Away Day Guide – Manchester City
Everything you need to know for a day out at the City of Manchester stadium, or more commonly known as The Etihad. Next visit: October 5th, 2024. Kick-off 3PM UK time.
Travel to the stadium
By car
Exit the M6 at Junction 19 and take the A556 towards Stockport. You will need to join M56 going towards Stockport and then the M60 – which will take you through Stockport and towards Ashton Under Lyne. Come off the M60 at Junction 23 and join the A635 towards Manchester. Head off the A635 to join the Ashton New Road (A662) heading in the direction of Droylsden and Manchester. After approximately three miles, the Etihad Stadium will come into view on your right.
By train
The main train stations into Manchester city centre are Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria. From the city centre it takes around 35 minutes to walk to the stadium, or it can be accessed by tram or bus. More information on each route available to access the stadium can be found here.
Parking
You can pre-book a parking space through the official Man City car park, link to do so here. Pricing starts at £12.
The city-wide Park & Ride service is recommended as an easy alternative parking option, with the following car parks recommended as they have direct buses to the Etihad:
- Ashton Moss (Ashton line) – 183 spaces and 12 disabled spaces – under 25 minutes on a direct service from Etihad Campus.
- Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces – under 30 minutes on a direct service from Etihad Campus.
- Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces – under 45 minutes on a direct service from Etihad Campus.
Bike parking
There are over 300 bike storage spaces within the vicinity of the stadium, the largest of which is underneath the Nexen Tyre Bridge near Ashton New Road and on Joe Mercer Way.
Enjoying the area
Away-friendly pubs
The pubs closest to the Etihad Stadium are designated as home pubs only – and will not admit away fans.
The popular Fulham haunt for away games in Manchester has always been Duffy’s Bar in Chorlton (398 Barlow Moor Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 8AD), which is run by a Fulham fan Peter, and the bar has a George Best shirt from his Fulham players as well as plenty of other football (Manchester City, Manchester United) and other sporting memorabilia (including GAA). The beer is very reasonably priced and all Fulham fans are assured of a very warm welcome. Saturday night is usually live music night if you fancy making an evening of it – or are staying over.
Alternatively, there are a number of pubs in the Printworks, Deansgate or Town Hall areas of Manchester, which are ideally located to take a tram to the Etihad Stadium. Some city centre pubs may ask visiting supporters to cover up their colours – but Fulham fans have usually been treated very well at a number of city centre venues.
Food recommendations
There are no shortage of food options in Manchester city centre with its excellent cultural heritage. Here are a couple of recommendations. If you eat somewhere excellent when you are visiting the ground, please do let us know where.
The Koffee Pot – A fried breakfast, and with the option of a pint if you so choose. Excellent pre-match fare (and not post-match, it closes at 4PM)
This & That Indian cafe – excellent curries, and a Mancunian institution. If you fancy something spicy, here’s your spot.
Guides for your day
From the Manchester City website – find it here.
Accessibility guide
We recommend that any disabled visitors visit the Manchester City information page on the Level Playing Field website, found here. For any specific queries ahead of visiting, email: access@mancity.com.
Useful to know
- Cash or card – The Etihad is cashless – only card payment is accepted for food & drink inside the stadium.
- Children – Under 4s may attend the Etihad for free, but they will require a ticket to do so. Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Bag policy – Only small handheld bags no larger than A4 size (12”x8”x3”) will be accepted. Backpacks, holdalls, rucksacks, or any similar items, regardless of size, will not be allowed into the stadium. If you bring a bag larger than the allowed size, you can use the bag drop facilities (locations shown below) to securely store your items until the match is over. The bag drop service costs £10 per item. There is a bag drop located in the ‘Grey’ car park within the away fan compound.
