Stadiums / England
Old Trafford
Manchester United — Manchester
| Address | Sir Matt Busby Way, Old Trafford, Manchester M16 0RA, United Kingdom Map (OpenStreetMap) |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 74,158 [source] |
| Airports | MAN Manchester Airport — 12 km straight-line · Train from Manchester Airport station to Manchester Piccadilly: about 20 minutes, every 10 minutes. The Metrolink Airport line (Manchester Airport to Victoria) also calls at Trafford Bar, about 10 minutes' walk from the ground. |
| Long-distance rail | Manchester Piccadilly / Manchester Victoria · Direct trains from London Euston arrive at Manchester Piccadilly. From the city centre, take an Altrincham-bound Metrolink tram to Old Trafford stop, about 5 minutes' walk from the ground. |
| Time zone | Europe/London |
| Official site | manutd.com |
Distances are straight-line from published coordinates, not by road.
Source: manutd.com · checked 5 November 2026
Source: manchesterairport.co.uk, en.wikipedia.org · checked 5 November 2026
Getting back at night
Getting back is the weak point. The tram is the only fast way and Old Trafford stop is the most crowded one after the final whistle: walk to Trafford Bar (about 10 minutes) and take an East Didsbury or Airport tram, or use Wharfside. A fan guide puts it at 50–60 minutes from the final whistle to Piccadilly. Metrolink does not run all night: roughly until midnight Sunday to Thursday and roughly 01:00 on Friday and Saturday nights.
Last services
| Mode | Line | From → to | Last service | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tram Sun–Thu | Metrolink Altrincham line | Old Trafford (tram stop) → Piccadilly Gardens (city centre) | 23:53 | Last direct tram to Piccadilly Gardens, about 15 minutes, per TfGM's first-and-last-tram tool (checked for 5–13 November 2026). The stop is the most crowded after the match: an evening kick-off leaves little margin on these nights. [source] |
| Tram Fri–Sat | Metrolink Altrincham line | Old Trafford (tram stop) → Piccadilly Gardens (city centre) | 00:53 | Friday and Saturday nights the last direct tram to Piccadilly Gardens leaves an hour later (TfGM, checked for 5–13 November 2026). [source] |
| Tram | Metrolink East Didsbury and Airport lines | Trafford Bar (tram stop) → Manchester city centre (change at St Peter's Square for Piccadilly) | not published | every 12 min Mon–Sat, every 15 min Sun (normal service). About 10 minutes' walk from the ground and usually much emptier than Old Trafford stop after the match. No last-tram time found. [source] |
| Tram | Metrolink Trafford Park line | Wharfside (tram stop) → Manchester city centre (change at Cornbrook) | not published | About 7 minutes' walk from the ground. After matches the city-bound trams skip Imperial War Museum, so use Wharfside or Exchange Quay. No last-tram time found. [source] |
| On foot | On foot | Old Trafford → Manchester city centre | not published | About an hour. It is the fallback if the trams are full or have stopped. [source] |
| Night bus | Bee Network 43 | Piccadilly Gardens (city centre) → Manchester Airport | not published | Runs 24 hours a day between the airport and Piccadilly Gardens, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. It does not pass Old Trafford: it helps once you are back in the centre. [source] |
Queues at the station
Old Trafford stop gets very crowded after the final whistle, and the Metrolink uses crowd-control barriers and one-way exits at packed stops on match days. Trams start filling about 90 minutes before kick-off. Wharfside and Trafford Bar are quieter; a fan guide estimates 50–60 minutes from the final whistle to Piccadilly. No official queue time is published.
If you miss it
Walk (about an hour to the centre), take a licensed taxi (postcode M16 0RA), or get to Trafford Bar or Wharfside and try there. Once in the centre, the 43 bus runs all night between Piccadilly Gardens and Manchester Airport.
Source: manchestertourism.org, worldstadia.com, en.wikipedia.org, tfgm.com, tfgm.com · checked 5 November 2026
How a visitor gets a ticket
In practice members only
Standard match tickets are sold exclusively to club members (Official or Premium membership; a Forwarding member cannot buy), one ticket per member. The biggest games (Liverpool, City, Chelsea, Tottenham) go through a ballot, and general sale is rare. A tourist without membership has two realistic routes: official hospitality, or a membership bought early. Membership does not guarantee a ticket.
In England it is a criminal offence to sell or pass on a ticket for a designated football match without the organiser's authorisation (section 166 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994). Tickets from unofficial resellers can be cancelled at the gate. Buy only from the club.
Official channels only
- Official ticket sale: tickets.manutd.com
- Membership: manutd.com
- Official hospitality: tickets.manutd.com
We never link unofficial resellers: tickets bought there are cancelled at the gate, and in the UK reselling football tickets without the club’s authorisation is a criminal offence.
