Manchester city centre parking

heading to Manchester tomorrow. We’ve sacked off the train as it’s ridiculous prices and we’d limit our day too much. We’re heading to the Science museum and the footy museum.

Where’s good to park that also won’t break the bank?

https://www.estates.manchester.ac.uk/services/operationalservices/carparking/#CARPARKA

Manchester Uni – Charles St will give you all day for less than £11.  We use it if we go into town (I work at the “other Uni” but we don’t do pubic parking), but although it’s over the other side of town from MOSI, it’s easy access in and out in the car to the South. Manchester isn’t big.

I use the Q-Park First Street every week. Very clean, tidy, and secure, albeit not the cheapest. Will happily leave my car there overnight. Easy to get to off the ring road as well.

Good access to the rest of the city on the tram from Deansgate station just over the road.

You can park under the railway arches near the science (MOSI?) museum. Water street

Looks scruffy, but it’s a secure car park.

Q-Park First Street is great, but not cheap. Do not park at Great Northern – expensive.

You can use the NCP app to park at great northern for £10.95 for 24 hours with the code MANCSAVER

I’d have a think about driving to Hazel Grove and getting the train from there.

Then free bus from outside piccadilly to somewhere near where you want to be..
however I’m suspect a family train ticket will be as much as parking..

Spinning fields Qpark..? Sort of puts you in the middle but the traffic around there from 3pm can be hideous.

There is a park and ride for the tram at Trafford Water Park free if you have a metro ticket. get the tram it’s easier than driving in.

There’s a car park at the bottom of Liverpool Road which I use, happy to leave the car there all day. Can’t remember the price… assume pricey as all city centre parking is.

Ps, I thought the footy museum was really sh1t… I’d consider something else unless you’re committed. That was a couple of years ago, mind.

Whereas my 10yr old daughter loved the football museum. I thought it was well planned out. Lost doors has the boring memorabilia stuff, but as you go up the floors it gets more interactive.  Penalties in a Wembley goal, VR gaming on the top floor etc. we had a great time.

Parking over the boarder in Salford used to be cheaper than Manchester but the options that others have mentioned at the end of Liverpool St or under the arches off Liverpool St near the canal are good options.

Liverpool road, not Liverpool street. I made that error when trying to confirm on a map.

Another option would be to park at the Park and Ride at East Didsbury Metrolink station in Parrswood if you’re coming from the South. The car-park is massive and of the two lines there, you can get either tram on whichever line.

For the Science museum you could get off at Deansgate-Castlefield stop, its probably about 25mins walk. Journey from East Didsbury to Deansgate-Castlefield about 25mins and tbf its actually quite a decent view going over Castlefield and then past the new hi-rise towers in Deansgate Square.

If I’m driving I park at Dale Street near Piccadilly which would be close enough to the football museum but a decent walk to the science museum (though easily done).

Whatever you do, don’t park at the Arndale Centre multi story. If there’s another big event on like football, markets, gigs, whatever, it is possible to get trapped in there for hours while the traffic logjams outside.

Park at Hazel Grove bus park and ride, or anywhere near the tram like the cinema complex at Ashton, which is just off the M60. Enjoy the science museum; I’ve not been since it was refurbished, although I will miss the aero hall.

Whitefield P&R then family tram ticket

Be interested to see if you would drive in again after this experience. I’ve only driven in once in 40 years and that was to get the snip 😒

Alternative museum reccomendation, the people’s museum but then I can’t stand football

https://g.co/kgs/SW8ALPW

Fossy’s Charles St was the choice. Spot on, thanks.

And yes I’d drive in again