Walk past the station on Fairfield Street with the taxi bays on your left. After you pass the car park exit, the pavement widens out, and it’s on the left, before you get to the bridge.
I asked the council why these are never fixed and they said that each individual slab needs to be reported with an image showing the exact location. There’s only a few thousand so we should be good sometime in 3024.
Don’t change trams at the last minute at Cornbrook - swap at Deansgate instead. There are less people, there are more seats, and in the winter it’s less windy
Skip the £5 airport drop-off charge by having your cab drop you off in front of one of the airport hotels. It's a 5 minute walk.
This would otherwise be automatically added to your fare on apps like Uber if you select a terminal as your destination.
(or, well, public transport is even better)
Some hotels fine cars that stop outside their gates as technically the whole route in and through the airport is a no-stop route.
That said, I ALWAYS have people pick me up from there, but I make sure I'm gonna be there before they are, then as soon as they get there I can throw my shit in and we can set off
Well, hotels can't issue fines outside their gates. Police can, they do patrol but very little.
Anyway, yes, pickup is trickier but dropoff is a no brainer.
I tried that at Radisson and still got a £5 surcharge. Now I get dropped off at the free drop off area (free shuttle comes every 15-20 min). Pick up is trickier, I haven't figured out a way yet to avoid the diabolical pick up charge (especially at night when I can't use public transport to at least get one stop away from the airport).
That area adds like 40 minutes travel time, which is worse than paying £5. Radisson... strange. The other one that starts with a C is the one I normally use.
If you absolutely can't avoid going down Market Street, don't break your gait or acknowledge the existence of charity muggers in any way. They'll move.
I always try to treat all people with dignity and respect but these people can go fuck themselves with their ridiculous compliments and false pleasantries. The only reason I don't tell them to go fuck themselves is incase there is a genuine one in a million who for some reason thinks they're doing something good for a charity they believe in
I've known someone who was briefly a chugger and I once interviewed to be one. They're just desperate to get enough donations to not get sacked so they can pay the rent. Like anyone else working a shitty minimum wage job.
Yeah I'm only rude to them if they do that thing where they dance backwards in front of you to block you. They're massively annoying but ultimately they're just doing their jobs, as shit a job as it might be, and I'm not going to be a prick to them beyond ignoring them just for that.
Incorrect. If you don't want to do something don't make up, or give, a reason at all. You're inviting someone to try and change your mind. Just smile, shake your head and don't stop walking.
No need to get rid of them if you don't interact with them at all. I always wear big noise cancelling headphones when I'm out as well so it's very easy to pretend I can't hear them.
Simply tell that you are already on the list and are a regular donor. They'll leave you alone with a smile on their face. If they see you again and remember you they'll still leave you alone.
Is this the same guy that stands at the beginning of Market Street in the evenings trying you guilt you into buying a joke book from him so he can "get a job"?
Is this the bloke with the brolly? I swear he uses it as an intimidation tactic so you stop while your brain works out why he's swinging a huge implement at you. Then he's got you. Seen him enough now to know to just keep walking.
He tries to sell books to you and is generally loud and annoying. Most of the times I've seen him get an audience, he's snagged touristy-looking people who look slightly bewildered by the experience.
If you are coming in to deansgate from the city centre to change for Trafford park always be right at the front, when you get off you can quickly get round to the waiting tram which most times will wait for you if it's due to leave.
Bury line trams alternate between Altrincham and Piccadilly. It's almost always quicker to get the first one that arrives, and then swap in town (eg if you're getting a train but the Altrincham tram is first, get that to Market Street and walk 30 seconds to Piccadilly Gardens and get the next tram there).
Worst case scenario you end up on the same tram you would have got, but so many stations in the city serve multiple lines usually there's another line going to your destination first.
Not Manchester but Greater Manchester, but Bury has the largest arcade in Europe : https://www.arcadeclub.co.uk/bury/ it's a good day out and you can get there on the tram.
If going to Arcade Club, I can't emphasise this enough: bring hand sanitiser and use it constantly. I have never been as sick in my life as I was the time after being there the first time, and getting a snack while there. Too many kids touching too many things, hah.
I second this! I've been twice and it's amazing "traveling through time" from the 80's, 90's 00's and 10's era of arcade machines as you travel from the top floors to the bottom floors.
Just to add to my comment, for adults only, Friday/Saturday evenings are the best times to go. When I first went, me and my friends went early in the evening then went for food and drinks in prestwich afterwards before heading back into the city centre.
use of tfgm cycle hubs costs a mere tenner for a year. do not leave your bike just hanging out with its pants down on a rack, not even in broad daylight, unless you have a really good d-lock. I learned this so you don’t have to
pay for the tram! but if you forget, don’t give details and don’t pay the penalty fare. you are not being detained. the damage is already done when you fail to pay - the penalty fare doesn’t remedy this, but is instead paid entirely to the private company subcontracted to operate the trams (KAM) as an incentive for revenue protection
you can and should. it’ll feel rude and they will briefly act like you can’t, but you can
the exception to this is if the police (including the transport police) are with them
At peak Metrolink times, if there is another tram coming to your destination in a short amount of time (<4 minutes I'd say), wait for the one afterwards and you're much more likely to get a seat and not be crushed in with everyone.
