Accessible Test days at Old Trafford

Arrange your position and companion

Start with Lancashire’s Ticketing Team on 0161 282 4000, option 1. Explain whether you use a wheelchair, transfer to a seat or need an easy-access position. Ask about the adjacent personal-assistant seat and the nearest space for the rest of your party. For an international visit, give the exact match date at the beginning of the enquiry.

A personal assistant can attend free when needed to enable your visit. Lancashire accepts several forms of evidence, including enhanced PIP and a supporting professional letter; people without the listed documents can be considered individually. Ask which evidence is appropriate before sending personal information, and keep the response with your booking.

For a future Test stay in Manchester, discuss each day you want to attend. Think about how several long sessions will feel in the position offered. If you prefer an aisle, need a companion on one particular side, or find bright afternoon light difficult, describe that practical requirement before selecting the ticket. Ask the team to put the agreed arrangement in writing.

Sources: [1] · [2]

Connect the railway and tram journey

Manchester Piccadilly has step-free access to every platform, lifts, accessible toilets and a Changing Places facility. Arrange Passenger Assist if you need boarding or station support. Add time between the main-line train and the tram so you can find the onward route without having to hurry through the station.

Metrolink trams and stops are wheelchair-accessible. Mobility-scooter users need the operator’s permit to take a scooter on board. Check the requirements for your particular scooter before planning the trip. The Old Trafford stop is on the Altrincham line beside the cricket ground; include the journey from the platform to your agreed cricket entrance.

If you are staying at Salford Quays, plan the specific hotel-to-ground journey before choosing it as your base. A route with an extra change or a longer pavement approach may use energy you would prefer to save for the match. Discuss the journey home too, especially if you will be leaving alongside the main crowd after a long day.

Sources: [3] · [4] · [5]

Parking, set-down and Gate 15

For international matches, accessible parking is limited and must be booked in advance. The space can be off-site; use the location on the parking ticket. Save its entry instructions alongside the admission ticket, and look at the complete route between the car and your agreed gate before setting out for Manchester.

Gate 15 on Talbot Road is the dedicated accessible and family entrance. If you are arriving by taxi, agree a suitable set-down point with the club for your fixture and give that location to the driver. Road closures can change the final approach, so have the club’s directions ready if the driver needs them.

Meet friends at a place everyone can identify without standing in the busiest flow of arriving spectators. One person can keep the tickets ready while another deals with bags or equipment. Tell a steward where you are seated and what support you have arranged; allow enough arrival time to ask for help and still settle in comfortably.

Sources: [1]

Viewing positions and personal-care facilities

Accessible positions include C and D; E uses the lift in The Point to the first floor. The Pavilion Terrace has a members-only route through Pavilion Reception. Ask Lancashire to match the viewing position to your admission category and the facilities you need throughout the day.

Accessible toilets are provided on stand concourses. The club’s current ticket-access page places Changing Places behind Stand E, in the wedge, with a RADAR key available from stewards. Ask for directions from your seat and discuss equipment requirements before travelling if you rely on that facility.

Once inside, get your bearings around your own section of Old Trafford. Identify the route to the toilet, somewhere for refreshments and the way back to your seat. If you will transfer from a wheelchair, agree where it can be kept and who will assist. Make sure your companion knows the route too, including any lift needed for the return after an interval.

Sources: [1]

Sensory support and assistance dogs

The Hilton Garden Inn has a free pitch-facing sensory room for ticket holders, accommodating one family of up to six for a maximum of two hours. Speak to hotel reception about using it. The club also sells sensory packs; bring any familiar ear protection or other items you prefer to use.

If crowd noise or waiting is difficult, decide together when you would like to take a break. Practise the route out of the stand before the first session if that helps. Keep the hotel reception location in your arrival notes, and ask staff how to get there from your particular viewing area.

Assistance dogs are welcome with advance notice to the Ticketing Team. Ask a steward about water and a suitable relief area. For spoken support, bring any communication card you use and show staff the directions or arrangements Lancashire has already sent you. A short note with your stand, gate and contact details can be easier to use in a busy concourse.

Sources: [1] · [2]

Make a long cricket day comfortable

Keep essential personal items within reach at your Old Trafford seat. Tell the club about medical supplies or equipment that may need an exception to the bag rules, and carry the agreed instructions with you. If you are staying in the on-site Hilton, discuss daytime access to your room and any care arrangements directly with the hotel.

Leave space in the day for the breaks you normally need. A companion can follow the score while you rest, collect refreshments or take a quieter moment away from the stand. If you have tickets for several days, use the first evening to decide whether the seat, travel routine and break timings are working well for you.

Plan the return from your actual exit. Give a taxi driver the agreed collection location, or allow time for the tram queue before a main-line connection. Keep the relevant contact numbers and a charged phone available. A relaxed departure lets you enjoy the final overs without worrying about an unnecessarily tight journey home.

Sources: [6] · [7]

Final checks

Sources

1. Lancashire: accessible tickets and facilities — checked 2026-10-09
2. Emirates Old Trafford: access support and contact — checked 2026-10-09
3. National Rail: Manchester Piccadilly — checked 2026-10-09
4. Bee Network: accessible tram travel — checked 2026-10-09
5. Bee Network: getting to Emirates Old Trafford — checked 2026-10-09
6. Lancashire: bag-policy FAQs — checked 2026-10-09
7. Hilton: Manchester Emirates Old Trafford — checked 2026-10-09