2026 Manchester Marathon

Sunday 19 April

The Manchester Marathon returns on Sunday 19 April.

Whether you are supporting your runner, or just trying to get from A to Bee, take a look at the travel tips that apply to you.

Key advice

With more than 40,000 runners and countless supporters out and about on race day, please take time to consider your journey. Can you avoid travelling during the busiest times? If not, ensure you allow extra time for your journey as trams may be at capacity.
Tram will be the best choice for travel on race day. There are many stops located close to spectating points along the race route. Take a look at our spectating and tram sections for the best stops to use.

You can find more travel advice below.

With more than 40,000 runners and countless supporters out and about on race day, please take time to consider your journey. Can you avoid travelling during the busiest times? If not, ensure you allow extra time for your journey as buses maybe operating on diversion.
If you're travelling by bus in south Manchester or the city centre over the weekend, please make sure that you check on our travel alerts hub for any diversions on your route.

There will be a significant number of road closures in Manchester and Trafford, resulting in extensive bus diversions. Anyone making a journey by road on Sunday should check the map below of the route and road closures before travel.

You can find more travel advice below.

Manchester City play Arsenal in the Premier League at 4.30pm. 55,000 fans will be making their way to the match.
We expect to see significant queues at Altrincham and Sale tram stops from around 12-3pm when runners will be passing through the area and spectators then make their way to the city centre to meet loved ones at the finish line. As a result, journeys could take more than half an hour longer and we strongly recommend you to travel much earlier than normal to avoid any disappointment – especially with it being such an important fixture.

You can find more travel advice below.

Information for runners

Metrolink is the best way to get to the start line on the Sunday, as it will be unaffected by road closures.

Tram stops are located a short walk away from the start/finish points, so participants can travel with ease on the day.

The nearest stops to the start line are Old Trafford, Wharfside and Exchange Quay.

The nearest stops to the finish line on Oxford Road are Deansgate-Castlefield, St Peter's Square and Piccadilly.

On the Sunday, tram services will begin at approximately 7am. A full list of the tram routes operating is detailed below.

Please Note: participants should access the start line from Old Trafford stop up until 9.30am. This is due to the Marathon course crossing the road between Old Trafford and the tram stop. For runners arriving after 9.30am, please alight at Wharfside or Exchange Quay instead.

Tickets

Beat the queue at the machines and touch-in and out at the on-stop machines using contactless. We'll then calculate the fare for you based on the number of zones you've travelled through.

Park and ride  

With so many road closures for the Marathon, we don't recommend driving.

Using a park and ride site and contiuing your journey by tram is a quick and easy solution to travel to the event. 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

With road closures in place for the event and limited parking nearby, we're advising runners to leave the car at home, and opt for public transport instead.

If you must drive, consider using our park and ride locations and finish the final leg of the journey by tram.

A limited number of pre-paid parking spaces are available at Old Trafford Football Stadium, but these must be bought in advance via the Manchester United website

Travelling into Manchester city centre by train? You can connect for onward travel to Old Trafford from all three stations.

From Piccadilly, follow the directions to the Metrolink stop from the main concourse area and board a tram towards Altrincham.

From Victoria, exit the rail station and walk to the nearby Metrolink stop within Victoria Station to board a tram towards Altrincham.

From Oxford Road, exit the station and walk five minutes to either St Peter's Square or Deansgate-Castlefield to board a tram towards Altrincham.

Please allow plenty of travel time, and plan ahead by checking your journey on the National Rail website.

Manchester Marathon 2026 Map walking routes to start point

Please use the walking routes shown on this map to access the marathon start location, as other walking routes may be blocked by the marathon route.

For start waves before 9.30am, we advise you to use any of the four Metrolink stops highlighted to access the start location.

For start waves after 9.30am, we advise you to use Exchange Quay or Wharfside only, as the walking routes from Trafford Bar and Old Trafford will be blocked by the marathon route.

Information for spectators

Providing a friend or loved one with that all-important encouragement?

Due to the extensive road closures, the best way to travel along the course will be by tram.

There are many stops located close to spectating points along the race route. Below is a list of our favourite places to spectate, how to get there, and the mile marker that they are at. You can also take a look at the interactive map above.
The Altrincham line and East Didsbury lines will be the most impacted over the course of the day, Customers wanting to use these services may have to wait to board a tram and should allow upwards of 30 minutes extra time for travel. We anticipate that Altrincham, Timperley, Sale, Brooklands and Stretford will be the most used stops and customers may be asked to queue.
After the race passes through Altrincham, many spectators will be travelling to the city centre in order to see friends and family at the finish line. If you are making this journey, please allow plenty of time as tram services will be very busy and it's likely you will need to queue to board a city-centre bound service.