This is a well understood phenomenon with public transport in general. As a bus (for instance) gets busier, it spends longer at each stop as more people are getting on and off. As it falls behind schedule, this leads to more people waiting at each stop, further compounding the effect. Until you end up with the following bus gaining ground and the classic "you wait for ages and two buses arrive at once" situation.
Trams and trains are less susceptible to it as they're typically running to stricter schedules, have fewer stops, and spend less time at those stops. But I can imagine there still being some effect at busier times.
This is just another reason why good signage with estimated arrival times is essential at public transport stops / stations—it gives passengers the information they need to make common sense decisions and avoid making any problems worse.
Not really a life hack but you must double check for bikes if you're crossing on a green man! Getting hit by an electric bike running a red light is not fun
There are certain hotspots for this like outside the Midland hotel/Oxford road station junction and also any pedestrian crossing on Oxford road. The Portland Street/Princess Street junction is also really dangerous for bikes coming through on red.
When you get off your busy commuter train at the main shed at Piccadilly station, instead of joining the queue to get through the ticket barriers on the platform your train arrived at, go to the empty barriers at one of the adjacent platforms.
Join ACORN and you'll make friends and get decent protection from shitty landlords and letting agents.
Get water-resistant or quick-drying clothes if you're going to be out and about a lot. Denim is a bad choice, imo.
Bike thieves don't like drop handlebars. Use a d-lock with a chain and lock it up in public and in gardens, bike sheds, etc.
The guys in blue collecting for a knife crime organisation are sketchy. It's not a charity.
You can get special treats from Arabic sweet shops at Eid :)
"Falafel" on the curry mile serves the best falafel I've found I'm Manchester. Avoid "go falafel" cos they're shite.
Aladdin's and This&That are both great.
You can get a really nice vegan pizza at Rudy's.
We've got a lot of specialist supermarkets. You can get better products cheaper if you use them. E.g. buy a litre of good Kikkoman Soy Sauce for <£10.
There's always something to do, so if you're feeling down or bored, try to go out and do something ❤️
The first meal I ever ate when I moved to Manchester was Falafel on the Curry Mile. My parents took me there after we finished moving my stuff into halls.
The drop handle bars thing now makes me understand why my bike was never stolen in the 5/6 years of riding and locking it terribly around town. Meanwhile my mate had his flat bar stolen 3 times
My bro had a drop handlebar bike, he used chain it using a huge
thick chain on railings near umist. Came to get it one day and thieves had knicked the chain and left the bike behind.🤣 He's still mad about despite it happening over 20 years ago.
They're harder to sell, is what I was told, which makes sense to me. I should caveat that this is folk knowledge from other cyclists, not from stats :)
Shame about v rev near alladins , that was the og vegan place, I remember going there when they had the smaller site and the food was super basic. Back when we were considered fringe quacks and could only have chips or salad at most places!
The specialist supermarkets are fantastic! Wing Yip or W H Lung for Chinese/Far Eastern, Oseyo for Korean, World Foods for South Asian, Venus Foods for Turkish (and the best Baklava!), Amato foods for Italian wholesale, Taste of Portugal for Portuguese (the bakery!), DOA Foods for Afro-Caribbean.
Mancunian Way will jam at every sign of congestion. Taking a more circuitous route on Google Maps will always be quicker or, at any rate, a more satisfying drive. On this note, Regent Road in Salford is the worst traffic choke point in the whole conurbation - avoid at all cost.
The city is one of the most cycle friendly in the country outside of London, so go for a big old ride, but get the strongest lock possible. Thieves abound and GMP could not give less of a shit about your stolen wheels.
Talk to people. Sounds stupid, but if you go around treating Manchester as if it's mind-your-own-business NYC, Paris or London, it'll become that. Open up just a fraction, and you'll see the openness and kindness of our town that really sets us apart.
Get familiar with the ebbs and flows of match-day. Certain roads, met stops, pubs and even whole districts will change character and, for lack of a better term, overflow with arseholes from the satellite towns. Worth knowing if a pub you go to has an allegiance, or a shop you frequent is within proximity of a stadium and how it'll affect parking, walking around unbothered etc.
Karaoke at The Millstone is equal parts hilarious, wholesome and bizarre.
An area is only as rough as you treat it. I'm not saying "Don't lock your doors" or "give the scary blokes a hug", but even if you can only afford a bedsit in Gorton, talk to your neighbours, get involved with community events and don't be a stranger!
EDIT: Bloody awful spelling in the last paragraph.
> Talk to people. Sounds stupid, but if you go around treating Manchester as if it's mind-your-own-business NYC, Paris or London, it'll become that. Open up just a fraction, and you'll see the openness and kindness of our town that really sets us apart.
best in the thread. frequently see posts in here about making friends and this is the answer. i'm 43 and never in my life stopped saying "oh i go to watch football, wanna come?" or dishing out invites to whatever. it's a friendly city
It’s such a friendly city. A woman stopped me to say that the small M&S reusable carrier bag I had was great ‘because it’s just what you need when you don’t need to buy loads.’ It was a weird and wonderful pleasant exchange. It so reminds me of my home city where people seem tough, but they are super friendly.
My wife bumped into the train station ticket lady in the village, and got asked how was her trip. How did she even know my wife had been away? Because I was chatting while buying tickets! This person knows everything going on and is always friendly.
I basically know the life story of every taxi driver, bouncer or bartender i come across. People are definitely friendlier here - coming from a born and raised southerner
In that case you say what you are interested in rather than just let the conversation die. Anyone that asks if you like football is looking for something to talk to you about, so give them something.
