Christmas in Manchester: Advice for stakeholders

November 2026 - January 2027

Last updated: 19 October 2026

The Christmas season is nearly upon us in Manchester.

The markets will soon open across the city centre (from Friday 6 November). They'll primarily run until Tuesday 22 December, with smaller sites at Cathedral Gardens and Albert Square remaining open until Sunday 4 January 2026.

Millions of people are expected to head into the city centre for the markets, shopping, events including gigs and football, and a night on the town.

This page has all the advice you and your teams need to make your journeys as easy as possible with the Bee Network.

Key travel advice for businesses

Overarching travel advice for the period, including week by week breakdowns, can be found on our main Christmas travel webpage.
Encourage staff to use public transport, as roads are typically much busier over November and December, particularly at weekends.
For staff who need to drive, we have Park and Ride sites across the region.
Night buses and night trams operate to help staff working in the night time economy.
For full details of all the events taking place over the festive period, please visit our dedicated Christmas webpage.

What TFGM is doing to keep you moving

Enhanced monitoring of the highways and transport network from TfGM’s Control Centre and using intelligence to strengthen Metrolink and public transport provision.
Collaborating with transport operators to provide a co-ordinated response to events and congestion.
Working with event organisers and partners, including local authorities and National Highways to limit non-urgent roadworks on major routes to and from venues during this period.
Monitoring traffic signal timings across the network and on diversion routes, running special timings plans before and after the events.
Introducing planned bus diversions around road closures and providing customer information on affected bus stops to advise passengers of bus diversions.
Updating live navigation devices in real time with events, road closures and incidents.
Using roadside electronic message signs to advise of events and disruption at key points across the Greater Manchester road network
Co-ordinating social media communications plans with other agencies to maximise reach.
Boosting posts on social media to further amplify the transport message.
Regularly updating stakeholders and highlighting the key messages in transport newsletters and briefings.
Working with Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Police to conduct various operations over the disruptive period to keep you moving.

Social media toolkit

Social media toolkit - Christmas Leisure 2025

£2 bus social assets

Family bus social assets

Family tram social assets

Tram frequency social assets

Trams running until 1am social assets

Pop up park and ride social assets

Pop up park and ride - square

Late night buses social assets

From Friday 6 November – Tuesday 22 December, the Manchester Christmas Markets will be open across ten locations in the city centre.

Many more visitors than usual will be travelling into the city centre to enjoy Christmas shopping and festive events.

Expect journeys by car to take significantly longer.

Plan your travel by public transport: beenetwork.com

🎅 The Manchester Christmas Markets are open at locations across the city centre.

Visiting the markets? With multiple events taking place, public transport is the best way to travel.

🚊City centre tram stops, train stations and bus stations are all a short walk away from the market locations.

For more travel advice, visit: beenetwork.com/manchester-christmas-markets

From Friday 6 November – Tuesday 22 December, Manchester Christmas Markets will be attracting visitors to the city.

🎅 The festive magic will be spread across ten locations, including Albert Square for the first time in seven years!

🚊 The easiest way to travel is by tram, with each market location only a few minutes’ walk away from the closest tram stop.

Get in the spirit: beenetwork.com/manchester-christmas-markets

It's the most wonderful time of the year! 🎄🌟

The Christmas Markets open their stalls on 6 November until 22 December.

🚊 Planning your trip? All ten market locations are just a short walk away from the nearest tram stop.

Find out more tram: beenetwork.com/manchester-christmas-markets

Christmas in Manchester: Advice for stakeholders

Last updated: 19 October 2026

Key travel advice for businesses

What TFGM is doing to keep you moving

Social media resources