Cornbrook tram stop, a major interchange on the Metrolink network

Geographic map of the system

Since opening in 1992, the Manchester Metrolink light-rail/tram system has grown to a network of 99 tram stops.

The system opened in April 1992 with 20 tram stops with routes radiating from Manchester Victoria to Bury and Manchester Piccadilly to Altrincham. Phase 2 extended the network to Eccles with 12 new tram stops and a new interchange at Cornbrook was built in 1999. Phase 3a involved the construction of 36 new stops and new lines to Rochdale via Oldham, Tameside and East Didsbury. The first stops as part of Phase 3a opened in 2011 and the final stop opened in 2014. A new 9 miles (14 km) line to Manchester Airport became operational in November 2014 – 12 months ahead of schedule.^[1][2]

The network consists of over 62 miles (100 km) of track, making it the largest tram system in the United Kingdom and second only to the London Underground in terms of an urban commuter network. As of 2020, upon the completion of the Trafford Park Line, the Metrolink system has 99 stops. Primary future proposals include tram-trains to Bolton and Wigan and an extension from East Didsbury to Stockport.

List of Metrolink stops

Current stops

Correct as of 22 March 2020

Tram stop[3]	Photo	Line	Metropolitan borough	District	Opened	Zone	Footfall 2021/22[4]	Notes
Abraham Moss		Bury Line	Manchester	Cheetham Hill	18 November 2011	2	153,900	For Abraham Moss Library and College Campus.
Altrincham ( Altrincham)		Altrincham Line	Trafford	Altrincham	15 June 1992	4	1,755,800	For Altrincham Interchange. Terminus of the Altrincham Line.
Anchorage		Eccles Line	Salford	Salford Quays	12 June 1999	2	230,721	For Anchorage Quay.
Ashton Moss		East Manchester Line	Tameside	Ashton Moss	9 October 2013	3	128,400	For Ashton Leisure Complex and Snipe Retail Park.
Ashton-under-Lyne ( Ashton-under-Lyne)		East Manchester Line	Tameside	Ashton-under-Lyne	9 October 2013	3	499,100	For Ashton-under-lyne Interchange and its railway station. Terminus of the East Manchester Line.
Ashton West		East Manchester Line	Tameside	Ashton Moss	9 October 2013	3	85,200	For Leisure and retail complex and Tameside stadium
Audenshaw		East Manchester Line	Tameside	Audenshaw	9 October 2013	3	129,800	Serves Audenshaw.
Baguley		Airport Line	Manchester	Baguley	3 November 2014	3	82,800	Serves Baguley and Roundthorn Industrial Estate.
Barlow Moor Road		Airport Line	Manchester	Chorlton-cum-Hardy	3 November 2014	2/3	290,700	For Chorlton Park.
Barton Dock Road		Trafford Park Line	Trafford	Trafford Park	22 March 2020	3	219,300	For Trafford Palazzo.
Benchill		Airport Line	Manchester	Wythenshawe	3 November 2014	4	122,200	For Benchill Health Centre, and sixth form college
Besses o' th' Barn		Bury Line	Bury	Besses o' th' Barn	6 April 1992	3	319,400	Serves small area of Whitefield, Manchester.
Bowker Vale		Bury Line	Manchester	Bowker Vale	6 April 1992	2/3	310,500	Serves Higher Blackley and Bowker Vale areas of Manchester.
Broadway		Eccles Line	Salford	Salford Quays	12 June 1999	3	87,521	Serves MediaCityUK, along with Harbour City and MediaCityUK tram stops.
Brooklands		Altrincham Line	Trafford	Brooklands	15 June 1992	3/4	768,900	Serves the Brooklands area of Sale.
Burton Road		South Manchester Line	Manchester	Withington	23 May 2013	3	786,300	For Withington Community Hospital, and West Didsbury.
Bury		Bury Line	Bury	Bury	6 April 1992	4	1,699,400	For Bury Interchange and the town centre. Terminus of the Bury Line.
Cemetery Road		East Manchester Line	Tameside	Droylsden	8 February 2013	3	112,800	Serves parts of Droylsden and Fairfield.
