Getting to Manchester for the football

Manchester is a domestic trip, so almost everyone comes by train, not plane. Base yourself in the city centre and tram out on the East Manchester Line to the Etihad Campus stop, about eight minutes from Piccadilly and a five-minute walk from the ground. Away fans sit in the South Stand, typical allocation around 3,000.

Fast facts

Getting there from the UK

Manchester is a domestic away day, so the fly-to-a-hub logic of European trips does not apply. From London the real choice is speed versus price: the train from Euston drops you in the centre in about two hours, while the coach is a third of the cost but takes twice as long. Only far-flung places such as Belfast, Aberdeen or the far south-west realistically fly in, landing at Manchester Airport (MAN). Costs and times are estimates and vary with how far ahead you book.

Getting into Manchester: airport and main station

If you do fly in, take the train from the airport, not the tram. Manchester Airport is roughly 10 miles south of the city and connects to the centre two ways. The faster is the train to Manchester Piccadilly, the main city-centre station: direct services take about 13-18 minutes, run by TransPennine Express and Transport for Wales, with around 170 trains a day.

The airport also has a Metrolink tram stop inside the rail station, on the Navy Line direct to Manchester Victoria every 12 minutes, but it is slow: about 55-59 minutes with 24 stops. For getting into town the train beats the tram. Keep the tram for the airport only if your hotel is on that line.

Manchester Piccadilly is the main arrival station and sits in the city centre with its own Metrolink stop, a taxi rank at the Fairfield Street exit and local buses, so most fans base themselves within walking distance of it.

From the centre out to the Etihad Stadium

The tram is the standard fan route. The Etihad Campus stop is on the East Manchester Line (Ashton-under-Lyne direction) and is about a five-minute walk from the ground, roughly eight minutes from Piccadilly. Trams run to Etihad Campus from Piccadilly, Victoria, Market Street and St Peter's Square, every six minutes Monday to Saturday and every seven-and-a-half minutes on Sunday. On matchdays double (two-carriage) trams run and hours are extended to clear crowds.

By train, Ashburys is the nearest rail stop, one stop (about 5 minutes) from Piccadilly, then a 15-minute walk to the ground. You can also walk from Piccadilly in about 20-25 minutes via Ducie Street and Great Ancoats Street.

On matchdays a dedicated Bee Network bus service runs direct to the stadium, including route 16/16H from Booth Street and Piccadilly, and route 17 from Victoria. Regular services along Ashton New Road and Ashton Old Road, such as the 216, 230 and 231, also stop within walking distance. Times vary with traffic, so check the Bee Network for matchday services.

Driving is discouraged. Stadium parking must be booked in advance and prioritises season-ticket holders, and residents-only parking schemes apply within a mile of the ground. Park in the city centre and tram in instead.

Note that on matchdays Holt Town, Velopark and Clayton Hall tram stops (on the city-centre side) close after the game for crowd safety, so plan to board at Etihad Campus for the journey back.

The away end at the Etihad

Away supporters are housed in the South Stand, east side, across three tiers in blocks 113-115, 213-215 and 313-315, with a typical league allocation of around 3,000 and more for cup ties. Views are described as good from all three tiers, though the top feels distant.

Away fans use turnstiles L1, L2 or L3 depending on ticket tier. The nearest tram stop, Etihad Campus, is about a five-minute walk from the away section. Exact allocation and block can vary by fixture, so check your own club's ticketing details and the printed block on your ticket before travelling.

Where to stay

Base yourself in the city centre rather than near the ground. Hotels around Piccadilly put you near both the Northern Quarter and the tram out to the Etihad, and the centre is compact enough to cover on foot. Pubs and hotels within about a mile of the stadium are effectively home-fan territory, so there is no reason to stay out east.

Where to drink

Drink in the city centre, then tram out. Bars around Piccadilly, the Northern Quarter and the Printworks are neutral and welcome travelling groups. Expect roughly £5-6 a pint in the centre, a little more in the craft places. A rough guide:

• Piccadilly Tap, Piccadilly Approach, right by the station and the first and last stop of the day, good craft range and easy for the tram out.
• The Pen and Pencil, Northern Quarter, open from 10am and relaxed for both pre and post-match.
• Tib Street Tavern, Northern Quarter, a straightforward sports bar showing the football.
• The Font, Northern Quarter, cheap drinks and a young crowd, handy if you are counting the pennies.
• The Printworks, off Corporation Street, over 20 bars and restaurants under one roof and thoroughly neutral.
• Near the ground, the Stanley Sports Bar admits away fans for a small entry fee, about a ten-minute walk from the stadium.

Avoid the home-only pubs by the ground, chiefly Mary D's and The Townley, which will refuse entry to away colours. If you want a drink near the stadium, use the fan zone by the ground rather than local pubs.

