THOUSANDS of Saints fans are heading to Old Trafford on Saturday, September 24 to watch their team aim to win a fourth consecutive Grand Final.

The match, versus Leeds, is a 6pm kick off but supporters are advised to get there early and Transport for Greater Manchester has issued key advice, with some disruption of tram services and 

Their message is: "Old Trafford is well-served by public transport with a number of Metrolink lines and stops close to the ground.

"There are train services from Manchester train stations to Leeds and Yorkshire, St Helens, Newton-le-Willows and Lea Green.

"Make sure you plan your journey and check with your operator immediately before you travel.

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"A 12-minute service will operate across all lines, with increased trams on the Altrincham line to support the fixture.

"Work is taking place on the Eccles line this weekend. No services will operate between Eccles and MediaCityUK for the duration of the works. A replacement bus service will operate between the affected stops.

Advice if you are travelling by road in the Trafford area

TfGM states: "Because of the works on Trafford Road, if you are travelling from the west side of Manchester towards Old Trafford (before or after the match), plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.

"If you're travelling from the south via the A56 or surrounding roads before the match, plan for an extra 30 minutes to be added on to your journey time."

Travelling by Metrolink

There are a number of stops within easy walking distance of the ground:

  • Old Trafford
  • Wharfside.
  • Trafford Bar
  • Exchange Quay

TfGM adds: "You can check the tram schedule and the first and last trams for your route on the TfGM website, or type your stop name into the 'live departure times' bar on the TfGM homepage for up-to-date information on your journey.

Park and ride

Supporters can park for free at Parkway Park and Ride and board the tram to Wharfside - which is only a five-minute walk to the stadium. There are also several other free Park and Rides available - Click here for more options

Eccles line works

Work is taking place on the Eccles line. No services will operate between Eccles and MediaCityUK for the duration of the works.

A replacement bus service will operate between the affected stops. Services will operate every 15 minutes in each direction.

From Eccles towards MediaCityUK From Monday to Saturday, the first bus will depart at 5.16am and the last bus at 12.16am. On Sundays, the first bus will depart at 6.16am and the last bus at 12.16am.

From MediaCityUK towards Eccles From Monday to Saturday, the first bus will depart at 5.38am and the last bus at 12.38am. On Sundays, the first bus will depart at 6.38am and the last bus at 12.38am.

On the subject of team tickets, Tfgm added: "We encourage passengers to pay via contactless especially for events, to beat the queue at the ticket machines.

"If you decide to pay for your ticket this way, please remember that the ticket you are purchasing is for one adult only. It is not possible to touch-in and out for multiple tickets.

"If you're travelling by Metrolink as a family, you can save money with our family travelcard which allows travel for one to three children (aged under 16) accompanied by one or two adults. However, this only is available via the on-stop ticket machines.

Further information about ticket prices, tram frequency and everything else at tfgm.com/metrolink.

Driving

Congestion on the roads close to Old Trafford will start to build from around 4pm.

TfGM adds: "Because of the works on Trinity Way and Trafford Road, if you are travelling from the west side of Manchester towards Old Trafford (before or after the match), plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.

"If you're travelling from the south via the A56 or surrounding roads before the match, plan for an extra 30 minutes to be added onto your journey time. The quickest route to the official car parks is via M60 Junction 9, Parkway and Wharfside Way.

"At the end of the game, there will be road closures in place for supporter safety. Expect delays of up to 50 minutes if travelling in and around Old Trafford."

Some of the roads that will be closed due for safety reasons include;

  • Sir Matt Busby Way - Closed in both directions before, during and after the match.
  • Warwick Road (between Chester Road and Talbot Road) - Closed in both directions before, during and after the match.
  • A56 Chester Road (Warwick Road junction) - Closed in both directions 10 minutes before full time.
  • Wharfside Way - (between White City Circle and Sir Matt Busby Way) - Closed in both directions 10 minutes before full time.
  • On some matchdays, other ad-hoc closures may be required.

Travelling by train

There are several railway stations in Manchester.

Manchester Piccadilly is the principal rail hub in Manchester.

Manchester Oxford Road is a busy train station in Manchester city centre and offers services to Alderley Edge, Blackpool North, Hazel Grove, Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester airport and Barrow-in-Furness.

Manchester Victoria is the second biggest station in the city and offers services to northern cities including Bradford, Chester, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Rochdale, Southport and Wigan.

Transpennine Express, which runs some of the services between Manchester and St Helens, has already warned fans on Saturday that there could be delays and cancellations for services running after the final - red more here

Bus Travel

TfGM states: "If you are intending to catch a bus to Old Trafford the following commercial bus services will bring you closest to the ground – 250, 255, 256, 263 and x50.

"Journey times could also be impacted due to the increased levels of traffic, so be sure to plan ahead and allow extra time for your travel."

Services are operating to a normal timetable but for more information consider following @StagecoachGM on twitter.

Walking

Old Trafford is easily accesible on foot from local areas.

People who are within a 30-minute walk of the ground and physically able are advised to make their journey on foot.

Cycling

Another way to get to Old Trafford is cycling. Covered cycle parking is available at Trafford Town Hall, near the corner of Talbot Road and Warwick Road.