Once Aitch and The 1975 have wound up Saturday and Sunday night at Parklife - following the likes of The Prodigy, Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, Self Esteem and Fred Again.., it means that thousands of festival goers will be heading for the exits.
With the heavy footfall that comes with such events, it’s best to plan ahead in order to make sure you get home safely. Now that the proposed strike action across Manchester’s tram network has been avoided, the pressure has eased in terms of public transport back into the centre of Manchester.
But there are other options too…
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The Parklife shuttle
Those ticketholders who have bought a Parklife Travel Pass for an extra £5 will be able to use both the shuttle buses and the Metrolink to get back into the city. The bus provides a regular service between Manchester city centre from 9:30am and 5pm on Saturday and 10:30am to 5pm on Sunday, with return bus services from Heaton Park starting at 18:30 until late.
It sets off from Aytoun Street (M1 2DD - corner of Minshull Street near Piccadilly Train Station) and drops off inside the Parklife site. E-tickets for the Parklife Travel Pass will need to be exchanged for a wristband before travel, at either Minshull Street, Cathedral Gardens or St Peter's Square.
Metrolink
Now the strikes are off - phew - the Metro is once again an option to and from the festival. To get to Heaton Park via the tram you need to get the service towards Bury and get off at Heaton Park or Bowker Vale. To get back to the city centre after 6pm you'll need to go to the Bowker Vale stop, as the Heaton Park Metrolink station will be closed from 6pm on both Saturday and Sunday. There are signposts to the Metrolink posted on all customer exits.
Walking or cycling
With travel services likely to involve more crowds and more queuing, walking or cycling back into the city can also be an option. To the AO Arena by Victoria, it’s just under four miles and will likely take just over an hour at an average walking pace, and much less on a bike.
The route is marked, but starting off at Sheepfoot Lane, you can either follow signs straight down Bury Old Road (west of Heaton Park) or Middleton Road (east of Heaton Park), where you will eventually join Bury Old Road. From here, follow the signs along Cheetham Hill Road, where you eventually see Manchester city centre on the horizon.
Try to walk with a group if you can, and don’t drink and cycle.
Taxi
If you’re planning to get home by taxi, booking ahead is essential. The official private hire pick up point is near the car park on Sheepfoot Lane. Festival goers booking their own private hire vehicles need to direct them to pick them up at the pick up point at Heaton Park Sainsbury's.
Uber will be working, but wait times could well be unpredictable, as will fares, given surge pricing and other factors. Never get into a stranger’s car or a cab that you’ve not ordered from a licensed provider, as you may not be insured.
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