Central Park		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Manchester	Newton Heath	13 June 2012	2	147,500	For Central Park (business park), and Moston.
Chorlton		South Manchester Line	Manchester	Chorlton	7 July 2011	2	1,216,800	Serves Chorlton.
Clayton Hall		East Manchester Line	Manchester	Clayton	8 February 2013	2	100,900	For Clayton Hall and the rest of Clayton.
Cornbrook		Altrincham Line/Zone 1	Manchester	St George's	6 December 1999	1/2	1,289,000	Major interchange on the Metrolink network.
Crossacres		Airport Line	Manchester	Wythenshawe	3 November 2014	4	54,800	For Crossacres and Wythenshawe Fire Station.
Crumpsall		Bury Line	Manchester	Crumpsall	6 April 1992	2	358,500	Serves Crumpsall.
Dane Road		Altrincham Line	Trafford	Sale, Greater Manchester	15 June 1992	3	275,100	For Priory Gardens and parts of Sale.
Deansgate-Castlefield ( Deansgate)		Zone 1	Manchester	Manchester city centre	27 April 1992	1	2,506,400	For Great Northern Warehouse, Mamucium Roman Fort, Beetham Tower, and Deansgate Locks. Formerly named G-Mex (1992–2010). A third platform was added in 2015.
Derker		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Oldham	Derker	16 December 2012	3/4	265,900	Serves Derker in Oldham.
Didsbury Village		South Manchester Line	Manchester	Didsbury	23 May 2013	3	542,400	For Didsbury Park.
Droylsden		East Manchester Line	Tameside	Droylsden	8 February 2013	3	199,200	Serves parts of Droylsden and Audenshaw. Former terminus of the East Manchester Line. (Feb-Oct 2013)
East Didsbury ( East Didsbury)		South Manchester Line	Manchester	Didsbury	23 May 2013	3	598,300	For East Didsbury railway station, and Parrs Wood bus station. Terminus of the South Manchester Line.
Eccles ( Eccles)		Eccles Line	Salford	Eccles	21 July 2000	2	390,100	For Eccles Interchange. Terminus of the Eccles Line.
Edge Lane		East Manchester Line	Tameside	Droylsden	8 February 2013	2/3	198,000	Serves parts of East Manchester and Droylsden.
Etihad Campus		East Manchester Line	Manchester	Etihad Campus	8 February 2013	2	326,400	For the Etihad Stadium and Sportcity.
Exchange Quay		Eccles Line	Salford	Salford Quays	12 June 1999	2	798,821	For Exchange Quay and Ordsall.
Exchange Square		Zone 1	Manchester	Manchester city centre	6 December 2015	1	1,611,500	For the Manchester Arndale.
Failsworth		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Oldham	Failsworth	13 June 2012	3	242,100	Serves Failsworth and parts of New Moston.
Firswood		South Manchester Line	Trafford	Firswood	7 July 2011	2	318,800	Serves parts of Old Trafford as well as Firswood.
Freehold		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Oldham	Chadderton	13 June 2012	3	207,100	Serves Freehold, and parts of Chadderton and Werneth.
Harbour City		Eccles Line	Salford	Salford Quays	12 June 1999	2	377,621	Serves Salford Quays, and MediaCityUK, along with Broadway and MediaCityUK tram stops.
Heaton Park		Bury Line	Bury	Prestwich	6 April 1992	3	572,000	For Heaton Park and parts of Prestwich.
Hollinwood		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Oldham	Hollinwood	13 June 2012	3	241,900	Serves parts of Failsworth, New Moston, and Whitegate.
Holt Town		East Manchester Line	Manchester	Holt Town	8 February 2013	2	66,300	Serves Bradford (Manchester), and parts of Beswick.
Imperial War Museum		Trafford Park Line	Trafford	Trafford Park	22 March 2020	2	269,600	For the Imperial War Museum and Salford Quays.
Kingsway Business Park		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Rochdale	Firgrove	28 February 2013	4	181,700	For Kingsway Business Park and Firgrove.