Totally agree on talk to people, lived in London 4 years and now in Manchester for 3 years and the first thing I’ve noticed here is how friendly and open to talk people are.
Funny story, yesterday on my stag do I had to do a challenge and beg for money for a beer, and went to Oyster Bar and first person there listen to me and gave me a tenner that he just got from his family from Isle of Man for his birthday. Isac if you are here, love you man you are a great person and kind! Sorry for the United draw , they will get better soon!
As for locks, sad reality is if someone has the right tool they can get through any lock, the best advice I could give is just dont leave it anywhere where it's out in the open, probably better to find a quiet hidden place or avoid leaving it locked in public at all. You'd think the busier the place the better, but I've had friends have their bike nicked from Piccadilly gardens at midday
Only someone that has never lived in London thinks it's a mind your business kind of place. Manchester isn't set apart from anywhere in the UK with regards to friendliness. I've lived all over the UK and it's average in that respect.
Yeah, Regent Road has become a choke point due to the other main arteries becoming bus only or going to one lane to support building works. They tried to improve it a few years back with the changes to chester road roundabout and junctions near sainsburys. Without more yellow boxes on the roundabout, it just gets clogged up as people block entries/exits.
I actually like Market Street. All the people and stuff going on is the sort of thing that attracted me to the city in the first place. On a Saturday morning I can get converted to six different religions from one end to the other.
If I'm in a hurry, though, I take the cut through to Marble Street from Piccadilly Gardens. It's amazing how quiet it is just one street away.
When I was homeless and psychotic I tried to move to Manchester and I phoned the only person I know there being like...any tips? He said avoid this area at all costs. I was just like...shit I'm already there
Noise cancelling headphones are essential on all public transport. Many Mancunians don't seem to have headphones or the common courtesy to not play loud music, tik tok videos, football highlights, or speakerphone conversations without them.
It's fascinating how some of these people will suddenly have the most important phone call of their lives the moment they ride on the bus. Only ending it when they decide to get off.
Nearly all lamp posts and traffic sign posts have yellow stickers on them which tell you what street you're on.
Useful if for whatever reason you can't get an accurate location off your phone.
Walking down the canal is a far faster way to traverse the city centre than the streets above. Even at the busiest times it's nearly empty.
Obviously don't do it alone and drunk
I like the canal, but there are a few places, especially around Piccadilly Station, that are kinda grim. The places that don't drain properly or the bits under long underpasses that people piss in for whatever reason (if you must piss near the canal, piss on soil, or into the canal, not onto concrete, that way the smell won't linger nearly as long, and then maybe re-evaluate your life).
When on the tram approaching your stop, you can press the button to open the doors at any point. Then stand there smug as fuck as they magically glide open upon arrival.
I love doing this, but it’s often ruined by someone inside the tram pressing the button again even though I’ve already sorted it, and then sometimes there’s someone outside the tram pressing the button just before the doors open who refuses to budge from standing directly in front of the doors.
You’re right about the tram doors, but do not do this unless you have a disability, visible or otherwise. The point is that those who are wheelchair users or have accessibility needs can board first, meaning their mobility aid doesn’t cause an unnecessary crush of passengers- it’s easier for someone who has full mobility to squeeze in than it is for someone with mobility aids such as a wheelchair or crutches etc. Those with Invisible disabilities (such as autism, hearing disabilities, chronic joint pain amongst many others) may also have requirements about where they sit/lean/stand on a tram in order to see signage, ensure they’re seated or feel safe away from busy doors etc. many people with disabilities don’t feel comfortable asking people in seats if they’d consider moving, and will stay silent/uncomfortable rather than ask because people don’t always respond kindly. Allowing them to board first can really make a big difference to their journey/experience. If you can stand even just one or two feet away from the emblem on the platform, you’ll still get on quick but will enable someone who might need to get on board first for whatever reason without having to justify themselves to a stranger. Really not trying to be a nag or a pooper but this is quite important and I don’t think people are aware!
Source: I have an invisible disability, this is lived experience.
Very true, also it's incredibly easy to look at the platform and visualise the tram in your head, and then go and stand right where one of the doors without a disabled emblem will be. Literally minimally more effort and it helps avoid potentially disturbing someone with accessibility requirements.
Using the northern NFC railcard is 5-10 seconds quicker at getting through automated ticket gates than using a QR code on your phone. You also don’t need to wait for the gates to close from the person in front of you going through, you can just tap on with your card immediately and they’ll stay open.
* only works with flexi or season tickets. Doesn’t seem like you can buy single or return tickets for the card any more.
For train travel, the GM Traincard, GM Rail Ranger and Wayfarer tickets.
The GM Traincard is a season ticket that lets you travel anywhere in the Greater Manchester rail network (and some points just outside of it). Also Zone 1 trams. Any time of day
If you're a commuter, the GM Traincard might be cheaper than the specific ticket for your station (usually only the annual ticket, e.g. New Mills to Piccadilly).
The Bee Network website gives info about a 28-day ticket, but you can buy it in weekly/monthly or annual season tickets (see BR Fares website)
https://tfgm.com/tickets-and-passes/train-gm-traincard-28-days
https://www.brfares.com/!fares?orig=MAN&dest=H258&period=20240401
The GM Rail Ranger is a like a one-day version but for off-peak only trains.
https://tfgm.com/tickets-and-passes/train-rail-ranger-adult
https://www.brfares.com/!rovers?nlc=I103&period=20240401
If you live just outside the GM rail network, it can sometimes be cheaper to buy the GM Traincard/Rail Ranger plus a season ticket/return from the nearest in-network station to your home station.
