Where to park at Old Trafford?

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DP is going to watch an evening match at Old Trafford. Anyone been - where do you suggest parking?

The ground itself has a huge car park I think. On match days you get some people in yellow coats with "Parking £5 - this way" waving you on. DO NOT use these. Parking in the areas they point you to is either free anyway, or you aren't allowed to park there and you'll get a ticket. (not all these people are unscrupulous, but most are).
You can park at Salford Quays (near the restaurants) and catch the metrolink tram to Old Trafford station.

Sorry - I was thinking of the Man City car park I think....but what I said about Metrolink & street parking WAS about Old Trafford.
Where is DP coming from?

We always park at the Cricket ground. It's only a 10 minute walk away from the football ground and it's quite nice to take in the atmosphere as you walk down Sir Matt Busby Way

If he does decide to park there, it's best to park near the 2nd exit near B&Q - it's far easier to get out of there than the main entrance

I'm assuming he's never been before? Please tell him that wherever he parks it'll take a while to get out of the traffic, simply because of the volume of people

There are lots of offical car parks however these get full very quickly. I usually park at a car park off Trafford Road (towards the restaurants) - there are quite a few car parks this way or depending where he is coming from, he could try somewhere between Old Trafford and Chorlton on the roadside (about a 15 minute walk to the ground).

Is he going this Wednesday against Celtic? If so it will be very busy. If he doesn't want to drive too close there are plenty of trams from the city centre.

Thanks guys

Yes it is his first time
Yes he is behaving like all his christmas's have come at once
Yes he is going to the Celtic game
He is expecting it to take some time to get out
He is planning to arrive about 4-5pm

I had seen the cricket ground car park recommended elsewhere but he is worried that it will be shut when he comes out of the game. Does anyone know otherwise?

Cricket ground carpark is used for football, so no worries about it being open. Local school and college uae their car parks for match traffic also. Whole area is a giant carpark for up to 2 hours after full time cos of the volume of traffic and the fact that GMP don't police traffic leaving the match.

Where are you coming from? DH parks at Bury and gets a tram in from there (we are N of Manc) - is there an equivalent your way? It makes getting away at the end a lot less hassle too.

Leicester (will be travelling up the M6) - wants to drive because he doesn't think there will be trains.

I have suggested 'park & ride' type arrangement. He is convinced there won't be any transport after the match. There will be 70K people there FFS - they all have to get home somehow...

tell him to enjoy sitting in his car on the A556 on the way back to the m6.....as all the southern man u fans start the rat race back down south....

It won't be worth waiting up for him then????

OTOH - I get computer (and therefore MN) to myself with no glares all evening...

Have just checked with DS1 - he says they lay on special trams for Old Trafford matches to get everybody away afterwards.

wikitravel - click on metrolink - stops at Altrincham, Timperley, Sale coming up from S.

There is also the Eccles link - Eccles is close to the M602 but I'd need to look at a map to see how doable that is. Will ask DH when he gets in.

Eccles (Ladywell) park and ride

If he gets off the M6 onto the M62 eastbound at Warrington, it crosses the M60 and turns into the M602 and then he's into the map on the park and ride link.

HTH

I'll get him to have a look in the morning. Altrincham would probably be more convenient - but then he would have to pay for car park as well as tram.

This things already costing a fortune - Tickets, new Man U top, fuel, food when he gets there...