Getting to Co-op Live

The Co-op Live, which opened in 2024 on the Etihad Campus, boasts the largest capacity for an arena in the UK. The venue regularly hosts the world's biggest artists and sporting events.

Key travel advice

Hot Wheels Stunt Show - Saturday 6 & Sunday 7 June
Soft & Gentle Netball Super League Grand Final - Saturday 20 June
Kaytranada - Tuesday 23 June
Robyn - Saturday 27 June
King of Leon - Saturday 4 July
Def Leppard - Monday 6 July
Joji - Sunday 16 August

Heading to the Netball Super League Grand Final?

On the day, we're operating a shuttle bus between the city centre and the Co-op Live for event ticket holders only.

Please show your event ticket to the bus driver as you board the bus.

Where to board the bus

For travelling to the arena, customers are advised to board the bus at either Stop EX on Piccadilly located by Piccadilly Gardens or Stop C on Fairfield Street near Piccadilly rail station.

After the event, please make your way to Alan Turing Way/ near Co-op Live bus stop to board the bus back towards the city centre. This stop is situated near the junction with Sportcity Way. The buses will drop fans off at stops near Piccadilly, Newton Street and Fairfield Street.

Shuttle bus times

From Stop EX on Piccadilly towards the Co-op Live Arena:

The first bus departs at 12.15pm

Bus services will then operate every 15 minutes

The last bus will depart at 2.45pm.

*For customers boarding at Stop C on Fairfield Street, it will take a few extra minutes for the bus to arrive at your stop.

From Co-op Live Arena towards the city centre:

Bus services will operate on a load and go basis after the event has finished.

From Friday 27 March until further notice, an emergency one-way closure is in place on Alan Turing Way, northbound only from the junction of Ashton Old Road to Grey Mare Lane.

To reach the arena, road users are advised to divert via Pin Mill Brow, Great Ancoats Street, Every Street and Ashton New Road.

Due to congestion along the diversion route, we're advising fans to expect longer journey times. Please plan ahead and allow extra travel time.

Etihad Campus tram stop is a few minutes walk from the venue and is served by the Altrincham – Etihad Campus and the Ashton-under-Lyne – Eccles service every day. Trams are operating every 7.5 minutes between the city centre and Etihad Campus.
Etihad Campus tram stop is in zone 2, view Metrolink ticket prices and find your tram zones for your journey.

Ongoing and upcoming tram works may cause disruption to your journey. If you're travelling on the dates of planned improvement works, plan ahead and allow more time for your journey.

Works starting in June

The Co-op Live Arena is a 25-minute walk from Piccadilly station.

The CityLink walking route is step-free, well lit and clearly signposted.
For more info, visit the Bee Active website. Starting from a city centre location, just type the postcode 'M11 3DL' for the arena.

Travel by tram

The Co-op Live is served on multiple tram lines, with the Etihad Campus stop being located directly next to the venue and and is served by the Altrincham – Etihad Campus and the Ashton-under-Lyne – Eccles service every day.

Trams operate every 7.5 minutes between the city centre and Etihad Campus.

Tram services run frequently throughout the day - you can check the first and last trams from Etihad Campus on our tram schedule webpage.

The service connects you directly to key city centre destinations such as Piccadilly and provides easy access to all 99 stops on the network across Greater Manchester.

For more information, take a look at the tram network map.

Metrolink are constantly improving the network for customers. Make sure you check the tram planned improvements webpage before you travel to see if any works will affect your route.

If you have to drive, did you know that there are 24 park and ride sites in Greater Manchester, where 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 - 18 minutes direct service from the Co-op Live.
Ashton West (Ashton line) - 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces - 21 minutes direct service from the Co-op Live.
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) - 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces - 39 minutes direct service from the Co-op Live.

Or, if travelling from further afield, you may want to consider leaving your car for free at:

Beat the queue at the machines and tap-in and out at the on-stop machines using contactless.

Save money and travel with the family using our family travelcard. Remember, this is only available on the on-stop ticket machines.

The venue is located in Zone 2. A 1-day anytime travelcard from Manchester city centre costs £4.30 for an adult. Further information can be found on our tram ticket price webpage.

Alternatively, why not download the Bee Network app now to plan your journey, get live departure times and buy your bus and tram tickets? You can also track buses and rate your journey.

