Transport for Greater Manchester
MediaCityUK has excellent public transport connections to Manchester city centre, where there are two major train stations, and Manchester International Airport.
Public transport across the city is managed by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), which includes the Metrolink tram network, trains and bus services.
Plan your bus, tram or train journey on the TfGM website and check for the latest travel news with theTwitter: @OfficialTfGM
Tram
Metrolink trams are the quickest way to travel to and from MediaCityUK to Manchester city centre and beyond. They do not run a 24 hour service- the last trams leave the city centre at around 23.30.
- Tickets must be bought on the platform before boarding. Ticket machines are on the platforms and normally accept payment by debit cards and cash. There are no ticket machines on board the trams and you could be fined £1,000 if you travel without a ticket.
- Travellers coming from Manchester Victoria train station should board trams to “East Didsbury”, “Manchester Airport” or “Altrincham” and change at Cornbrook, then catch a tram going to either ‘MediaCityUK’ or ‘Eccles’.
- Travellers coming from Manchester Piccadilly train station should board trams going to either ‘MediaCityUK’ or ‘Eccles’. The Piccadilly Gardens tram stop is a 5 minute walk from the station and also offers trams to MediaCity.
- If you get an ‘Eccles’ tram, get off at the Harbour City or Broadway stop. These are a short walk from MediaCity.
- Trams run around every 15 minutes between Manchester Airport and Victoria train station, via Cornbrook. Travellers should allow at least 1hr 30mins when travelling between MCUK and the airport by tram.
Bus
You can check maps and timetables for all local bus services on the Transport for Greater Manchester website.
Two companies operate bus services to MediaCityUK:
- FirstBus (lilac, purple and pink buses). Twitter: @FirstManchester
- Stagecoach (dark blue or green, with white and orange stripes). Twitter: @StagecoachGM
The number 50 bus service (Stagecoach) operates every 15 minutes between the Lowry Theatre and Manchester Town Hall in the city centre, between 6am and midnight during the week and on weekends. The Town Hall stop is 15 minutes’ walk to both Victoria and Piccadilly train stations.
The number 53 bus (FirstBus) runs every 10 minutes from the Lowry Theatre between 6am and 22.50pm, 7 days a week. This service does not go to Victoria or Piccadilly train stations, but is useful for visiting the Whitworth Gallery and Manchester Museum on Oxford Road, to the south-east of the city.
- There is a bus interchange at Salford Shopping Precinct (1a Hankinson Way, Salford M6 5JA) where you can access a wider variety of bus services.
- Piccadilly Gardens (postcode M60 1AY) is the main bus interchange in Manchester city centre. It is 5 minutes’ walk from Manchester Piccadilly train station and 15 minutes from Victoria train station.
Buying and using bus tickets:
- Day travelcards cost around £5. FirstBus does not sell single tickets, so you will have to buy a travelcard when using their buses.
- Tickets are not transferable between different bus companies!
- Tickets can be bought on the buses, but they are usually cash only. Some Stagecoach buses now accept payment by contactless card.
- FirstBus and Stagecoach offer apps for buying and saving tickets to a smartphone, but these may not work without a UK home address:
Car
MediaCityUK is close to junctions with the M602 and M60 motorways and is a 15 minute drive from Manchester city centre.
The postcode for Satnav users is M50 2EQ. Main roads nearby are ‘Broadway’ and ‘The Quays’.
The Garage is a secure multi-storey car park at MediaCity, open 24/7, but it is expensive:
Taxi
Taxis visiting MediaCityUK are only allowed to pick up and drop off passengers from opposite the Holiday Inn at MediaCityUK hotel (postcode M50 2EQ), or from outside the Costa Coffee café (M50 2EQ).
There is also a taxi collection point outside the Lowry Theatre.
Hackney, or ‘black’ cabs – which are hailed on the street- are not common in MediaCityUK, so you should book your taxis in advance.
Popular private taxi companies which serve MediaCity, Manchester and Salford include:
Mantax − tel: 0161 230 3333
Street Cars − tel: 0161 228 7878
Club Cars − tel: 0161 436 4000
1010 Taxis − tel: 0161 793 281
Uber − online app
NB: Between 07.30-09.30am and 16.00-18.30 on weekdays, traffic is very heavy across Manchester and in MediaCity, which can cause delays. Allow additional time for your journeys at these times.