Where to eat

Manchester eats well from budget to sit-down. The local sweet things to try are the Eccles cake, a flaky currant pastry from the neighbouring town, traditionally eaten with Lancashire cheese, and the Manchester tart, a school-dinner classic of shortcrust, raspberry jam, custard and coconut. A pie in the Northern Quarter is the honest matchday lunch.

• Northern Soul, Church Street, huge grilled cheese sandwiches and a Northern Quarter institution for a quick, cheap feed.
• Mackie Mayor, a restored market hall near the Northern Quarter with pizza, steak, fish and more under one roof, good for a group that cannot agree.
• Flat Iron, city centre, well-priced steak done simply.
• Vincenzo Trattoria, a reliable Italian and pizza spot if you want to sit down properly.
• Bundobust, Piccadilly, Indian street food and craft beer in one, quick and vegetarian-friendly.
• Ginger's Comfort Emporium, Northern Quarter, for an Eccles-cake-flavour ice cream and the local dish box ticked.

What to do

Manchester rewards a day either side of the match, and the big museums are free.

• National Football Museum, Cathedral Gardens, four floors of the FIFA, UEFA and FA collections, free entry and the obvious stop for a football fan.
• Science and Industry Museum, on the site of the world's oldest passenger railway station, telling the story of industrial Manchester.
• People's History Museum, the national museum of democracy, banners, votes and the labour movement.
• John Rylands Library, Deansgate, a neo-gothic reading room worth seeing even if you never open a book.
• Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, a strong free collection from Pre-Raphaelites to modern.
• The Northern Quarter itself, bars, record shops, street art and independents, best explored on foot.
• Manchester Cathedral and nearby Chetham's Library, the oldest public library in the English-speaking world, both a short walk from the football museum.

Common questions

How do I get from Manchester Airport to the Etihad Stadium?

Take the train from the airport to Manchester Piccadilly, about 13-18 minutes direct, then the tram on the East Manchester Line to Etihad Campus, roughly eight minutes and a five-minute walk from the ground. Do not take the airport tram into town, it is slow at nearly an hour.

Which airport do I use, and is there a hub?

Manchester Airport (MAN) is the city's own airport, about ten miles south of the centre with a fast rail link. There is no hub to worry about. For most of the UK the train beats flying entirely, and only distant places such as Aberdeen, Belfast or the far south-west realistically fly in.

Where do away fans sit at the Etihad?

In the South Stand on the east side, across three tiers in blocks 113-115, 213-215 and 313-315. Entry is via turnstiles L1, L2 or L3 depending on your tier. The Etihad Campus tram stop is about a five-minute walk from the away section.

What is the away allocation?

Around 3,000 for a Premier League fixture, expandable into further blocks and roughly doubled for cup ties. The exact number and blocks vary by fixture, so check your own club's ticket office and the printed block on your ticket before travelling.

What time should I arrive at the ground?

Give yourself a good hour before kick-off. Trams to Etihad Campus fill up fast on matchdays even with double carriages, and turnstile queues build, so drinking in the city centre and heading out around 75 to 90 minutes before kick-off is sensible.

Can you drink inside the ground?

Yes, kiosks around the concourse serve beer, with the club partnered with Asahi. Expect roughly £6-7 a pint inside, more than the city centre. As with all English grounds you cannot take alcohol to your seat or drink in view of the pitch.

How much is a pint in Manchester?

Roughly £5-6 in a city-centre pub, a little more in the craft bars and inside the Printworks. Cheaper options exist in the Northern Quarter, and inside the stadium you are looking at around £6-7. Everywhere takes contactless.

Is Manchester safe for away fans?

Generally yes. Central areas are busy and well-policed, and most trouble is petty theft or late-night alcohol incidents rather than anything aimed at fans. Do not leave bags unattended, shield your PIN and keep colours sensible near the ground.

Which areas are away-fan friendly?

The city centre, specifically around Piccadilly, the Northern Quarter and the Printworks, where bars are neutral and the tram out is easy. Avoid the home-only pubs by the stadium, chiefly Mary D's and The Townley, which will not let away colours in.

Does the match ticket include free tram travel?

No. Unlike some grounds, your Etihad ticket does not cover local transport, so you pay separately for the tram. Tap in with contactless or use the Bee Network app, and note that a return is worth having as return trams are busy.

How far is the stadium from the city centre?

About two miles east. That is roughly eight minutes on the tram from Piccadilly to Etihad Campus, or a 20 to 25-minute walk via Ducie Street and Great Ancoats Street if the weather is fine and you fancy stretching your legs.

Where should I stay?

In the city centre, ideally near Piccadilly, which puts you close to the Northern Quarter, the bars and the tram out to the ground. There is no reason to stay near the stadium, the area is residential and the pubs are home-only.

Which tram stops close after the match?

Holt Town, Velopark and Clayton Hall on the city-centre side close after the game for crowd safety, so board at Etihad Campus for the trip back. Extra double trams run after full time to clear the crowds.