Old Trafford Cricket

[parkender102]

Hi

Going to 3rd Day of the Old Trafford England v Australia Ashes Test on Saturday 3rd August and am arriving by train at Manchester Piccadilly from Chester (but can alight at Oxford Road if I want). I've been to Old Trafford for the cricket before and the trams are rammed there and back so was wondering if anyone knows the best way to get to and from the Cricket Ground stress free as I'll be with my 12 year old son. I seem to remember one trick last time was to exit to the trams from Old Trafford and get the first tram heading AWAY from the City Centre and then get off at the first stop, cross to the other platform and get the next one TOWARD the City Centre. Thereby guaranteeing a seat, missing the crush etc. There must also be a few rail or bus options close to Old Trafford too?

 

[northwichcat]

I seem to remember one trick last time was to exit to the trams from Old Trafford and get the first tram heading AWAY from the City Centre and then get off at the first stop, cross to the other platform and get the next one TOWARD the City Centre.

That won't work on a Saturday. The number of cricket spectators for internationals coming from Cheshire (and changing at Altrincham) is very high and Metrolink will give priority for extra capacity on trams going TOWARDS the city after the game. Trams between Cornbrook and Altrincham are usually busy on a Saturday evening even when there is no sport on.

Your best option for boarding quickly is to walk across to one of the stops on the Eccles line and hope that MediaCity aren't throwing out a studio audience at the same time.

Alternatively, if your going from Chester use the Trafford Bar stop after the game (not Old Trafford), travel to Altrincham and pick up the Northern Rail service from there.

 

[High Dyke]

Had the same problem on the trams the other Monday evening for the Lancs v Notts T20 game. It's about a 15 - 20 minute walk to Exchange Quay or Salford Quays tramstops on the Eccles Line; might be worth the thought.

 

[cuccir]

When England played football at Old Trafford we'd drive to Altrincham and then get the tram in from there. It was still busy on the way back, but only as much as in the commuter peak: there's no queue or crush.

As the capacity at the cricket is lower than the football, I wouldn't expect it to be any busier. Therefore I think that as you're travelling from Chester the best advice is, as above, to change at Altrincham in both directions.

 

[northwichcat]

As the capacity at the cricket is lower than the football, I wouldn't expect it to be any busier.

What you have to remember is for the cricket Northern don't operate pairs of 323s from the city centre to the ground which are able to carry 560 seated, like they do for the football.

I made a MediaCity-Altrincham journey one Saturday a couple of years ago when an International cricket match was finishing and it was very bad at Old Trafford. One pensioner told me that he had been waiting for an hour at Old Trafford before he could get on a tram and the tram I was on was close to maximum standing capacity after leaving Trafford Bar so could only pick up around 10 at Old Trafford. The sensible people travelling towards Manchester used the Eccles service and the sensible people travelling towards Altrincham used the Trafford Bar stop to return from.

 

[Stonesourscotty]

Do stagecoach operate any specials for cricket?

 

[hairyhandedfool]

If you are going back to Chester, why not get to an Eccles line station, go to Eccles and then pick up the stopper to Newton-le-Willows for the Chester train?

 

[erk]

If you're coming from Chester, why not change to the tram at Altrincham (or Navigation Road)? The trams will still be busy, but less so.

 

[Par]

Go to Trafford Bar, a 5 to 10 minute walk from the ground. The ex Altrincham trams will be packed there (having picked up at Old Trafford), but the ex East Didsbury's should be relatively empty.

Alternatively walk to Firswood (about 10 minutes) to catch an ex East Didsbury before it reaches Trafford Bar. Not too many are in the know about Firswood just yet, and this could be your best bet.

If you choose this option, I strongly advise exiting the ground on the Great Stone Road side (the old Stretford End) and walking round The Quadrant to avoid the melee at the end of Brian Statham Way and Old Trafford Metrolink stop.

Firswood is closer than any of the Eccles line stops in my opinion.

 

[Manchester77]

East Didbsury services aren't relatively empty. Ever since the extension to East Didbsury when I've been at Trafford Bar and an East Disbsury tram comes in on the adjacent platform it's usually packed, same with the Rochdale ones watching them at Cornbrook, there's been a boom in numbers along the SML following the extension

I'd try getting off at Deansgate-Castkefield then there's NR services to Piccadilly and Oxford Road (TPE/ATW defiantly call at both) where you can catch your train to wherever. This limits the amount of time you n a tram and from Old Trafford all services (city bound) will call there

 

[northwichcat]

I'd try getting off at Deansgate-Castkefield then there's NR services to Piccadilly and Oxford Road (TPE/ATW defiantly call at both)

At the moment ATW are running Manchester Oxford Road to Chester/North Wales opposed to Manchester Piccadilly. It seems to be a knock on effect of the engineering works between Warrington and Preston.

 

[185]

As said above-- travel Chester to Altrincham then use tram from there straight to Old Trafford.

Cheapest by buying Chester to Old Trafford 'Mtlk' ticket, which Chester booking office can sell.

If two travel together, even better value by buying a duo ticket, Chester to Altrincham, and then your tram tickets seperate.

 

[northwichcat]

If two travel together, even better value by buying a duo ticket, Chester to Altrincham, and then your tram tickets desperate.

Panicking by the machine shouting 'Hurry up! The tram's about to depart!'?

 

[185]

Panicking by the machine shouting 'Hurry up! The tram's about to depart!'?

Lol... stupid tablet computers autocorrect. Hate them

 

[Class377]

I went for the football a few months ago and used Cornbrook Interchange. It's about a 10-15 minute walk if you're able to walk briskly (albeit along a main road with just grass verges to walk along at points), but even after a sold-out football match (so over 76,000 fans exiting) the station was empty and I was able to squeeze onto the first tram that came along.

Not every tram runs to Piccadilly from there but if you change at Deansgate you can get a train in from there.

 

[Manchester77]

At the moment ATW are running Manchester Oxford Road to Chester/North Wales opposed to Manchester Piccadilly. It seems to be a knock on effect of the engineering works between Warrington and Preston.

Apologises I was basing it odd my experiences last summer!

If you're going to Old Trafford Football Pomona is closer than Cornbrook.

 

[northwichcat]

Apologises I was basing it odd my experiences last summer!

No I didn't check the date. The engineering works shouldn't be in operation on 3rd August.