Ladywell		Eccles Line	Salford	Ladywell	12 June 1999	2	254,121	Named after Ladywell Roundabout. Serves Canterbury Gardens and parts of Trafford Park.
Langworthy		Eccles Line	Salford	Langworthy	12 June 1999	2	198,821	Serves Langworthy and parts of Seedley and Salford.
Manchester Airport ( Airport railway station Manchester Airport)		Airport Line	Manchester	Ringway	3 November 2014	4	233,900	For Manchester Airport and its railway station. Terminus of the Airport Line.
Market Street		Zone 1	Manchester	Manchester city centre	27 April 1992	1	1,668,500	For Manchester's main retail district, and the Manchester Arndale.
Martinscroft		Airport Line	Manchester	Wythenshawe	3 November 2014	4	96,700	Named after adjacent road. Serves parts of Baguley and Newall Green.
MediaCityUK		Eccles Line (spur)	Salford	MediaCityUK	20 September 2010	2	936,021	For Salford Quays and MediaCityUK.
Milnrow		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Rochdale	Milnrow	28 February 2013	4	235,800	Serves the village of Milnrow.
Monsall		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Manchester	Monsall	13 June 2012	2	76,900	Serves Monsall.
Moor Road		Airport Line	Manchester	Wythenshawe	3 November 2014	3	136,600
Navigation Road		Altrincham Line	Trafford	Altrincham	15 June 1992	4	520,300	Mainline trains run on adjacent platform.
New Islington		Zone 1	Manchester	New Islington	8 February 2013	1	560,500
Newbold		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Rochdale	Newbold	28 February 2013	4	192,800
Newhey		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Rochdale	Newhey	28 February 2013	4	122,200
Newton Heath and Moston		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Manchester	Newton Heath	13 June 2012	2/3	193,300
Northern Moor		Airport Line	Manchester	Northern Moor	3 November 2014	3	171,300
Old Trafford		Altrincham Line	Trafford	Old Trafford	15 June 1992	2	958,200	For Old Trafford Cricket Ground
Oldham Central		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Oldham	Oldham	27 January 2014	3	478,900
Oldham King Street		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Oldham	Oldham	27 January 2014	3	252,600	For Oldham Sixth Form College
Oldham Mumps		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Oldham	Oldham	27 January 2014	3	274,300
Parkway		Trafford Park Line	Trafford	Trafford Park	22 March 2020	2/3	102,100	Named after Parkway Circle.
Peel Hall		Airport Line	Manchester	Wythenshawe	3 November 2014	4	50,400
Piccadilly ( Piccadilly)		Zone 1	Manchester	Manchester city centre	20 July 1992	1	2,379,400	For National Rail and bus services.
Piccadilly Gardens		Zone 1	Manchester	Manchester city centre	27 April 1992	1	2,618,900	For Piccadilly Gardens bus interchange.
Pomona		Eccles Line	Trafford	Pomona Docks	12 June 1999	2	23,730	The least used Metrolink station.
Prestwich		Bury Line	Bury	Prestwich	6 April 1992	3	735,400
Queens Road		Bury Line	Manchester	Cheetham Hill	16 December 2013	2	142,300	For Queens Road depot (Metrolink).
Radcliffe		Bury Line	Bury	Radcliffe	6 April 1992	4	573,300
Robinswood Road		Airport Line	Manchester	Wythenshawe	3 November 2014	4	28,700
Rochdale Railway Station ( Rochdale)		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Rochdale	Rochdale	28 February 2013	4	208,000	For Rochdale railway station
Rochdale Town Centre		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Rochdale	Rochdale	31 March 2014	4	544,200	for Rochdale interchange and number one riverside. Terminus for the Oldham and Rochdale Line.