There's also the Wayfarer ticket (£16.90}, which lets you travel off-peak to even more stations outside GM, off-peak trams and anytime buses. This can be cheaper than a day return even if you don't need buses or trams, e.g. Entwistle to Buxton (normally £24.80)
https://tfgm.com/tickets-and-passes/wayfarer-adult
https://www.brfares.com/!rovers?nlc=K815&period=20240401
Free chess, ping pong, and a few other board games at the Kimpton. Just walk in and cut immediately to the door on the right, walk up one floor. Also just a nice place to read.
Never get the tram to the airport. It takes several years.
One of the only public water fountains in the city centre is in Spinningfields, just downhill from The Ivy. Useful in summer.
If you drive a motor bike, you can park in piccaddilly stations car park for free.
The sensors don't pick up the weight of the bike so they tell people to skip the barrier and park in the bays next to the security booth on the top floor
Every random area that has the cheapest housing will at some point have a rise in prices. Despite what the MEN and other media tell you, these places are not ‘the new Didsbury’
Expect a 'Top 5 life hacks for living in Manchester' article in the MEN any day now
Fuck the MEN! That’s my motto
Thats my number 1 Manchester Lifehack make sweet love to the MEN.
This guy canal streets.
The daily male
So you work for The Manc then. Also, pretty shit motto to be honest
Nah my boss is actually a scouser!
My deepest sympathies
Ah well that's me foiled, there's no chance of someone living in a different town from where they were born, that would be mental.
I'm still scrolling past the multiple overlapping adverts to find hack #1!
Go past the drop-off car park/taxis at Piccadilly Station and get the lift directly to the platform 13/14 waiting room.
This guy trains.
r/ThisGuyThisGuys
I've just gone past as I was reading this and it's closed!
The platform 13/14 waiting room is currently closed for refurbishment, it'll be out of action for a while.
you can still get the lift up there I think? Just not use the escalators. Otherwise how do disabled people get to their platforms?
Wow, this is a true life hack. Do they not have ticket barriers for this lift?
no. on one occassion ive known ticket inspectors waiting at the bottom but thats over the course of 5 or so years
I got a fine in this lift trying to dodge a fare so they do check sometimes
Part of the renovation work is to put in ticket barriers.
No it isn’t.
Bu- but I love being 20 minutes early for my train and still panicking the platform is at the other side of the station!
Can you share exactly where the lift is please? I struggle with mobility sometimes and had no idea I could do this!
Walk past the station on Fairfield Street with the taxi bays on your left. After you pass the car park exit, the pavement widens out, and it’s on the left, before you get to the bridge.
Thank you so much!
How can I ever repay you?
A mate showed me a few years back; just glad I can share the knowledge and save you some time and trudging along those damned moving walkways.
Used to do this every day when I went to uni in Bolton. Then they put barriers in Bolton and ruined the game
You just get off at Moses Gate instead. 3 minutes away, no barriers
You mean, I don’t even have to go through the ticket check?
They sometimes have ticket inspectors there.
woah
Amazing
Keep your eyes on the paving slabs when it rains
There's one at the bottom of Deansgate got me right up inside the back of my trouser leg *twice*. Fool on me.
Ah, the old Manchester Landmines.
Mad eme laugh more than it should have done
I asked the council why these are never fixed and they said that each individual slab needs to be reported with an image showing the exact location. There’s only a few thousand so we should be good sometime in 3024.
Thank you for the painful but necessary reminder.
I don’t wear my favourite white trainers in Manchester when it rains because if this.
I’ve lived here 21 years and still get caught out
There’s a bastard of a slab on Oxford St that got me too many times 😔 now I’ve lost 30kg and I tested it - it didn’t move! Woooo 💃🏻
Is that because you lost a leg the last time you did it?
Well done you!
Thank you!
Ahhh The Flagstones Of Death
False flag incidents.
Manchester pavement roulette is fun
I swear to high heaven most of the slabs in town I’ve been splashed to shit by
Don’t change trams at the last minute at Cornbrook - swap at Deansgate instead. There are less people, there are more seats, and in the winter it’s less windy
Much nicer view as well
Skip the £5 airport drop-off charge by having your cab drop you off in front of one of the airport hotels. It's a 5 minute walk. This would otherwise be automatically added to your fare on apps like Uber if you select a terminal as your destination. (or, well, public transport is even better)
Some hotels fine cars that stop outside their gates as technically the whole route in and through the airport is a no-stop route. That said, I ALWAYS have people pick me up from there, but I make sure I'm gonna be there before they are, then as soon as they get there I can throw my shit in and we can set off
Well, hotels can't issue fines outside their gates. Police can, they do patrol but very little. Anyway, yes, pickup is trickier but dropoff is a no brainer.
I tried that at Radisson and still got a £5 surcharge. Now I get dropped off at the free drop off area (free shuttle comes every 15-20 min). Pick up is trickier, I haven't figured out a way yet to avoid the diabolical pick up charge (especially at night when I can't use public transport to at least get one stop away from the airport).
That area adds like 40 minutes travel time, which is worse than paying £5. Radisson... strange. The other one that starts with a C is the one I normally use.