Source: tickets.manutd.com, manutd.com, visitmanchester.com, legislation.gov.uk · checked 5 November 2026
Getting there
Public transport
Old Trafford is reached by Metrolink tram. The Old Trafford stop (Altrincham line) is a 5-minute walk down Sir Matt Busby Way; Wharfside (Trafford Park line) is about 7 minutes; Trafford Bar about 10. The tram stops fill up from about 90 minutes before kick-off.
- Altrincham-bound trams from the city centre (St Peter's Square, Market Street, Piccadilly Gardens) go to Old Trafford stop. The club puts it within a 5-minute walk of the ground.
- Trafford Park line to Wharfside: about 7 minutes on foot. From most city-centre stops you change at Cornbrook. Trafford Bar (Airport and East Didsbury lines) is about 10 minutes away.
- Bus 255 runs directly to the stadium. On match days the 30, 250, 255, 256 and 263 are diverted from 30 minutes before kick-off and again for 1 hour after the match.
- Walking from the city centre takes about an hour, so the tram is the practical choice. Allow extra time: roads and stops are busy on match days.
Source: manutd.com, worldstadia.com, tfgm.com, brentfordfc.com · checked 5 November 2026
Driving and parking
Don't drive unless you have to. Roads are busy on match days and only permit holders can reach the club car parks; the legal way to park is to book in advance through the club.
- Use postcode M16 0RA on match days. Car parks E1 and E2 can only be reached via Wharfside Way with the right permit; routes via Chester Road are redirected.
- Police instructions may hold supporters in E1 and E2 after the game, so parking there adds a wait on the way out.
- Official parking is booked on the club's ticketing site. Parking is free on non-match days (car park E2, postcode M16 0SZ for the tour).
Source: manutd.com, manutd.com · checked 5 November 2026
Taxi and ride-hailing apps
Taxis go to postcode M16 0RA; the club lists car park E3, reached via Victoria Place, in its taxi information. Expect closed roads and a walk before your car can reach you after the match.
- No official pick-up point for ride-hailing apps is published on the club's pages. Set your pick-up away from Chester Road and Sir Matt Busby Way.
Source: manutd.com · checked 5 November 2026
Bags and documents
The club strongly encourages you not to bring a bag. The limit is 20 × 15 × 5 cm (8 × 6 × 2 in), about a small handbag; anything bigger must go to a paid bag drop.
- Bag drops are in car parks E2, N2 and W2 (Cosgrove) and the Manchester United Foundation car park off Railway Road. They open 4 hours before kick-off and close 2.5 hours after the final whistle; items are left at your own risk.
- Not allowed: alcohol, glass, cans, flasks and cartons, water over 500 ml, dark plastic bottles, flares and fireworks, poles and sticks, umbrellas (small fold-up ones are fine), buggies and prams, laptops, tablets and large cameras, knives and tools. Smoking and e-cigarettes are banned. A clear plastic bottle up to 500 ml without its top is allowed.
- Flags and banners over 2 m × 1 m are banned, and so are most national flags unless that country is playing. Medical and baby-changing items are an exception to the bag limit. Megastore carrier bags are allowed if they fit under your seat and hold only that day's purchases.
- Everyone is searched at the entrance; use the entrance printed on your ticket, keep tickets ready for scanning and arrive early, especially if you use a bag drop.
Documents: The club pages we could read state no general photo-ID rule for the gate. Valid photo ID is required to collect a replacement ticket from Supporter Services, and tickets are sold to named members, so carry your passport.
Source: manutd.com, manutd.com, manutd.com · checked 5 November 2026
Where to stay
| Area | Why |
|---|---|
| Manchester city centre (Deansgate, Piccadilly Gardens, St Peter's Square) | Direct Metrolink trams to Old Trafford and Trafford Bar. After a late event the trams may be your only quick option, and the walk back is about an hour, so check the last tram before you leave the hotel. |
| Old Trafford / Trafford Bar | Trafford Bar is about 10 minutes on foot from the ground and Old Trafford stop about 5: you can walk home after the match and skip the tram queue. |
Source: manutd.com, worldstadia.com · checked 5 November 2026
Upcoming events
Sample dataThese events are examples used to test the page. They are not real listings. Real fixtures and concerts will appear once the daily update is connected.
Matches of the home club (football-data.org) and concerts sold through Ticketmaster, next 12 months. Also includes events checked by hand on official sites. Concerts sold by other ticket sellers are not listed. No prices: the seller’s site has the current one. Updated 5 November 2026.
When kick-off times are set (Premier League): Premier League kick-off times are usually confirmed at least 6 weeks ahead, when the UK TV picks are announced. [source]
No events listed for the next 12 months.
Stadium tour: manutd.com