Travel information ahead of Vincent Kompany's testimonial
A sell-out crowd of 55,000 fans is expected for the fixture, with roads and public transport busier than usual.
Manchester City Legends will take on a Premier League All-stars XI for Vincent Kompany's testimonial on Wednesday 11 September (kick-off 7.45pm).
Here's the advice from Transport for Greater Manchester:
Travel by tram, bus or on foot are the best ways to get to the Etihad.
There is a safe, well-lit and signposted walking route from Manchester Piccadilly Station to the stadium. Follow the Etihad Campus banners and ‘City Link’ signs to the ground, with the walk taking approximately 25 minutes. There are now nearly four times as many signs along the route and stewards will be present to guide you on your way.
The 216, 217, 230 and 231 services run to the Etihad Stadium from the north side of Piccadilly Gardens. The 216 service departs approximately every 10-15 minutes, depending upon the day and time of the match.
A fast and frequent tram service runs straight to the stadium’s dedicated tram stop, Etihad Campus, which is adjacent to the stadium in City Square. Metrolink services run between Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester every six minutes.
Greater Manchester's Park and Ride facilities will all be open and provide convenient connections to the Etihad Stadium allowing you complete your journey by public transport.
If you cannot avoid driving to the match you can car share and help reduce the overall number of vehicles on the road. Parking is available around the ground at certain locations. You can find out more information regarding parking on the Manchester City website.
A fast and frequent tram service runs straight to the stadium’s dedicated tram stop, Etihad Campus, which is adjacent to the stadium in City Square.
Metrolink services run between Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester every six minutes.
The journey from Manchester Piccadilly station to Etihad Campus takes less than 10 minutes.
Please note after the game is over trams will not serve Holt Town and Velopark until crowds have cleared from the Etihad Campus stop. This is to ensure the safe movement of customers and trams following the game.
A zonal fare system is in operation across the Metrolink network, with Etihad Campus located in zone 2.
Travel from the city centre to the Etihad will require a zone 1+2 ticket.
For an adult will be £2.80 for a zone 1+2 single ticket or £3.40 for a zone 1+2 1-day travelcard (off-peak).
You can now travel by tram with contactless cards and devices using the smart readers on stops.
The stops where you touch-in and touch-out will show us the zone(s) you have travelled through. Just remember to touch-in and touch-out with the same card or device, at the start and end of each journey, you won’t pay any more!
Event tickets will still be available from staff at Piccadilly, Piccadilly Gardens, and Market Street before the game and at Etihad Campus after the game for £4 for an adult and £2 for a child (return) beating the queue at ticket machines and getting you there quicker.
For further information and a full list of zones and ticket prices, visit the dedicated Metrolink ticket zone page.
You must have a valid ticket before you board a tram. Please be aware that ticket checks take place across the network.
You can avoid the busy match-day traffic by using a Park and Ride site, before completing the remainder of your journey on Metrolink. With plenty of sites across the network, it’s easy to park up and hop on the tram for a hassle-free journey to the ground.
For fans travelling from the east or north there are two large Park and Ride sites:
Ashton Moss with 200 spaces (Alexandria Drive, Ashton, OL6 7UB)
Ashton West with 194 spaces (Lord Sheldon Way, Ashton, OL7 0PG)
From these stops the journey time to the stadium is less than 25 minutes.
Frequent bus services run to the Etihad Stadium from Manchester city centre.
The 216, 217, 230 and 231 services run to the Etihad Stadium from the north side of Piccadilly Gardens. The 216 service departs approximately every 10-15 minutes.
At the end of the game, buses heading to Manchester city centre will be lined up on Ashton New Road opposite the South Stand.
If you are not travelling to the game, but are planning on using public transport, you should consider the following:
Journey times for some bus passengers may be longer due to match day traffic. Passengers should allow more time for journeys.
Bus operators will always have the latest information about their services. Follow them on Twitter or get their contact details in advance @stagecoachGM, @FirstManchester.
The following rail companies operate into Manchester:
Northern
TransPennine Express
Virgin Trains
Cross Country
Arriva Trains Wales
East Midlands
National Rail will always have the latest information on rail services. Follow them on Twitter in advance of your journey @nationalrailenq.
Pay-on-the-day car parking is available on site in the Blue Car Parks G and H, which can be accessed from Alan Turing Way (Gate 2).
A new pricing structure is in place for the 2019/20 season to encourage car sharing and sustainable travel options.
Both the coach and car parks will be open three hours before kick-off until one hour after the final whistle.
A residents parking scheme is in place in the streets around the Etihad Stadium and this is strictly enforced and identified through on-street signage. Please do not park in these areas as you will be fined and your vehicle may be clamped or removed.
Several roads will be closed after the match to allow pedestrians to leave the Etihad Stadium safely.
This is in place for approximately 20 minutes after the match but could be extended if necessary.
Roads closed are as follows:
Ashton New Road - between Alan Turing Way and Darley Street
Grey Mare Lane - between Ashton New Road and Alan Turing Way
Merrill Street - between Pollard Street and Ashton New Road
There is a safe, well-lit and signposted walking route from Manchester Piccadilly Station to the stadium. Follow the Etihad Campus banners and ‘City Link’ signs to the ground, with the walk taking approximately 25 minutes.
There are now nearly four times as many signs along the route and stewards will be present to guide you on your way.
The Ashton cycleway is a completely traffic-free six-mile route which takes you along the canal towpath between Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester city centre via the National Cycling Centre and Etihad Stadium.
The path has been resurfaced to make it easy for cycling and has solar-powered lights to guide you in the dark.
At the Etihad Stadium there are more than 100 cycle racks* for you to park your bike.
Disabled parking is available on site in the Blue car park, however space is limited due to the number already allocated to our seasonal supporters.