Manchester Airport - Metrolink Ticket

[LondonJohn]

I am flying into Manchester Airport on Saturday afternoon and was wondering is there an inclusive ticket that will include the train fare to Manchester Picadilly and a single Metrolink ticket in the city centre ?

If so can I buy it online .

I would be returning on Sunday and if at all possible would be great to just buy 2 tickets instead of 4.

I do know that you can get an evening rover that does include the metrolink as well as unlimited travel on the trains in a certain zone but from memory this ticket is only available after 6pm and I land a fair bit before that and don't want to hang around for a stupid amount of time to save virtually no money.

FWIW I have no railcard just a Network Gold Card so not valid in Manchester

 

[Donny Dave]

GM Day rover will cover you from Manchester Airport to Piccadilly, and Metrolink city zone as well.

 

[LondonJohn]

GM Day rover will cover you from Manchester Airport to Piccadilly, and Metrolink city zone as well.

Thanks for such a quick response. Is this the ticket and can you buy it online.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/promotions/pr76259d68a84d788a6a614755683b8f/details.html

Queues are often quite long at Manchester Airport ticket office and usually only one position open.

 

[Donny Dave]

Yes, that's the ticket, and no, I don't think you can buy it online.

 

[tamesidedepot]

any single/return from stations in the GMPTE/TfGM ticketing area to Manchester are valid to Manchester CTLZ which includes onward travel on Metrolink within the city centre zone. These can be bought from ticket machines, so presumable can be bought online for collection

 

[LondonJohn]

Yes, that's the ticket, and no, I don't think you can buy it online.

Ok thanks for the information and such a quick reply.

 

[Donny Dave]

any single/return from stations in the GMPTE/TfGM ticketing area to Manchester are valid to Manchester CTLZ which includes onward travel on Metrolink within the city centre zone. These can be bought from ticket machines, so presumable can be bought online for collection

Yup, and after a quick check, can be bought online, plus a single from MIA - Manchester Central zone is slighty cheaper, but you have a bit more flexability with a rover.

 

[LondonJohn]

Yup, and after a quick check, can be bought online, plus a single from MIA - Manchester Central zone is slighty cheaper, but you have a bit more flexability with a rover.

99 times out of 100 I just take the Metro to the hotel and back and don't use the rover part. Its not so much the price although we like to pay as least as possible its the fact that usually there is a queue at Manchester Airport and if I can pick the ticket up in advance before I fly would be great.

 

[Solent&Wessex]

GM Day rover will cover you from Manchester Airport to Piccadilly, and Metrolink city zone as well.

Please be aware that from the engineering work posters I spotted on Metrolink this week, I am pretty sure that this weekend (22nd and 23rd Sept) there is extensive engineering work in the city centre, thus:
Saturday - no trams between Piccadilly and Deansgate - Oldham and Bury lines are running into Piccadilly from the North though.
Sunday - no trams in the city zone at all. Trams from the South terminate Deansgate, from the North terminate Victoria.

There may be little point buying a tram ticket if there aren't any trams where you want to go. Worth checking, sadly I'm on my phone and can't just check the Metrolink website just now.

 

[northwichcat]

Replacement bus service running between Piccadilly and Deansgate on Saturday, note that buses continuing to St Werburgh's Road will not call at Mosley Street but the shuttle service to Deansgate will.

Manchester CTLZ tickets are also valid on heavy rail services between Piccadilly and Deansgate.

Also note that large luggage is not permitted on Metrolink but a holdall or a small suitcase (like those used by airline crews) should be fine.

 

[185]

Southbound services (Saturday)
All services (Sunday)

Metrolink buses at Piccadilly from Fairfield Street Bus Stop, under platform 14 - Bus stop D:

One on the right....
http://maps.google.com/?ll=53.47634...oid=1hFqxemIqqIr9Vf7UXcv7g&cbp=12,102.74,,0,0

Any problems, there will be staff on the platform.

Metroshuttle free buses (1 & 3) are also running as normal from upstairs.

 

[LondonJohn]

Thanks for letting me know.. I am only going to Piccadilly Gardens so it looks as if the Bury line is working. I will have a small overnight trolley case. I would get the free bus if id didnt go round the houses before stopping close to my hotel.

 

[island]

If you're only going to Piccadilly Gardens you could also just walk.

 

[LondonJohn]

If you're only going to Piccadilly Gardens you could also just walk.

True but after a fall in the snow which involved breaking both an arm and a leg in muliple places I would rather not as I would be carrying a laptop bag and a trolly suitcase and it might be uncomfortable.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Ok so I have bought my ticket from Manchester Airport to the Central Zone, am finding that I can't get one the other way.

Can I buy a Manchester Piccadilly-Manchester Airport off peak single for the same cost at £3.80 and zero excess this to Manchester Central - Manchester Airport.

 

[bb21]

Manchester CTLZ can only be the destination, not the origin.

One workaround is to purchase a return and throw away the outbound portion, seeing that it is only 10p more at £3.90
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Can I buy a Manchester Piccadilly-Manchester Airport off peak single for the same cost at £3.80 and zero excess this to Manchester Central - Manchester Airport.

Manchester CTLZ can only be a destination and not an origin.

One workaround is to purchase a return and throw away the outbound, seeing that the return, at £3.90, is only 10p more.

 

[northwichcat]

Manchester CTLZ can only be the destination, not the origin.

One workaround is to purchase a return and throw away the outbound portion, seeing that it is only 10p more at £3.90

I've certainly done that option before for a different journey involving Metrolink.

However, for this one there's also a Moston to Manchester Airport Route:Metrolink ticket available which costs £3.80 single. As Piccadilly Gardens is on the direct route between Victoria and Piccadilly I don't see why that shouldn't be valid for Piccadilly Gardens-Manchester Airport.

 

[LondonJohn]

Thanks again for all your input on this. As it stands flight was delayed so could have got an evening rover but as always the queue at the ticket office at Manchester Airport this evening was long with 1 staff member there.

Ironically, the G4S ticket checker at Manchester Picadilly was so engrossed in his mobile phone I inadvertantly flashed my Zones 1-3 travelcard to him as the ticket was behind that in my travelcard wallet and he didn't bet an eyelid.