Transport for Greater Manchester will use shuttle buses from Trafford Centre for Manchester United’s home game against Bournemouth on 25 October. Tram improvement works are keeping trams off the Altrincham, Trafford Park and Eccles lines until Monday, 2 November.
Fans were told to allow up to an extra hour for travel. Return services ran after the game, with staff on hand to help supporters make their way home.
Dedicated buses also ran from Altrincham Interchange and Piccadilly Gardens. Transport for Greater Manchester said there were numerous buses running at regular intervals, giving matchgoers more than one way to reach Old Trafford while tram services were suspended.
Old Trafford on 25 October
The travel setup was different from usual, and supporters were encouraged to plan ahead and check their route and website before they traveled. Full information on the shuttle buses and ticket acceptance was available online, alongside the alternative travel options arranged for the matchday crowd.
The disruption was notable because it was described as the first time in over a decade that trams did not serve Old Trafford on a match day. That left shuttle buses as the main replacement on a day when thousands of fans needed to move in and out of the area at the same time.
Altrincham, Trafford Park and Eccles
The suspension on the Altrincham, Trafford Park and Eccles lines runs through 2 November, so the matchday change is part of a longer period of engineering work rather than a one-off diversion. For anyone traveling to the game, the practical step was simple: use the replacement buses, leave more time, and check the route before setting off.