Deansgate Interchange - 1 mile

Nearest tram stop: Deansgate-Castlefield
The place to view the start of the race, with a large screen and adidas activation point. It's set to be a lively spot as the race begins and it's just a short walk from Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop.

Check live departures from Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop.

Stretford - 6/21 mile mark

Nearest tram stop: Stretford
Stretford is easily accessed on the Altrincham line and this spot gives you the opportunity to see runners early on and towards the end of the race. There's plenty of cafes as well, so you can have a cuppa whilst you wait for them to come back!

Check live departures from Stretford tram stop.

Sale - 8/18 mile mark

Nearest tram stop: Sale
Like Stretford, Sale is a great chance to see runners twice as they pass through the town at the 8 and 18 mile points.

Check live departures from Sale tram stop.

Timperley - 10/11 and 15 mile mark

Nearest tram stop: Timperley
Park Road is a lovely leafy residential road which connects to Timperley village and allows you to the route twice - out and back from Altrincham.

Check live departures from Timperley tram stop.

Altrincham - 12/13 mile mark

Nearest tram stop: Altrincham
With Altrincham Interchange connecting people by tram, bus and train it's one of the busiest supporter points of the race. There are regular trams to get you to/from the city centre so that you can see runners at the half way point and still be there for their finish.

Check live departures from Altrincham tram stop.

Chorlton - 22 mile mark

Nearest tram stop: Chorlton
Hop on board one of the East Didsbury or Manchester Airport trams from the city centre straight to Chorlton. This is the place to cheer your runner on in those final stages and then you can catch up after in one of the many cafes and charming restaurants that Chorlton has to offer.

Check live departures from Chorlton tram stop.

Oxford Road - 25/26 mile mark

Nearest tram stop: Deansgate-Castlefield, St Peter's Square or Piccadilly
Hop on board a tram to Deansgate, St Peter's Square or Piccadilly and opt for a short walk down Oxford Road towards the finish line. You can reach the finish line on foot from these tram stops in under 20 minutes. This is the place for hugs and tears as they cross the finish line! And there's plenty of cafes and shops located along Oxford Road to rest those weary legs.

Getting around on the day

Sunday 19 April will be one of the busiest days of the year for travelling on Metrolink.

Thousands of competitors will be using trams early in the morning to get to the start line, while supporters will be travelling up and down the network to cheer runners on.

Manchester City play Arsenal at the Etihad with 55,000 fans in attendance and, on top of that, many more people will be going about their daily business.

The Altrincham and East Didsbury lines will be the most impacted over the course of the day. Customers wanting to use these services may have to wait to board a tram and should allow at least an extra 30 minutes for travel.

We anticipate that Altrincham, Timperley, Sale, Brooklands and Stretford will be the most used stops and customers may be asked to queue to board a tram.

If your journey is not essential, can you travel later in the day to avoid the busy morning period?

Bury – Piccadilly
Altrincham - Victoria
Altrincham - Etihad Campus
Eccles via MediaCityUK - Ashton-under-Lyne
Rochdale - East Didsbury
Manchester Airport - Deansgate-Castlefield
Trafford Centre - Crumpsall

Services will operate on a 15-minute frequency across all routes, and will mean services operate every 7.5 minutes between the city centre and Old Trafford.

The first tram will depart the city centre to Old Trafford, and the start line for the Marathon, at approximately 7am.

The race route requires a significant number of road closures across the Sunday.

We strongly advise people travelling within the impacted areas to not drive on Sunday, as the closures are likely to cause congestion and delays, meaning that you may need to divert your route.

If you have to drive on Sunday, please make sure that you check your route before travelling.

View an interactive map of the road closures or a pdf detailing a list of the road closures.

Manchester City v Arsenal - 4.30pm at the Etihad Stadium

Manchester City and Arsenal go head-to-head in the crucial fixture at the Etihad Stadium.

Fans will start travelling to the ground from around 2pm, and we expect the city centre will be at its busiest at this point. If you're using the tram, please be aware that the Ashton line will be particularly busy and you may have to wait to board a tram.

If you're driving, please avoid driving near to the stadium on Ashton New Road or Alan Turing Way.

Sale Sharks v Saracens - 2pm at CorpAcq Stadium

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.

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

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.