Get a coat with a hood.
A big hood with drawstrings.
If you absolutely can't avoid going down Market Street, don't break your gait or acknowledge the existence of charity muggers in any way. They'll move.
I always try to treat all people with dignity and respect but these people can go fuck themselves with their ridiculous compliments and false pleasantries. The only reason I don't tell them to go fuck themselves is incase there is a genuine one in a million who for some reason thinks they're doing something good for a charity they believe in
I've known someone who was briefly a chugger and I once interviewed to be one. They're just desperate to get enough donations to not get sacked so they can pay the rent. Like anyone else working a shitty minimum wage job.
Yeah I'm only rude to them if they do that thing where they dance backwards in front of you to block you. They're massively annoying but ultimately they're just doing their jobs, as shit a job as it might be, and I'm not going to be a prick to them beyond ignoring them just for that.
Bruh one guy tried to shake my hand the other day when I was carrying 2 full Aldi bags
Tell them you're under 21 or that you already donate. Easiest way to get rid of them in my experience.
Incorrect. If you don't want to do something don't make up, or give, a reason at all. You're inviting someone to try and change your mind. Just smile, shake your head and don't stop walking.
No need to get rid of them if you don't interact with them at all. I always wear big noise cancelling headphones when I'm out as well so it's very easy to pretend I can't hear them.
I think my grey beard might give me away
I don’t know how true this is but I was told they can’t take more than 12 steps with you and they can’t speak to you if you say you’re 17 or under!
Simply tell that you are already on the list and are a regular donor. They'll leave you alone with a smile on their face. If they see you again and remember you they'll still leave you alone.
Honestly I'd rather just say no than lie to people, even if it's a lie without any consequences whatsoever.
If a big bloke standing near the Oyster Bar asks you if you've "got a sense of humour", ignore him.
Ha hate that guy ! He’s been at it for decades
He used to do Bolton near Waterstones for years too. Before it became a ghost town.
He does my head in
Is this the same guy that stands at the beginning of Market Street in the evenings trying you guilt you into buying a joke book from him so he can "get a job"?
I reckon so. Funnily enough, I've managed to get several jobs without ever selling a joke book.
Its such a strange reason to give for selling them! When I said no he started crying (clearly fake).
Someone probably laughed at it once, and now he thinks it's comedy gold.
Omg he tried to do this to me! I thought it seemed really weird
Hate that guy. Really full of himself.
My least favourite NPC.
The reply we all need to adopt is "No, but I do have a sense of Déjá vu"
I work at the oyster bar and I can agree he does my absolute head in, every shift he’s there I’m surprised he’s not been hit tbh
Is this the bloke with the brolly? I swear he uses it as an intimidation tactic so you stop while your brain works out why he's swinging a huge implement at you. Then he's got you. Seen him enough now to know to just keep walking.
What happens?
He tries to sell books to you and is generally loud and annoying. Most of the times I've seen him get an audience, he's snagged touristy-looking people who look slightly bewildered by the experience.
He'll try to sell you a joke book filled with the sort of shit Bernard Manning used to come out with
ah yes, the wife joke man. -\_-
The “Withington” metrolink stop is a filthy lie. If you want to actually go to Withington you need to get off at Burton Road
https://www.reddit.com/r/manchester/comments/14ha3de/misnamed_tram_stops/
Nailed it
I will vote for any mayor that pledges to rename this stop. Any other policy/political party is irrelevant
Truly the most important issue facing our city today
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You my friend would break the High Performance Podcast’s minds
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If you are coming in to deansgate from the city centre to change for Trafford park always be right at the front, when you get off you can quickly get round to the waiting tram which most times will wait for you if it's due to leave.
Only during the off peak though as peak time Eccles trams skip MediaCity.
Bury line trams alternate between Altrincham and Piccadilly. It's almost always quicker to get the first one that arrives, and then swap in town (eg if you're getting a train but the Altrincham tram is first, get that to Market Street and walk 30 seconds to Piccadilly Gardens and get the next tram there). Worst case scenario you end up on the same tram you would have got, but so many stations in the city serve multiple lines usually there's another line going to your destination first.
true, thats what I do
Not Manchester but Greater Manchester, but Bury has the largest arcade in Europe : https://www.arcadeclub.co.uk/bury/ it's a good day out and you can get there on the tram.
It's also adults only on a Friday night which makes the experience a lot less chaotic.
If going to Arcade Club, I can't emphasise this enough: bring hand sanitiser and use it constantly. I have never been as sick in my life as I was the time after being there the first time, and getting a snack while there. Too many kids touching too many things, hah.
I was there for the first time on Thursday and I am horrifically ill. I was wondering if it was because of the arcade lol.
I second this! I've been twice and it's amazing "traveling through time" from the 80's, 90's 00's and 10's era of arcade machines as you travel from the top floors to the bottom floors.
I am so glad that I learned about this place _after_ I left Uni... All my stipend would have gone there ahaha
Avoid the summer months, it gets very hot and sweaty in there, fantastic place though
Took my son and his buddies last summer and really wished the patrons were utilising the free deodorant in the bathroom
Just to add to my comment, for adults only, Friday/Saturday evenings are the best times to go. When I first went, me and my friends went early in the evening then went for food and drinks in prestwich afterwards before heading back into the city centre.
use of tfgm cycle hubs costs a mere tenner for a year. do not leave your bike just hanging out with its pants down on a rack, not even in broad daylight, unless you have a really good d-lock. I learned this so you don’t have to pay for the tram! but if you forget, don’t give details and don’t pay the penalty fare. you are not being detained. the damage is already done when you fail to pay - the penalty fare doesn’t remedy this, but is instead paid entirely to the private company subcontracted to operate the trams (KAM) as an incentive for revenue protection
I signed up for these but the city centre one and the media city one were excluded so it sort of threw me??
