Media City Half Marathon 2026

Sunday 15 February 2026

On Sunday 15 February, the MediaCityUK Half Marathon will take place. The event features a brand route, starting and finishing at Media City UK.

Whether you are cheering someone on, or just out and about, we've prepared the latest travel advice so that you are prepared for the all-important race day.

Key advice

There will be a road closures and bus diversions on the day.
Anyone making a journey by road should check the map below of the route and the full road closures list before travel. If you're taking the bus, visit our travel alerts hub for the latest service information.
Tram will be the best choice for travel on race day. More information in the 'Travelling by tram' section.
Network Rail works will be taking place on the day. As a result, Piccadilly Station will be closed to trains from the south and east of the city.
Tram services will not be affected and will continue to operate as usual via Piccadilly.

Road Closures

With a half marathon route, the event requires a significant number of road closures. We strongly advise people travelling within the impacted areas to not drive on Sunday 15 February, as the closures are likely to cause congestion and delays to your journey.

The following closures will be in place on the Sunday:

Barton Lane - 8.30am to 10am
Broadway - 8.30am to 11.30am
Coronet Way - 8.30am to 11.30am
Centenary Way - 8.30am to 11.30am
Bentcliffe Way - 8.30am to 11.30am
Moorings Road - 8.30am to 12.15pm
Trafford Park Road - 8.30am to 12.15pm
Churchill Way - 8.30am to 12.15pm
Trafford Wharf Road - 8.30am to 12.15pm

Bus Diversions

To allow the event to take place, the following bus services will operate on diversion from 8.30am to 12pm on Sunday 15 February: : 10, 20, 21, 22, 29, 30, 52, 65, 66, 67, 67A, 100 and 248.

Take a look at our bus diversion guide for further information.

Travelling by Tram

First time to Manchester? Getting around is simple with the city’s tram system.

Whether you're spectating or just out and about in the area, travelling by tram will be the best choice on race day. This means that you avoid delays to your journey as a result of road closures and bus diversions.

There are 99 stops on the network, MediaCityUK tram stop is located a few minutes walk from the event village. There will be a 15-minute service across the network on the event day.

Tickets

Beat the queue at the machines and touch-in and out at the on-stop machines using contactless. Save money and travel with the family using our family travelcard available on the Bee Network app.

Take a look at which ticket is right for you using our ticket finder

Park and ride  

Don’t know where to park?

Park and ride and Metrolink is a quick and easy solution to travel to the event, without worrying where to leave your car. Park and ride parking is free with a valid Metrolink ticket.

Find the park and ride site that is right for you on our dedicated webpage

Travelling by Train

The closest train station to MediaCityUK is Salford Crescent train station, which is approximately a 10 minute journey by taxi or a 30 minute walk.

Visit the National Rail website for the most up-to-date information on rail services.

Travelling by Car

Due to the road closures, we are strongly advising people to avoid driving, as the closures are likely to cause congestion and delays.

If you do have to drive to the event, travel via the M60 ring road on to the M602 and exit at junction 3 which is sign posted Salford Quays/Trafford Park. When exiting the roundabout, follow signs for Salford Quays and turn right onto Broadway at the first set of traffic lights. A 1800 capacity multi-story car park is located at the Lowry Outlet Store (M50 3AH).

You can avoid the road closures by leaving your car at a park and ride site for free and hop on the tram.

There's a total of 24 park and ride sites to choose from, depending on which direction you are coming from.

Find the park and ride site that is right for you on our dedicated webpage.

Cycling and Walking

If you are going to watch the event or just travelling around on the day, we would advise you consider walking or cycling for shorter trips as it may be quicker for you.

Due to the number of road closures in place on the day, journey times in the car are likely to increase compared to a typical Sunday.

For all things walking and cycling routes, visit our Bee Active webpages.

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.