Concert & Stadium Transfer – Avoid the Post-Event Chaos

Concert & Stadium Transfer Manchester: Old Trafford, Etihad, Arenas

Quick Overview:

Book Event Transfer: RideX Taxis | Call: +44 161 507 6677

Why Concert and Stadium Transfers Are Absolute Chaos

We’ve been doing concerts and stadium runs since 2018. Licensed under Wolverhampton Council (PHOP445). And here’s what makes these transfers completely different from every other type of taxi work. Everyone’s leaving at the same bloody time.

Airport? Passengers arrive spread across the whole day. City transfers? Random times throughout. But Old Trafford after United play Liverpool? 75,000 people flooded out between 9:45 pm and 10:15 pm. All trying to get taxis, trams, or buses simultaneously.

The traffic is mental. Taxi ranks have queues 200+ people long. Uber surge pricing goes mad. Regular hackney cabs charge whatever they fancy because they know you’re desperate.

This is why pre-booking matters for events. You’re not standing in a queue hoping. Driver’s already positioned near (not AT, we’ll get to that) the venue. You call when walking out. Meet at the pre-arranged point. Skip the chaos entirely.

But we can’t do same-day concert bookings. By the time you’re at the venue realizing you need a ride home, every driver in Manchester is already booked. You need a minimum of 24-48 hours’ notice. Big events like United derby matches or Taylor Swift concerts? Seven days minimum.

Call +44 161 507 6677 to pre-book stadium or concert transfer

Manchester Venues (Where They Actually Are and What Traffic’s Like)

Let’s get specific about venues and journey times.

Old Trafford: Southwest Manchester. Capacity 75,000. After matches, everyone funnels onto A56 (Sir Matt Busby Way) at once. Police close roads. Pedestrians everywhere. Getting out of that area takes forever.

Etihad Stadium: East Manchester. Capacity 53,000. Everyone heads onto Alan Turing Way. Same issue as Old Trafford, just slightly fewer people.

Co-op Live: Brand new arena opened in 2024. Capacity 23,500. Right next to Etihad, which actually made traffic worse because now there are two massive venues in the same area. Some nights, they both have events. Absolute nightmare.

AO Arena: City centre near Victoria Station. Capacity 21,000. Different problem here. Not so much traffic as pedestrian chaos. Trams, trains, and taxis are all competing for space around Victoria.

For comparison, routes like Leeds to Manchester Airport have predictable journey times. Stadium transfers? Complete the lottery depending on when the crowd clears.

Getting TO vs Getting FROM Events

Before the Event: Easy. We’ll drop you off outside. You walk in. Done. Timing just depends on when you want to arrive. Some people rock up 2 hours early. Others show up at kickoff. Either way, arrival times are spread out, so traffic’s fine.

After the Event: This is where it gets complicated. Everyone leaves within 15 minutes of the final whistle or encore. All are heading same direction.

We can’t pick you up right outside. Police close roads for pedestrian safety. The actual pickup works like this:

Old Trafford Pickups: Driver positions on side streets off A56. You walk 5-10 minutes from the stadium (away from the crowds) to meet point. We text the exact location. Usually somewhere like Warwick Road or Chester Road, depending on which stand you’re in.

Etihad Pickups: Similar deal. The driver parks on quieter streets around the Ashton New Road area. You walk 8-12 minutes from the stadium. Avoids the Alan Turing Way chaos.

Co-op Live Pickups: Same as Etihad, really,y since they’re next to each other. Meeting points on residential streets north or south of the venue.

AO Arena Pickups: Trickier because it’s in the city centre. Usually meet on side streets off Victoria Bridge Street or Corporation Street. You walk maybe 5-7 minutes from the arena exit.

Yeah, you’re walking a bit. But compare that to standing in a taxi rank queue for 45 minutes or paying triple surge pricing. Most people take a 10-minute walk.

No Surge Pricing

Here’s our policy. Fixed rates. Doesn’t matter if it’s 3 pm Tuesday or 10 pm Saturday after United just won the title.

Most taxi companies and ride apps jack prices up for events. Supply and demand, right? We get it. But we think it’s taking the piss. You’ve already paid for match tickets or concert tickets. You’re not made of money.

So we quote normal rates. Manchester city centre to your home in Altrincham costs the same whether it’s a random Wednesday or post-match Saturday.

The catch? You have to book in advance. We’re not doing fixed rates for people trying to book same-day when we know it’s a major event. That’s just business suicide. But book 48 hours ahead, and you get normal pricing.

For general transfer options and pricing structure, check our private airport transfer page, which explains how our fixed rate system works.

FAQs:

How much does a concert transfer cost compared to a normal taxi?

Same fixed rates as any other journey. Manchester city centre to Altrincham costs the same amount whether it’s 3 pm Tuesday or 10 pm after the Old Trafford match. No surge pricing or event premiums. This only applies to advance bookings, though (minimum 24-48 hours’ notice). Same-day bookings during major events aren’t available because every driver is already allocated.

How far in advance do I need to book a stadium transfer?

Minimum 24-48 hours for regular matches or mid-size concerts. Big events (United vs Liverpool, major artist tours, derby matches) need 7+ days notice. We have limited vehicles and a massive demand on event days. Same-day bookings basically impossible. Weekend Premier League matches should be booked by Wednesday. Saturday concerts booked by Thursday latest.

Where do I meet the driver after the event finishes?

Not right outside the venue because police close roads for pedestrian safety. Driver positions on quieter side streets 5-12 minute walk from the stadium or arena. We text the exact meeting point (street name and landmark) 30 minutes before the event ends. Old Trafford pickups usually Warwick Road area. Etihad pickups around Ashton New Road. Avoids the main crowd chaos.

Can you do group transfers for 6-8 people to the concert?

Yeah, we do MPVs for 4-6 people and minibuses for 6-8 people regularly for concerts and matches. Group bookings need extra advance notice (minimum 48 hours, preferably 7 days) because we need to allocate an appropriate vehicle size. Splits the cost between everyone. Way cheaper than 3-4 separate taxis, and you all travel together.

What happens if a concert or a match gets cancelled at the last minute?

Full refund if cancellation happens before we dispatch the driver. If the driver’s already en route to the meeting point when the event cancels, we charge about 30-40% covering fuel and lost opportunity (driver could have taken other bookings). If you cancel more than 24 hours ahead, full refund. Less than 24 hours, 50% charge because we’ve turned down other bookings.

Do you pick up from specific stands or sections at stadiums?

Meeting points aren’t stand-specific because we position away from the venue to avoid traffic. You walk from whichever stand you’re in to the pre-arranged meeting point we text you. Usually takes 5-12 minutes, depending on the venue. Old Trafford is the longest walk. AO Arena is the shortest because it’s a compact city centre location. Walking beats standing in the taxi rank queue for 45 minutes.