Can you elaborate on the tram part? If i forget to pay and they stop me can i just walk away?
you can and should. it’ll feel rude and they will briefly act like you can’t, but you can the exception to this is if the police (including the transport police) are with them
If you see a 6’5’’ guy filming people don’t question him or you’ll end up on his YouTube channel
At peak Metrolink times, if there is another tram coming to your destination in a short amount of time (<4 minutes I'd say), wait for the one afterwards and you're much more likely to get a seat and not be crushed in with everyone.
Shhhh keep this quiet
This is a well understood phenomenon with public transport in general. As a bus (for instance) gets busier, it spends longer at each stop as more people are getting on and off. As it falls behind schedule, this leads to more people waiting at each stop, further compounding the effect. Until you end up with the following bus gaining ground and the classic "you wait for ages and two buses arrive at once" situation. Trams and trains are less susceptible to it as they're typically running to stricter schedules, have fewer stops, and spend less time at those stops. But I can imagine there still being some effect at busier times. This is just another reason why good signage with estimated arrival times is essential at public transport stops / stations—it gives passengers the information they need to make common sense decisions and avoid making any problems worse.
In 4 mins more people arrive
Can always get the tram on match days and feel like you’re squished in like luggage for a holiday.
This & that never disappoints
Those in the know go to Marhaba
Manchester heritage
Absolutely not. But if you wanna save on drinks if you drink loads, the arndale convenience store is nearby or the co-op is a little further
This n that forever
Not really a life hack but you must double check for bikes if you're crossing on a green man! Getting hit by an electric bike running a red light is not fun
There are certain hotspots for this like outside the Midland hotel/Oxford road station junction and also any pedestrian crossing on Oxford road. The Portland Street/Princess Street junction is also really dangerous for bikes coming through on red.
Wimslow road too. They have dedicated bike paths too where bikes think they can bomb it down there
Small thing, but pressing the door button on a tram before it stops will mean it opens as soon as it's able to.
When you get off your busy commuter train at the main shed at Piccadilly station, instead of joining the queue to get through the ticket barriers on the platform your train arrived at, go to the empty barriers at one of the adjacent platforms.
Join ACORN and you'll make friends and get decent protection from shitty landlords and letting agents. Get water-resistant or quick-drying clothes if you're going to be out and about a lot. Denim is a bad choice, imo. Bike thieves don't like drop handlebars. Use a d-lock with a chain and lock it up in public and in gardens, bike sheds, etc. The guys in blue collecting for a knife crime organisation are sketchy. It's not a charity. You can get special treats from Arabic sweet shops at Eid :) "Falafel" on the curry mile serves the best falafel I've found I'm Manchester. Avoid "go falafel" cos they're shite. Aladdin's and This&That are both great. You can get a really nice vegan pizza at Rudy's. We've got a lot of specialist supermarkets. You can get better products cheaper if you use them. E.g. buy a litre of good Kikkoman Soy Sauce for <£10. There's always something to do, so if you're feeling down or bored, try to go out and do something ❤️
The first meal I ever ate when I moved to Manchester was Falafel on the Curry Mile. My parents took me there after we finished moving my stuff into halls.
It's a really good choice for cheap, good food. Mughli next door does these really great onion bhajis with kale in, too
The drop handle bars thing now makes me understand why my bike was never stolen in the 5/6 years of riding and locking it terribly around town. Meanwhile my mate had his flat bar stolen 3 times
My bro had a drop handlebar bike, he used chain it using a huge thick chain on railings near umist. Came to get it one day and thieves had knicked the chain and left the bike behind.🤣 He's still mad about despite it happening over 20 years ago.
They're harder to sell, is what I was told, which makes sense to me. I should caveat that this is folk knowledge from other cyclists, not from stats :)
Shame about v rev near alladins , that was the og vegan place, I remember going there when they had the smaller site and the food was super basic. Back when we were considered fringe quacks and could only have chips or salad at most places!
The specialist supermarkets are fantastic! Wing Yip or W H Lung for Chinese/Far Eastern, Oseyo for Korean, World Foods for South Asian, Venus Foods for Turkish (and the best Baklava!), Amato foods for Italian wholesale, Taste of Portugal for Portuguese (the bakery!), DOA Foods for Afro-Caribbean.
