Getting here

Co-op Live is a 25-minute walk from the heart of Manchester. From Piccadilly Station, following the blue lampposts for our regenerated, step-free CityLink walking route through Manchester’s Ancoats, New Islington and Holt Town areas.

The route is well lit and includes CCTV and helpers on event days to provide support and directions. Fans are met by interactive experiences, including a host of light and sound installations, busker performances and especially comissioned artwork.

Visit the Bee Active website to take a look at the area around Co-op Live. This includes tram stops for those that would like to combine walking with Metrolink travel. Just type the postcode M11 3DU for the arena and let your phone help guide you on your way.

Fans travelling to an event during Opening Season (20th April to 30 June 2024) who are in possession of a valid ticket can use the Metrolink across all four zones and new city centre shuttle buses free of charge. For more information, visit the TFGM website.

- What do I do if I’m collecting my tickets from the box office/on the guestlist?
As a 100% digital ticketed venue, all Ticketmaster tickets will be available in advance of events through the Co-op Live app, all others will be through the point of purchase. If you do not have a valid event ticket at time of travel, you will need to purchase a Metrolink ticket.

-Why is this only available on Metrolink and not Bee Network buses?
The bus services in the vicinity of Co-op Live are not yet part of the Bee Network. The initiative therefore focuses on Metrolink services.

- Can I use the number 216 bus service prior to an event to get there? 
Yes, you can alight the 216 at the Etihad Stadium, a 10-minute walk from Co-op Live. Note that standard buses to Co-op Live are not yet part of the Bee Network, and therefore travel is not included with your event ticket.

- Why are there only shuttle buses offered post-event?
The time and number of shuttle buses are based on expected additional demand across the existing TfGM network. The shuttle buses will support peak demand across the Metrolink network

- Are we planning to introduce more frequent trams?
Transport for Greater Manchester has increased the frequency of trams to every six minutes, from Monday to Saturday, between the city centre and the Etihad Campus. Shuttle buses will support at peak times following events at Co-op Live.

- What lines is this valid on?
Transport is included across the full Metrolink network from four hours before and up to four hours after each event, in-line with standard operating hours.

- What if my event is on a Sunday?
Transport is included on all days of the week, in-line with Metrolink operating hours. Additional shuttle buses will be provided at peak times.

- Do you just show people your event ticket if asked?
As a 100% digital ticketed venue, all tickets will be available in advance of events through the Co-op Live app. When asked, please show your event ticket to TfGM staff. If you do not have a valid event ticket at time of travel, you will need to purchase a Metrolink ticket in advance of travel.

- What happens if there are multiple events at Co-op Live and high demand on trams?
Where necessary, additional travel measures will be put in place during particularly busy times. The Metrolink initiative is also supported by the CityLink walking route from the city centre to Etihad Campus, and free city centre shuttle buses post event.

- Does this include other events on the Etihad Campus?
The initiative is only valid for events at Co-op Live. If you do not have a valid event ticket at time of travel, you will need to purchase a Metrolink ticket in advance of travel.

- I didn’t manage to get the tram because it was too busy.  
I am sorry to hear you were unable to travel on your preferred route. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee access to the Metrolink service at any given time. The Metrolink initiative is also supported by the CityLink walking route from the city centre to Etihad Campus, and free city centre shuttle buses post event.

- Can I get my money back because I didn’t manage to travel the way I wanted to (delay/cancelled/missed/full)?
Co-op Live are excited to be offering fans Metrolink travel included in their event ticket. As the initiative does not come at additional cost to the fan, we cannot offer any refund for unexpected delays to your journey.

Frequent trams run on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad Campus stop, located directly next to the venue. Trams run every 6 minutes from the city centre, and until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.

In order to safely manage crowds post-event, Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed.

Plan your journey

From 20 April - 30 June 2024, fans will have Metrolink travel included with their ticket from 4 hours before the event, and up to 4 hours after in line with operating hours across the line. Simply present your event ticket when asked.

Limited parking is avialable at Co-op Live, and must be pre-booked ahead of the event online here. Only pre-booked parking will be available on event days. Parking will be released up to 4 weeks before the event, and you can book online here. You can find out more on our parking help page.

A residents parking scheme is in place to protect those living near the Etihad Campus, and fans will not be able to drop off, park, or pick up outside of designated areas.

Please use the post code M11 3DU, and follow the signs top Etihad Campus as you get closer.

Congestion on the roads close to the Etihad Campus will start to build from around 2 hours before each gig as event-goers begin to arrive. If you are travelling on the road, we suggest you plan ahead. Here are some suggested times that you should add to your journey on event day:

• Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
• Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
• Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
  Please be aware that travel times may vary dependent on a variety of factors including whether it is an evening or weekend event and whether there are other events on the Etihad Campus.

Additional parking is avaliable in Manchester city centre, accessible via the CityLink walking route and public transport. 

Hackney Carriages will be available from Rowsley Street, to the west of the Etihad Campus. 

For private hire, designated drop-off and pick-up points are located across the Etihad Campus, dependent on specific events. 

