November 11, 2026 · Editorial team · How we check

The stadium is in a suburb with almost no hotels: plan on Hamburg, 12–13 minutes by car, or downtown Buffalo, 23 minutes away with the NFTA Game Day Express. Every stadium lot is sold in advance.

The new Highmark Stadium stands in Orchard Park, a town of about 30,000, with two motels nearby. The chain hotels in Hamburg are 12–13 minutes by car with no traffic. Downtown Buffalo, 23 minutes away, has the most hotels and an express bus to the stadium; the airport hotels are 26–27 minutes out, and Niagara Falls, also on the express, about 50. Stadium lots are sold out in advance, so without a pass plan on the free former ECC South lot, the express or a ride.

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Hotels in Hamburg (Camp Road) →See the 2026 games

Stadium
Highmark Stadium, opened 2026: 60,108 seats, the NFL's smallest [5]
Parking
Stadium lots sold out, advance passes only; former ECC South lot needs no permit [3]
Express bus
NFTA Game Day Express, $5 each way, from downtown, the airport area and Niagara Falls [4]
Road closure
Abbott Road closes six hours before kickoff [2]
Bears weekend
36 places with rooms in Buffalo, $749 median for two nights (11 Nov 2026) [7]

Buffalo Bills weekends by the numbers

  • 2.0stadium seats for every resident of Orchard Park: 60,108 seats (63,000 with standing room) [5] against 29,804 residents [6]
  • 26 minwalk from the closest hotel, the Red Carpet Inn Orchard Park, to the stadium (1.2 mi) [8]
  • 1hotel we list within a 40 minute walk of the stadium [8]
  • 49 mindrive, with no traffic, from the furthest overflow town fans use when Orchard Park is full [8]

Buffalo Bills' 2026 home games

Three home games remain in the new stadium's first season, one of them on Thanksgiving night; the date of the Week 18 game against the Jets is set after Week 17. The 2027 schedule comes out in spring 2027. [1] For what rooms looked like when we checked, see our dated readings.

Fans in Bills jerseys watching a night scrimmage at the new Highmark Stadium under the lit canopy
A night scrimmage at the new stadium, August 2026. Photo: Dekema, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Buffalo Bills 2026 home games
DateOpponentNotesBook
Sun, Nov 22, 2026Miami Dolphins
AFC East		Sunday afternoon. [1]Rooms Sat–Mon →
Thu, Nov 26, 2026Kansas City Chiefs
NFL		Thanksgiving night, a Thursday. [1]Rooms Wed–Fri →
Sat, Dec 19, 2026Chicago Bears
NFL		Saturday night. [1]Rooms Fri–Sun →
Date not yet setNew York Jets
AFC East		Week 18: the NFL sets the day after Week 17. [1]Rooms →

Most NFL games are on Sunday and kickoff times can move late in the season. The room links cover the night before the game and the night of it.

Hotels closest to Highmark Stadium

Of the 14 hotels we list, the closest is the Red Carpet Inn Orchard Park at 3940 Southwestern Boulevard, Orchard Park: a 26 minute walk (1.2 mi) to the stadium. 1 is within a 40 minute walk. Times are routed on OpenStreetMap from each hotel to the stadium with no traffic [8]; on game day the drive takes longer and the lots fill early.

Hotels near Highmark Stadium, closest first, with walk and drive times
HotelAreaOn footBy carGame-day bus
Red Carpet Inn Orchard Park
3940 Southwestern Boulevard, Orchard Park, Orchard Park		Orchard Park (by the stadium)26 min · 1.2 mi5 min · 1.2 miNone listed
Stadium View Inn
4414 Southwestern Boulevard, Hamburg, Orchard Park		Orchard Park (by the stadium)Drive7 min · 2.6 miNone listed
Comfort Inn & Suites Hamburg
3615 Commerce Place, Hamburg, Hamburg		Hamburg (Camp Road)Drive12 min · 5.4 miNone listed
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Hamburg
3565 Commerce Place, Hamburg, Hamburg		Hamburg (Camp Road)Drive13 min · 5.4 miNone listed
Hilton Garden Inn Buffalo Downtown
10 Lafayette Square, Buffalo, Buffalo		Downtown BuffaloDrive23 min · 12.0 miNFTA Game Day Express, from the Metropolitan Transportation Center [4]
Embassy Suites Buffalo
200 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, Buffalo		Downtown BuffaloDrive23 min · 12.0 miNFTA Game Day Express, from the Metropolitan Transportation Center [4]
Hyatt Regency Buffalo
2 Fountain Plaza, Buffalo, Buffalo		Downtown BuffaloDrive24 min · 12.1 miNFTA Game Day Express, from the Metropolitan Transportation Center [4]
Courtyard Buffalo Downtown/Canalside
125 Main Street, Buffalo, Buffalo		Downtown BuffaloDrive23 min · 13.5 miNFTA Game Day Express, from the Metropolitan Transportation Center [4]
Buffalo Marriott at LECOM Harborcenter
95 Main Street, Buffalo, Buffalo		Downtown BuffaloDrive23 min · 13.6 miNFTA Game Day Express, from the Metropolitan Transportation Center [4]
Hampton Inn & Suites Buffalo Airport
133 Buell Avenue, Cheektowaga, Cheektowaga		Airport (Cheektowaga)Drive26 min · 15.6 miNone listed
Courtyard Buffalo Airport
4243 Genesee Street, Cheektowaga, Cheektowaga		Airport (Cheektowaga)Drive27 min · 16.2 miNone listed
Courtyard Niagara Falls
900 Buffalo Avenue, Niagara Falls, Niagara Falls		Niagara Falls, New YorkDrive49 min · 30.8 miNFTA Game Day Express, from the Niagara Falls Transportation Center [4]
DoubleTree by Hilton Niagara Falls New York
401 Buffalo Avenue, Niagara Falls, Niagara Falls		Niagara Falls, New YorkDrive49 min · 30.9 miNFTA Game Day Express, from the Niagara Falls Transportation Center [4]
Hampton Inn Niagara Falls
501 Rainbow Boulevard, Niagara Falls, Niagara Falls		Niagara Falls, New YorkDrive49 min · 31.1 miNFTA Game Day Express, from the Niagara Falls Transportation Center [4]

