Let’s first talk about Old Trafford Stadium and then, we will explore the best parking spots there, both free and paid.
Old Trafford Stadium, also known as the “Theatre of Dreams,” is the home of Manchester United Football Club and a testament to Manchester’s rich football heritage. Old Trafford, which opened in 1910, has evolved from its historical roots to become a modern stadium design standard while preserving its rich history. It now has a capacity of 74,140, making it one of the largest football stadiums in the United Kingdom.
Old Trafford has been more than just a haven for football fans throughout its illustrious history. While the stadium is best known for the epic football matches it has hosted over the years, it has also hosted international football matches, rugby league games, and even cricket in its early days. Old Trafford’s allure extends beyond sports; it has also hosted major entertainment events. From the Rolling Stones to Bruce Springsteen, world-renowned artists have wowed audiences with unforgettable performances.
Every visit is a testament to Old Trafford’s greatness, whether supporters are gathering in anticipation of the fierce Manchester Derby, attending blockbuster concerts, or participating in the myriad of cultural events that Old Trafford hosts. Old Trafford, with its perfect blend of historical significance and cutting-edge amenities, remains a pilgrimage for fans of sport, music, and history. So, if you’re ever in Manchester, you must pay a visit to this legendary stadium.
Parking at Old Trafford Stadium
While “the theatre of dreams,” Old Trafford Stadium, doesn’t quite reach the 90,000 or 82,000 seat capacity of Wembley and Twickenham stadiums, respectively, match days are bound to be exciting with over 74,000 seats and a hugely passionate legion of loyal fans. Unfortunately, every parking garage, car park, or streetside parking bay within walking distance will do the same.
This guide will attempt to provide you with a clear picture of parking at Old Trafford on match days as well as any other day in order to assist you in finding affordable and convenient parking.
Important Note:
While UKFreeParking.com takes every step to ensure that the parking information provided is accurate at the time of writing, local ordinances, parking availability, parking prices, and parking regulations change with time.
UKFreeParking.com accepts no responsibility for any fines or tickets received as a result of using our website.
Please ensure that you park your vehicle safely and responsibly every time, making sure to adhere to local parking rules, signs, and regulations.
Free & Paid Parking near Old Trafford Stadium
Match Day Parking at Old Trafford Stadium
On match days, the Trafford City Council implements parking restrictions around the stadium area. Upcoming events can be found on the planned parking restriction page which provides the dates, times, and details of the restricted areas for each event. For most events, much of the following areas are restricted:
- Everything west of Seymour Grove, all the way up to the railway east of Chester Road and up to Manchester United Football Grounds.
- Stuart Road and all its immediately connecting streets.
- Everything north of Kings Road up to the Great Stone Road roundabout, then everything north of Great Stone Road until it becomes Kensington Road.
During scheduled event hours, these street areas are restricted to residential permit holders only.
Old Trafford Stadium onsite parking
Old Trafford operates a number of onsite car parks on match days. Tickets can be purchased on the official Man U site and cost £12.
Parking was only available at the W2, N2, N3, and N4 car parks when we checked, even for matches scheduled six months in advance. Parking prices for other events, such as major concerts, range between £20 and £50, with the closer car parks obviously being more expensive.
Old Trafford Stadium offsite parking
Trafford Council runs a pay-to-park facility in Trafford Village, about 0.75 mile west of Old Trafford. These on-street parking spots cost £5 each, and you can pay with the RingGo app. To find the village center, use the postcode M17 1JE. Parking is available on the following streets:
- South of the A5081 and north of Westinghouse Way, and east of Europa Way and west of Fifth Avenue
- First to Fifth Avenues
- Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, Tenth, and Eleventh Streets
- Village Court
Other independent approved match-day parking locations include:
- Lancashire County Cricket Club M16 0PX – £14 for 4hrs – 0.6 miles
- Trafford House M32 0RS – £10 per event – 0.3 miles
- Victoria Park Junior School M32 0XZ – £10 per event – 1.1 miles
- Hilti Store Manchester M5 3EY – price not found – 0.8 miles
- Incom Group, Waterside M17 1WD – £12 per event – 0.4 miles
- Trafford College M32 0HX – price not found – 0.4 miles
- Imperial War Museum M17 1TZ – £10.50 per event – 0.7 miles
- Stretford High School M32 0XA – £12 per day – 0.4 miles
- St Ann’s R C Primary School M32 8SH – price not found – 1.2 miles
Parking app options on match-day
Parking apps such as JustPark and Your Parking Space are becoming increasingly popular. Private parking space owners can rent out their spaces at their own price and terms, frequently offering better deals than established car parks. Although the distances and prices to your final destination vary greatly, using these apps can save you a lot of money and time. UKFreeParking.com searched JustPark and Your Parking Space for parking options outside of restricted zones with a 24-hour lead time before kick-off and discovered the following options:
JustPark
With over 25 parking spaces, JustPark had the most options. They cost between £5.60 and £80+ for a 4-hour stay (1 hour before and after the game). Although the average spot (excluding ultra-high outliers) was slightly more than £10 during this time period, there were multiple spaces available for less than £8 within a 20-minute walk of the stadium.
Your Parking Space
The majority of the available spaces on this platform had already been reserved, leaving less than ten options. These ranged from £9.60 to £37.50, with only one option under £10. When we checked again a week later (one week before the game), the results were very similar to JustPark, though the cheapest spots and average price were about £2 or £3 higher.
Non-match day parking at or near Old Trafford Stadium
Free Streetside Parking
Are you going anywhere near Old Trafford and don’t want to pay for parking? Excellent news! UKFreeParking.com has discovered a number of unrestricted streets with free parking. When parking on residential streets, make sure not to obstruct the road or block any driveways. Remember to be considerate of the locals. On the following streets, there is free and unrestricted street parking:
- Waterside M17 1WD – 0.3 miles
- Circle South M17 1NF – 0.6 miles
- Elevator Road M17 1BR – 0.6 miles
- Great Stone Road M32 0XA – 0.5 miles
- Headingley Drive M16 0JP – 0.7 miles
- Wilton Avenue M16 0JH – 0.7 miles
- Leighton Road M16 9WU – 1.2 miles
- Morland Road M16 9PA – 1.2 miles
- Michigan Avenue M50 2GY – 1.2 miles
Pay-and-Display Parking
If the options mentioned above are too far for you to walk, you can always consider parking on these pay-and-display streets. 2 Hours of parking will run you a mere £2.00, while any stay over 5 hours will cost £6.00.
- Warwick Road M16 0RZ – 0.3 miles – free after 5pm/overnight/weekends
- Chorley Street M32 0RR – 0.1 miles – free after 10pm/overnight
- Brian Statham Way M16 0PU – 0.4 miles – free after 10pm/overnight
Cheapest Paid Car Parks near Old Trafford
If you’re worried about your car or don’t like the idea of leaving it on the street, consider these car parks within a short walk of Old Trafford.
- Old Trafford E2 Parking – Free
- Talbot Road Car Park M16 0PW – £2.50 for 2 hours
- Copthorne Manchester Salford Quays car park M50 3SN – £5.00 for 2 hours
- Imperial War Museum M17 1AU – £5.00 for 2 hours
- Paragon House car park M16 0LN – £5.00 for 2 hours