Cycling and walking routes

The Co-op Live is a 30-minute walk from Piccadilly station. The step-free walking route is clearly signposted through Manchester’s Ancoats and New Islington areas.

The route is well lit, and helpers will be available on show days to provide support and directions.

Visit the Bee Active website to take a look at the area around the Co-op Live Arena. Just type the postcode 'M11 3DL' for the arena, so that you may consider making a change to your travel habits.

If you cycle via Merrill Street then onto the walking and cycle way by Holt Town tram stop, it takes just 10 minutes. When you get to the Co-op Live Arena, there are over 500 cycle parking spaces on the Etihad Campus.

Travel on Bee Network buses

If you are intending to catch a bus to or from the Co-op Live Arena, the following Bee Network 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

Along Ashton Old Road - a 20-minute walk from the venue

219 - Manchester City Centre - Stalybridge - Hadfield - Glossop

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.

You can check for any disruption to your service by visiting our travel alerts hub and searching your bus number.

The Bee Bus single ‘hopper’ ticket costs £2 for adults and £1 for children. You can only buy this ticket on the bus.

Use this ticket for a single trip and you can then use the hopper ticket to travel on other Bee Network buses, for no additional cost, within 60 minutes of buying your ticket.

Just keep hold of your paper ticket and scan the QR code on your next bus.

Travel by train

Manchester is served by a number of mainline train stations, connecting the city with all corners of the UK. We've listed the stations below, along with the easiest way to get to the Co-op Live, once you arrive in Manchester by rail.

Remember to plan your journey in advance of your trip by checking with your operator or on the National Rail website.

Travel by car

Road Disruption - Emergency one-way closure of Alan Turing Way

From Friday 27 March until further notice, an emergency one-way closure is in place on Alan Turing Way, northbound only from the junction of Ashton Old Road to Grey Mare Lane.

To reach the arena, road users are advised to divert via Pin Mill Brow, Great Ancoats Street, Every Street and Ashton New Road.

Please allow more time for your journey, as roads will be busier than usual.

Congestion on the roads close to the Co-op Live Arena will start to build from around two hours before the doors open for each event as ticket holders begin to arrive.

We have identified some traffic hot spots near the arena to help you plan your journey:

Travelling from the North - Alan Turing Way
Travelling from the East - Ashton Old Road
Travelling from the West - Mancunian Way and Ashton Old Road

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 taking place in Manchester. We will continue to update this webpage as our knowledge of journey times develops.

Official off-street parking is located next to the arena on the Etihad Campus. Depending on the event, the official parking may be located in Blue, Orange or Green car parks.

Visit the dedicated webpage on the Co-op Live website for more information and how to book your car parking space.

Address and contact details

The Co-op Live Arena is located on Etihad Campus, a short distance from the centre of Manchester.

The venue's postcode is M11 3DL.

The venue is encouraging fans to travel as sustainably as possible and it is accessible by foot via the designated step-free walking route, bike, tram, bus and car.

Got a question about getting to the Co-op Live Arena? Tweet us @BeeNetwork or visit our contact us page for other ways to connect with TfGM.

Accessibility on the network

In Greater Manchester, we want everyone to travel safely and easily. We have a variety of accessibility guides suited to your journey on our accessibility hub and some key information for travelling by Metrolink and bus below.

Accessibility on Metrolink

Metrolink is a modern system with a range of accessibility features. All Metrolink trams and tram stops are accessible for wheelchair users.

Every tram stop has:

A ramp, lift, or escalator - for the latest service updates for lifts and escalators at your stop, visit our dedicated webpage.
Step-free access for wheelchair users and people with pushchairs
CCTV and emergency call-points
platforms with tactile edges for visually impaired passengers.

Every tram has:

An area for people who use wheelchairs
Space for pushchairs
Seats marked for people who have trouble standing
Emergency call points.

For further information on the accessibility of Metrolink, please visit the accessibility hub.

Accessibility on the bus

Many buses have ramps and can accommodate wheelchairs. Some new buses also have display screens, route numbers, destination displays and audio-visual ‘next stop’ announcements.

A lot of bus operators have low floor buses to make it easier for people who use wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and those with small children and pushchairs.

For further information, visit our accessibility hub and select your bus operator for their accessibility policies.