Where to stay in Orchard Park, by area

3 km10 km25 kmHighmark StadiumNiagara Falls, New York49 min driveAirport (Cheektowaga)26 min driveDowntown Buffalo23 min driveOrchard Park (by the stadium)26 min walkHamburg (Camp Road)12 min drive
  1. Hamburg (Camp Road) 12 min drive
  2. Downtown Buffalo 23 min drive
  3. Orchard Park (by the stadium) 26 min walk
  4. Airport (Cheektowaga) 26 min drive
  5. Niagara Falls, New York 49 min drive
Walk to the gatesShort drive or shuttleOverflow townsPositions are to scale in direction; distance is compressed. Times are routed with no traffic.

Walk to the gates

Orchard Park (by the stadium)

Walkable at a pushTailgating

The only lodging near the stadium is two motels on Southwestern Boulevard: a 26 minute walk from the closer one.

  • 26 min Walk from the Red Carpet Inn to the stadium (1.2 mi) [8]
  • 7 min Drive from the Stadium View Inn, no traffic (2.6 mi) [8]

Hotels here

Hotels in Orchard Park (by the stadium) →

A short drive or shuttle

Downtown Buffalo

Express busNightlifeMore choice

The most hotels and restaurants, 23–24 minutes from the stadium by car with no traffic. The NFTA Game Day Express leaves from the Metropolitan Transportation Center downtown.

  • 23 min Drive from Canalside, no traffic (13.5 mi) [8]

Hotels here

Hotels in Downtown Buffalo →

When the town is full

Niagara Falls, New York

OverflowExpress busMake a trip of it

The US side of the falls, 49 minutes from the stadium with no traffic. The NFTA Game Day Express stops at the Niagara Falls Transportation Center.

  • 49 min Drive from the Courtyard Niagara Falls, no traffic (30.8 mi) [8]

Hotels here

Hotels in Niagara Falls, New York →

Booking rules: when rooms open and what big weekends cost

Big games double the price

On 11 November 2026, Booking.com showed 36 places with rooms in Buffalo for the Bears weekend (18–20 December) at a median of $749 for two nights, against 76 places at $358 for a weekend with the Bills away (4–6 December). For the Thanksgiving Chiefs game, 22 places in Buffalo and one in Orchard Park. [7]

No pass, no stadium lot

Every Highmark Stadium lot needs a pass bought in advance, and they are sold out; there are no sales on the day except at the Blue and White accessible lots. The former ECC South Campus, entered from Southwestern Boulevard or Big Tree Road, needs no permit. [3]

Cashless and clear bags

Everything at Highmark Stadium is cashless, parking included. One clear bag up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches or a clutch up to 6.5 x 4.5 inches; re-entry is not allowed. [2]

Coming as a group or a family? Houses and apartments in and around Orchard Park are on Vrbo: vacation rentals in Orchard Park →

What we saw in the 2026 season

Our own readings of Booking.com search results: two nights, two adults, prices before taxes, one reading on one day. A record of the day we looked, not a forecast.