Roundthorn		Airport Line	Manchester	Wythenshawe	3 November 2014	3/4	235,500	For Roundthorn industrial estate and Wythenshawe Hospital.
Sale		Altrincham Line	Trafford	Sale	15 June 1992	3	1,097,100
Sale Water Park		Airport Line	Trafford	Sale Water Park	3 November 2014	3	138,300
Salford Quays		Eccles Line	Salford	Salford Quays	12 June 1999	2	459,821	For Salford Quays.
Shadowmoss		Airport Line	Manchester	Wythenshawe	3 November 2014	4	76,400
Shaw and Crompton		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Oldham	Shaw and Crompton	16 December 2012	4	497,200
Shudehill (Shudehill Interchange)		Zone 1	Manchester	Manchester city centre	31 March 2003	1	710,000	For Printworks and Shudehill bus interchange.
South Chadderton		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Oldham	Chadderton	13 June 2012	3	215,000
St Peter's Square		Zone 1	Manchester	Manchester city centre	27 April 1992	1	4,930,000	Closed from 28 June 2015 – 28 August 2016 for re-development and was transformed into a four-platform interchange due to Phase 2CC.
St Werburgh's Road		South Manchester Line	Manchester	Chorlton-cum-Hardy	7 July 2011	2/3	279,500	Place of interchange from East Didsbury to Manchester Airport. Former terminus of the South Manchester Line.
Stretford		Altrincham Line	Trafford	Stretford	15 June 1992	2/3	775,500
The Trafford Centre		Trafford Park Line	Trafford	Trafford Park	22 March 2020	3	515,400	For The Trafford Centre and like named bus station.
Timperley		Altrincham Line	Trafford	Timperley	15 June 1992	4	536,700
Trafford Bar		Altrincham Line	Trafford	Old Trafford	15 June 1992	2	855,900
Velopark		East Manchester Line	Manchester	Clayton	8 February 2013	2	212,700
Victoria ( Manchester Victoria)		Zone 1	Manchester	Manchester city centre	6 April 1992	1	1,855,500	Redeveloped from 2014-2015 with two extra platforms (4).
Village		Trafford Park Line	Trafford	Trafford Park	22 March 2020	2	62,600
Weaste		Eccles Line	Salford	Weaste	12 June 1999	2	204,021
West Didsbury		South Manchester Line	Manchester	Didsbury	23 May 2013	3	414,900
Westwood		Oldham and Rochdale Line	Oldham	Oldham	27 January 2014	3	126,900	For Boundary Park
Wharfside		Trafford Park Line	Trafford	Trafford Park	22 March 2020	2	333,700	For Old Trafford
Whitefield		Bury Line	Bury	Whitefield	6 April 1992	3/4	718,800
Withington		South Manchester Line	Manchester	Withington	23 May 2013	3	183,900
Wythenshawe Park		Airport Line	Manchester	Wythenshawe	3 November 2014	3	159,800
Wythenshawe Town Centre		Airport Line	Manchester	Wythenshawe	3 November 2014	4	306,400	For the Wythenshawe bus interchange.

Former stops

Stop	Photo	Line(s)[*]	Metropolitan borough	District	Closed	Notes
High Street		Zone 1	Manchester	Manchester city centre	10 August 1998	Closed in 1998 due to car traffic requirements on High Street
Mosley Street		Zone 1	Manchester	Manchester city centre	18 May 2013	Closed in 2013 due to insufficient capacity with the opening of new Metrolink lines. More services created a bottleneck and trams at this stop would frequently hold-up trams behind so the stop was removed.
Woodlands Road		Altrincham-Bury	Manchester	Cheetham Hill	16 December 2013	Closed to make way for Queens Road (serving the depot), and Abraham Moss (serving the library and school). Originally a railway station, which was closed for Metrolink.

Map

Future

Platforms

Metrolink tram stops have between one and four platforms, though most (91) have two platforms. Some are island platforms allowing easier transfers between services.

See also

• List of fictional rapid transit stations

References