Drop-off points will be available adjacent to the venue. More information on this will be available in due course. 

If you have to drive, did you know that there are 24 Park and Ride sites in Greater Manchester? You can park your car for free and hop on the tram to your destination. The nearest Park and Ride sites to the Co-op Live Arena are:
Ashton Moss (Ashton line) - 183 spaces and 12 disabled spaces
Ashton West (Ashton line) - 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) - 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces

Frequent trams run on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad Campus stop, located directly next to the venue. Trams run every 6 minutes from the city centre, and until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.

In order to safely manage crowds, Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event.

From 20 April - 30 June 2024, fans will have Metrolink travel included with their ticket from 4 hours before the event, and up to 4 hours after in line with operating hours across the line. Simply present your event ticket when asked.

Plan your journey

Free city-centre shuttle buses are available after events at Co-op Live from 20 April - 30 June 2024. 

If you are intending to catch a bus to or from Co-op Live, the following commercial bus services will bring you closest to the venue.

Along Alan Turing Way - a 2-minute walk from the venue
53 - Cheetham Hill - Higher Crumpsall - Old Trafford - Pendleton

Along Ashton New Road - a 10-minute walk from the venue
216 - Piccadilly Gardens - Ashton-under-Lyne - Stalybridge
230 - Piccadilly Gardens - Droylsden - Ashton-under-Lyne
231 - Piccadilly Gardens - Droylsden - Hurst - Ashton-under-Lyne

Along Oldham Road - a 20-minute walk from the venue
83 - Piccadilly Gardens - Failsworth - Oldham - Sholver
84 - Piccadilly Gardens - Hollinwood - Oldham - Lees - Uppermill
181 - Piccadilly Gardens - Chadderton - Royton - Wrens Nest
182 - Piccadilly Gardens - Chadderton - Royton - Wrens Nest

Along Ashton Old Road - a 20-minute walk from the venue
219 - Manchester City Centre - Stalybridge - Hadfield - Glossop

You can see the nearest stops to the ground with the dedicated map.

Journey times could also be impacted due to the increased levels of traffic, so be sure to plan ahead and allow extra time for your travel.

There are a number of train companies in the UK that operate trains to Manchester, including Avanti West Coast, Northern, TransPennine Express, CrossCountry and Transport for Wales. Fans can get to Manchester via the four main train stations:

Manchester Piccadilly: 25-minute walk or 10-minute tram direct to the Etihad Campus.

Manchester Victoria: 45-minute walk or 30-minute tram to the Etihad Campus, changing at Piccadilly Station.

Manchester Oxford Road: 45-minute walk or 12-minute tram from nearby St Peter’s Square to the Etihad Campus.

Manchester Deansgate: 60-minute walk or 15-minute tram direct to the Etihad Campus.

Salford Central: 60-minute walk or 12-minute tram from St Peter’s Square to the Etihad Campus. Note St Peter's Square is a 15-minute walk from Salford Central. 

Ashburys Station: 10-minute walk to the Etihad Campus.

From 20 April - 30 June 2024, all fans get tram travel included with their event ticket. This runs for 4 hours before the event and up to 4 hours after, in-line with standard operating hours.

There are over 500 cycle parking spaces at the Etihad Campus.

Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes. Through the Beryl app, you can locate and unlock your bike, get from A to B, then safely lock your hired bike up again.

There are two bike hire points near the south-west corner of the Etihad stadium, on Ashton New Road.

To find out more about Manchester's cycle hire scheme that operates in the area, visit the dedicated cycle hire information.

You can take a look at the cycle paths around the Etihad Campus by visiting the interactive map - just scroll in on the area and discover routes to get you to your event. Bag drop will also be available on the Etihad Campus if you need it.

Note, Co-op Live accepts no liability and all bikes are left at their own risk.

International fans can fly into Manchester Airport from most major international cities, or via a connection from London Heathrow or Gatwick.

There are regular National Rail trains and Metrolink trams into central Manchester from the airport. Further detail on how to access Co-op Live can be found on the Bee Network website.

From 20 April to 30 June 2024, Metrolink tram travel is included with all Co-op Live event tickets.

On the rare occasion that there are multiple, concurrent events taking place on the Eithad Campus (including at the Etihad Stadium), additional transport measures may be put in place. Fans with tickets to Co-op Live will be made aware of any changes in advance of the event via e-mail.

Please visit Man City Matchdays Website for more information and to help you plan your journey to and from the arena.

Unless otherwise stated, all main performances at Co-op Live are expected to finish by 23:30. Events in ancillary spaces may continue until 01:00 Sunday - Thursday, and until 02:00 Friday, Saturday and a Sunday before a bank holiday.

We strongly advise that fans plan return travel in advance of arriving at Co-op Live, and in line with operating hours across public transport networks.

In order to safely manage crowds post-event, Velopark and Holt Town tram stops will be closed.

The CityLink walking route will remain staffed up until 00:00 following all main performances at Co-op Live.

Free city centre shuttle buses will be available after each main performance between 20 April - 30 June 2024.