If you have tickets for Iron Maiden at Estadio Nacional this Thursday, leave the umbrella at home. It’s on the list of items you won’t be allowed to bring in, even though afternoon storms are common in San José this time of year. Gates open at 4 p.m. British band The Raven Age opens at 6 p.m., and Iron Maiden is scheduled to take the stage at 7:30 p.m. The show is part of the band’s Run For Your Lives anniversary tour.
Your entrance depends on your ticket, so check it before you head to La Sabana. The Trooper ticket holders go in through the northeast access. GraderÃa Norte enters on the north side of the stadium, diagonally across from the Hilton hotel. If you’re in Sombra, Platea or Balcón, use the east side. General Standing goes in through the southwest access, across from the Teletica studios, and GraderÃa Sur enters on the south side.
Organizers recommend downloading your NFC ticket and saving it to your phone’s digital wallet before you leave home. That way you’re not trying to load a ticket on an overloaded mobile network while you wait in line. Pack light, because the banned list is long. You can’t bring weapons or sharp objects, vapes, lighters, umbrellas, food or drinks, professional or semi-professional cameras, selfie sticks, insulated tumblers, wallet chains, drones, drugs or seats of any kind.
Bags can’t be larger than 30 centimeters (about 12 inches), and flags or signs can’t be larger than 1 meter (about 3.3 feet). A packable rain jacket or poncho isn’t among the banned items organizers announced, which makes it your best bet if the weather turns. If you don’t have tickets yet, two sections were still on sale as of Monday. The Trooper costs 71,600 colones (about $155) and General Standing costs 41,800 colones (about $90). Both zones are restricted to adults 18 and over, so don’t plan on bringing a teenager into either one.
Expect heavy traffic around La Sabana, Rohrmoser and Paseo Colón as crowds arrive in the late afternoon, right as the evening rush hour builds. If you can, take a taxi or rideshare and agree on a pickup point a few blocks from the stadium. If you’re staying nearby, note that water service is scheduled to be cut in Mata Redonda, Hatillo and Pavas from 10 p.m. Thursday to 4 a.m. Friday for system work, according to the national water utility AyA. Fill a few containers before you leave for the show.
After San José, the tour continues through Latin America, with a stop in Bogotá, Colombia, on Sunday.
