Manchester has a full events calendar, from league football and arena tours to the Christmas Markets. This guide covers the main venues and how to reach them by taxi or 8 seater minibus.
Airport Trips carries visitors from Manchester Airport and groups from across Greater Manchester to all of these venues. We provide the transport only and do not sell tickets, so please buy those from the venue or the organiser.
Old Trafford is the home of Manchester United. The football season runs from August to May, with home games on many weekends and cup ties on some midweek evenings. Emirates Old Trafford, a short walk away, is the home of Lancashire cricket through the summer.
From Manchester Airport the drive is about 10 miles and usually takes around 20 minutes in normal traffic. Roads around the ground are very busy on match days and some close before kick-off, so allow extra time. The club lists M16 0RA as its matchday postcode for drop-offs in its travel guide.
The Etihad Campus in east Manchester has two large venues side by side. Manchester City play at the Etihad Stadium from August to May. Next door, Co-op Live is an indoor arena with concerts and live shows throughout the year, and shows for next spring are already listed.
Both venues can have events on the same night, so tell us which one you are going to. Traffic builds early on Alan Turing Way and Ashton New Road. A drop-off a few minutes’ walk from the doors is usually quicker than queuing for the entrance. Our 8 seater minibus suits a group travelling together from one address.
The AO Arena sits above Manchester Victoria station on the northern edge of the city centre. It hosts music, comedy and sport all year, with a full programme through the autumn and winter.
A taxi can drop you near the Victoria station entrance. When a show ends, thousands of people leave at once, so book your return in advance and agree a pick-up point a short walk from the arena. Groups stay together and share one fixed fare in the minibus.
The Christmas Markets fill the city centre from early November until just before Christmas. This winter there are more than 200 stalls across ten sites, with Albert Square as the centrepiece. Cathedral Gardens has a covered ice rink, and those two sites stay open into early January.
Several market streets are closed to traffic, so your driver will drop you at the edge of the pedestrian area. Weekends are the busiest time, so a weekday visit is easier. Visit Manchester has a Christmas guide with the market locations.
The Opera House on Quay Street and the Palace Theatre on Oxford Street are the main stages in Manchester for touring musicals, which play all year. The Opera House pantomime runs from December into early January, and this season it is Dick Whittington.
Both theatres are in the city centre. Evening shows finish at a similar time to the arenas, so pre-book the journey home. A minibus works well for a large family party. ATG Tickets lists the pantomime.
Useful pages: Old Trafford taxi, taxi to the Etihad Stadium, Manchester city centre taxi, Manchester Airport taxi and taxis across Manchester.
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