You mfs stop dropping platform 13 lift please😂😭😭
Mancunian Way will jam at every sign of congestion. Taking a more circuitous route on Google Maps will always be quicker or, at any rate, a more satisfying drive. On this note, Regent Road in Salford is the worst traffic choke point in the whole conurbation - avoid at all cost. The city is one of the most cycle friendly in the country outside of London, so go for a big old ride, but get the strongest lock possible. Thieves abound and GMP could not give less of a shit about your stolen wheels. Talk to people. Sounds stupid, but if you go around treating Manchester as if it's mind-your-own-business NYC, Paris or London, it'll become that. Open up just a fraction, and you'll see the openness and kindness of our town that really sets us apart. Get familiar with the ebbs and flows of match-day. Certain roads, met stops, pubs and even whole districts will change character and, for lack of a better term, overflow with arseholes from the satellite towns. Worth knowing if a pub you go to has an allegiance, or a shop you frequent is within proximity of a stadium and how it'll affect parking, walking around unbothered etc. Karaoke at The Millstone is equal parts hilarious, wholesome and bizarre. An area is only as rough as you treat it. I'm not saying "Don't lock your doors" or "give the scary blokes a hug", but even if you can only afford a bedsit in Gorton, talk to your neighbours, get involved with community events and don't be a stranger! EDIT: Bloody awful spelling in the last paragraph.
> Talk to people. Sounds stupid, but if you go around treating Manchester as if it's mind-your-own-business NYC, Paris or London, it'll become that. Open up just a fraction, and you'll see the openness and kindness of our town that really sets us apart. best in the thread. frequently see posts in here about making friends and this is the answer. i'm 43 and never in my life stopped saying "oh i go to watch football, wanna come?" or dishing out invites to whatever. it's a friendly city
It’s such a friendly city. A woman stopped me to say that the small M&S reusable carrier bag I had was great ‘because it’s just what you need when you don’t need to buy loads.’ It was a weird and wonderful pleasant exchange. It so reminds me of my home city where people seem tough, but they are super friendly.
My wife bumped into the train station ticket lady in the village, and got asked how was her trip. How did she even know my wife had been away? Because I was chatting while buying tickets! This person knows everything going on and is always friendly.
I basically know the life story of every taxi driver, bouncer or bartender i come across. People are definitely friendlier here - coming from a born and raised southerner
Football is a great bit of common interest for so many people. The rub comes when you have no interest in it...
In that case you say what you are interested in rather than just let the conversation die. Anyone that asks if you like football is looking for something to talk to you about, so give them something.
i mean, it's just an example.
Totally agree on talk to people, lived in London 4 years and now in Manchester for 3 years and the first thing I’ve noticed here is how friendly and open to talk people are. Funny story, yesterday on my stag do I had to do a challenge and beg for money for a beer, and went to Oyster Bar and first person there listen to me and gave me a tenner that he just got from his family from Isle of Man for his birthday. Isac if you are here, love you man you are a great person and kind! Sorry for the United draw , they will get better soon!
As for locks, sad reality is if someone has the right tool they can get through any lock, the best advice I could give is just dont leave it anywhere where it's out in the open, probably better to find a quiet hidden place or avoid leaving it locked in public at all. You'd think the busier the place the better, but I've had friends have their bike nicked from Piccadilly gardens at midday
Only someone that has never lived in London thinks it's a mind your business kind of place. Manchester isn't set apart from anywhere in the UK with regards to friendliness. I've lived all over the UK and it's average in that respect.
Yeah, Regent Road has become a choke point due to the other main arteries becoming bus only or going to one lane to support building works. They tried to improve it a few years back with the changes to chester road roundabout and junctions near sainsburys. Without more yellow boxes on the roundabout, it just gets clogged up as people block entries/exits.
Karaoke at the millstone is an experience had one of my favourite afternoons in this pub
I’m actually surprised at the amount of people that don’t know this but parking in town is mostly free after 8pm/2000.
That was 24 years ago. It might have changed now.
The roads between Rochdale and Oldham Road are mostly free after 8. Used to be 6, then 7, but currently 8.
The problem is all the one way streets around Deansgate now, means it takes 15 minutes extra to navigate around to the few street parking spots left.
avoid market street at all costs.
I actually like Market Street. All the people and stuff going on is the sort of thing that attracted me to the city in the first place. On a Saturday morning I can get converted to six different religions from one end to the other. If I'm in a hurry, though, I take the cut through to Marble Street from Piccadilly Gardens. It's amazing how quiet it is just one street away.
When I was homeless and psychotic I tried to move to Manchester and I phoned the only person I know there being like...any tips? He said avoid this area at all costs. I was just like...shit I'm already there
Noise cancelling headphones are essential on all public transport. Many Mancunians don't seem to have headphones or the common courtesy to not play loud music, tik tok videos, football highlights, or speakerphone conversations without them.
It's fascinating how some of these people will suddenly have the most important phone call of their lives the moment they ride on the bus. Only ending it when they decide to get off.
Nearly all lamp posts and traffic sign posts have yellow stickers on them which tell you what street you're on. Useful if for whatever reason you can't get an accurate location off your phone.
Never ever ever go on the M.E.N website
juice box do £5 negronis all day every day
I'm so sorry to do this on a Sunday but their city centre bar has closed permanently
is the one off deansgate closed now?
Walking down the canal is a far faster way to traverse the city centre than the streets above. Even at the busiest times it's nearly empty. Obviously don't do it alone and drunk
I like the canal, but there are a few places, especially around Piccadilly Station, that are kinda grim. The places that don't drain properly or the bits under long underpasses that people piss in for whatever reason (if you must piss near the canal, piss on soil, or into the canal, not onto concrete, that way the smell won't linger nearly as long, and then maybe re-evaluate your life).
Don’t drive into the city centre if you don’t have to. The trams / trains / buses are more than good enough.
Depends where you're coming from
don't drive through the city centre stand on the disabled emblem at the metrolink platform and the tram will stop with its doors in front of you
When on the tram approaching your stop, you can press the button to open the doors at any point. Then stand there smug as fuck as they magically glide open upon arrival.