  • For the Thanksgiving Chiefs game (nights of 25–27 November), Booking.com showed 22 places with rooms in Buffalo at a median of $468 for two nights, and one in Orchard Park. [7]
  • For the Bears weekend (18–20 December), 36 places in Buffalo at $749. For a weekend with the Bills away (4–6 December), 76 places at $358. [7]

Live hotel prices around Highmark Stadium

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Game day at Highmark Stadium: parking, traffic and buses

The curved grey facade of the new Highmark Stadium with its name and logo, an empty parking lot in front
The new Highmark Stadium from the west, May 2026. Photo: Dekema, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Timeline

Abbott Road closes six hours before kickoff, parking lots open four hours before, security gates three hours before and ticket entries two hours before; warm-ups start an hour before kickoff. [2]

NFTA Game Day Express

$5 a person each way, cash (exact change) or Token Transit; Metro passes do not count. Stops: Eastern Hills Mall, the Metropolitan Transportation Center, Niagara Falls Transportation Center, Thruway Plaza, University Station and Utica Rail Station. At the stadium it uses the Transit Center near Abbott Road and Southwestern Boulevard. Service is limited: be there 10–15 minutes early. [4]

After the game

Parking lots close two hours after the game. Big Tree Road (Route 20A) is closed westbound from Fieldhouse Drive to Route 219, and eastbound from Erie College Drive to Southwestern Boulevard, after the game only. [3]

Lot rules

Advance passes are valid only for the lot printed on them. Tailgating must stay within your space; it is banned in the striped accessible aisles. [3]

Accessible parking

The Blue and White accessible lots are first come, first served, cashless, paid on arrival. Waiting on nearby roads for them to open is not allowed; golf carts run from the lots to the gates. [3]

Phones

Add your parking pass and tickets to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet before you arrive: the Bills warn that signal at the stadium can be weak. [2]

Getting back after the game

Lots close two hours after the game, and parts of Big Tree Road close to one direction after the game. If the game runs long, the first express buses leave about 30 minutes after it ends. [4]

Getting to Orchard Park

Flying

Buffalo Niagara International is 30 minutes from the stadium by car with no traffic. [8]

From Canada

Toronto is about two and a quarter hours from the stadium by car with no traffic, before the border crossing. [8]

Flying in

Buffalo Niagara International (BUF) is 30 minutes' drive from the stadium with no traffic (17.6 mi). [8]

Travel news for the 2026 season

  • The new Highmark Stadium opened in Orchard Park, across the street from the old one; with 60,108 seats it is the smallest in the NFL. [5]

Buffalo Bills game weekends: questions fans ask

Are there hotels near Highmark Stadium?

Very few. The closest we list is the Red Carpet Inn on Southwestern Boulevard, a 26 minute walk (1.2 miles). The nearest chain hotels are in Hamburg, 12–13 minutes by car. [8]

Where should I stay for a Bills game?

Hamburg if you are driving (12–13 minutes), or downtown Buffalo (23 minutes) if you want restaurants and the NFTA Game Day Express. [8]

Can I buy parking at Highmark Stadium on game day?

No. Stadium lots need an advance pass and are sold out. The former ECC South Campus lot needs no permit. [3]

Is there a bus to Bills games?

Yes. NFTA's Game Day Express costs $5 each way, from downtown Buffalo, Eastern Hills Mall, University Station, Thruway Plaza, Utica Station and Niagara Falls. [4]

How much are Buffalo hotels on a Bills weekend?

On 11 November 2026, Booking.com showed a median of $749 for two nights in Buffalo for the Bears weekend in December, about twice the $358 for a weekend with the Bills away. [7]

When are the Bills' remaining 2026 home games?

Dolphins on Sunday 22 November, Chiefs on Thanksgiving night (Thursday 26 November), Bears on Saturday 19 December, and the Jets in Week 18, date to be set. [1]

Sources

  1. Buffalo Bills 2026 Schedule, Buffalo Bills, BuffaloBills.com. Checked November 11, 2026.
  2. Buffalo Bills Game Day, Buffalo Bills, BuffaloBills.com (2026 season). Checked November 11, 2026.
  3. Highmark Stadium Parking, Buffalo Bills, BuffaloBills.com (2026 season). Checked November 11, 2026.
  4. Game Day Express, NFTA Metro transit. Checked November 11, 2026.
  5. Highmark Stadium, Wikipedia. Checked November 11, 2026.
  6. City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2025 (Vintage 2025), U.S. Census Bureau. Checked November 11, 2026.
  7. Our reading of Booking.com search results (two nights, two adults, before taxes): searches for Buffalo, New York, United States on booking.com, for the nights given with each reading, FootballStay (11 November 2026). Checked November 11, 2026.
  8. Routed walk and drive times (OSRM on OpenStreetMap, no traffic), FOSSGIS routing.openstreetmap.de. Checked November 11, 2026.
  9. Hotel positions and addresses, OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Checked November 11, 2026.

Photos

  • The new Highmark Stadium on a game day, October 2026. Dekema, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
  • A night scrimmage at the new stadium, August 2026. Dekema, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
  • The new Highmark Stadium from the west, May 2026. Dekema, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Photos are openly licensed, resized and cropped for this page. None shows a hotel we list or implies endorsement.

Walk and drive times are routed on OpenStreetMap with no traffic; game-day traffic adds to them. Found something out of date? Tell us and we fix it with a dated correction.

FootballStay is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the NFL, the NCAA, any conference, university or team. Team and stadium names are used only to describe where games are played.

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