How To Get Here

The National Football Museum is right at the heart of the action!

We are located in Manchester city centre in the iconic Urbis Building in the Medieval Quarter, a two-minute walk from Manchester Victoria Station and five minutes from Shudehill Bus Station.

As a low carbon venue, we encourage our visitors to use the greenest transport option possible when travelling to the museum, and to reduce congestion and air pollution in the city centre.

Manchester City Centre is very well connected by train, tram and bus and also has cycle and walking routes. The Transport for Greater Manchester website has detailed information on the best way to get around the city: https://tfgm.com/


Walk/Cycle

Travelling under your own power, whether walking or cycling, is the easiest and greenest way to get around the city centre. Transport for Greater Manchester’s Bee Network provide tips for active travel: https://beeactive.tfgm.com/bee-network-vision/

There are five bike racks located on Corporation Street next to the museum. The nearest cycle parking facility can be found at the City Tower Cycle Hub next to Piccadilly Gardens, a 10-minute walk from the museum.


Train/Tram

Victoria Station is a 2-minute walk from the museum and operates regional services to and from Bolton, Southport, Wigan, Preston, Blackburn, Liverpool, Manchester Airport, Edinburgh, Rochdale and Leeds.

Piccadilly Station is the city’s principal station and connects to locations across the country, including the east coast main line to London Euston and Manchester Airport.

Piccadilly Station is a 20-minute walk to the museum. Alternatively, you can take a short Metrolink tram ride to Victoria Station and then a 2-minute walk to our entrance.  There is also a free Metroshuttle bus to the museum (see below).

The nearest Metrolink tram stop is Victoria Station. Victoria connects to the following lines:

  • Altrincham-Bury (green)
  • Bury-Piccadilly (yellow)
  • Manchester Airport-Victoria (dark blue)
  • East Didsbury-Rochdale (pink)
  • East Didsbury-Shaw (brown)

Download the Metrolink route map.


Bus

Manchester has an extensive bus network including a fleet of fully electric vehicles on certain routes. There is a bus stop (code NP) right outside the museum on Corporation Street served by many different routes.

The free city centre Metroshuttle service number 2 stops at the museum and links directly to Deansgate and Oxford Road train stations as well as other Metroshuttle services. Download the free city centre bus route map.


Going to the match?

Manchester City FC: Etihad Stadium

There is a signposted walking route to the stadium from Manchester Piccadilly Station, which takes around 20 minutes.

The Metrolink Etihad Campus stop serves the stadium. From Piccadilly Gardens use the Eccles – Ashton-Under-Lyne (light blue) service to reach Etihad Campus.

Twitter users can contact @ManCityHelp for advice.

Manchester United FC: Old Trafford

Old Trafford is a three-mile walk from the museum. The most popular mode of transport, however, is the Metrolink tram system. MUFC and Victoria Station are linked by the Bury – Altrincham (green) line or the Altrincham – Piccadilly (purple) line (changing at Piccadilly Gardens to the Bury service for Victoria – green or yellow).

Extra services are provided on match days, but the Metrolink system can get very busy. Visit metrolink.co.uk or follow @MCRMetrolink on Twitter for service updates. It’s suggested matchgoers use the following stops:

  • Old Trafford (0.5 miles – 10 mins walk)
  • Exchange Quay (0.7 miles – 14 mins walk)
  • Trafford Bar (0.8 miles – 15 mins walk)

Other Grounds

There are Metrolink services linking the National Football Museum to many Greater Manchester teams.

  • AFC Bury (Radcliffe – approx. 25 min walk to Neuven Stadium)
  • Oldham (Westwood – approx. 20 min walk to Boundary Park)
  • Rochdale (Rochdale Interchange – approx. 30 min walk to Spotland)

All are linked by Metrolink tram services from Shudehill Bus Station. See the Metrolink website for times and further service info.

Manchester Victoria has regional services including Liverpool, Leeds, Wigan, Bolton, Preston and Sheffield, whilst Manchester Piccadilly has national routes.