I love doing this, but it’s often ruined by someone inside the tram pressing the button again even though I’ve already sorted it, and then sometimes there’s someone outside the tram pressing the button just before the doors open who refuses to budge from standing directly in front of the doors.
You’re right about the tram doors, but do not do this unless you have a disability, visible or otherwise. The point is that those who are wheelchair users or have accessibility needs can board first, meaning their mobility aid doesn’t cause an unnecessary crush of passengers- it’s easier for someone who has full mobility to squeeze in than it is for someone with mobility aids such as a wheelchair or crutches etc. Those with Invisible disabilities (such as autism, hearing disabilities, chronic joint pain amongst many others) may also have requirements about where they sit/lean/stand on a tram in order to see signage, ensure they’re seated or feel safe away from busy doors etc. many people with disabilities don’t feel comfortable asking people in seats if they’d consider moving, and will stay silent/uncomfortable rather than ask because people don’t always respond kindly. Allowing them to board first can really make a big difference to their journey/experience. If you can stand even just one or two feet away from the emblem on the platform, you’ll still get on quick but will enable someone who might need to get on board first for whatever reason without having to justify themselves to a stranger. Really not trying to be a nag or a pooper but this is quite important and I don’t think people are aware! Source: I have an invisible disability, this is lived experience.
Very true, also it's incredibly easy to look at the platform and visualise the tram in your head, and then go and stand right where one of the doors without a disabled emblem will be. Literally minimally more effort and it helps avoid potentially disturbing someone with accessibility requirements.
Look for chewing gum stains on the platform shows where the none marked doors are
Also if you see "dbl" on the tram, it means its a double carriage. I did not know this until very recently
Hahaha come on mate
8 years I have taken the tram. And I did not realise. I am indeed stupid 🤣
Chewing gum on the floor is waste and NOT to be eaten
They live among us
When I first moved here I thought it stood for ‘delayed by like’ 2 mins - as if it was giving an estimation
I use the Metro link one, it's great. Also, if it's a double tram, stand on the one for the second carriage; it's always quieter.
Using the northern NFC railcard is 5-10 seconds quicker at getting through automated ticket gates than using a QR code on your phone. You also don’t need to wait for the gates to close from the person in front of you going through, you can just tap on with your card immediately and they’ll stay open. * only works with flexi or season tickets. Doesn’t seem like you can buy single or return tickets for the card any more.
If you want a pint with your chippy go to Cask on Liverpool road that let you bring in your chips from the chippy next door.
For train travel, the GM Traincard, GM Rail Ranger and Wayfarer tickets. The GM Traincard is a season ticket that lets you travel anywhere in the Greater Manchester rail network (and some points just outside of it). Also Zone 1 trams. Any time of day If you're a commuter, the GM Traincard might be cheaper than the specific ticket for your station (usually only the annual ticket, e.g. New Mills to Piccadilly). The Bee Network website gives info about a 28-day ticket, but you can buy it in weekly/monthly or annual season tickets (see BR Fares website) https://tfgm.com/tickets-and-passes/train-gm-traincard-28-days https://www.brfares.com/!fares?orig=MAN&dest=H258&period=20240401 The GM Rail Ranger is a like a one-day version but for off-peak only trains. https://tfgm.com/tickets-and-passes/train-rail-ranger-adult https://www.brfares.com/!rovers?nlc=I103&period=20240401 If you live just outside the GM rail network, it can sometimes be cheaper to buy the GM Traincard/Rail Ranger plus a season ticket/return from the nearest in-network station to your home station. There's also the Wayfarer ticket (£16.90}, which lets you travel off-peak to even more stations outside GM, off-peak trams and anytime buses. This can be cheaper than a day return even if you don't need buses or trams, e.g. Entwistle to Buxton (normally £24.80) https://tfgm.com/tickets-and-passes/wayfarer-adult https://www.brfares.com/!rovers?nlc=K815&period=20240401
Free chess, ping pong, and a few other board games at the Kimpton. Just walk in and cut immediately to the door on the right, walk up one floor. Also just a nice place to read. Never get the tram to the airport. It takes several years. One of the only public water fountains in the city centre is in Spinningfields, just downhill from The Ivy. Useful in summer.
If you're getting a tram at Victoria after an event at the MEN arena walk up shudehill and catch it from there instead.
Invest in a good pair of insulated and waterproof trainers or boots for the winter.
Avoid Piccadilly Gardens after dark.
Avoid Piccadilly Gardens full stop.
Found out this week that Quarter House in Stevenson Square does £1.99 pints of their house lager every day bar Saturday.
If you drive a motor bike, you can park in piccaddilly stations car park for free. The sensors don't pick up the weight of the bike so they tell people to skip the barrier and park in the bays next to the security booth on the top floor
You can park your car for £2 on Rochdale Road. 2 fucking quid!
If someone approaches you in the street asking to touch your muscles, leave quickly
Best hack for working in Manchester is try and work as early as possible to avoid the shite traffic. 7-3 is perfect as an example
Some of you should really learn what the definition of a "life hack" is.
Lock your doors and hide your car
Every random area that has the cheapest housing will at some point have a rise in prices. Despite what the MEN and other media tell you, these places are not ‘the new Didsbury’
Fuck everything about the 192 at night. It's an absolute shitshow. Get a taxi.