Travel
Getting to the wedding
(See map for location of venue and bus/tram stops.)
The location for our wedding ceremony and reception is a 15 minute walk across the park from where we live, so we'll be walking there from home.
We're also encouraging as many people as possible to travel by public transport. For those that aren't familiar with public transport in Manchester, here are some instructions:
- Get a train to Manchester Piccadilly or Manchester Victoria. You can often get cheaper tickets if you book online up to 3 months in advance, though it's not always straightforward and can be frustrating; if you need help with this, contact us as we've got lots of experience!
- From either Piccadilly or Victoria train station, walk to the Metrolink platform and buy a ticket to Heaton Park from the ticket machine. An adult return costs £3, and an off-peak Metromax day ticket allowing unlimited journeys on Metrolink costs £4. Exact change is useful but not always necessary. See Metrolink Ticket prices.
- Get on a tram which is going to Bury (this should be displayed on the front and back of the tram). These should be every 12 minutes from Piccadilly and every 6 minutes from Victoria.
- The nearest station to our wedding venue is called "Heaton Park". The tram journey takes 15 minutes from Piccadilly and 10 minutes from Victoria.
- The gate into Heaton Park is immediately opposite the entrance to the Metrolink station.
- From here to Heaton Hall is a 10-15 minute walk.
You can also get the 135 bus (operated by First Buses) from Manchester Piccadilly (5 minute walk to bus stop) and Manchester Victoria (2 minute walk). Buses are at least every 10 minutes in the daytime on Saturday. Ask for a First Day ticket which will cost £3.70 which you can use on First buses all day. The journey should take around 30 minutes. Ask the driver to give you a shout at Heaton Park Metrolink. Or look out for the park railings on your right, and get off at the second stop after St Monica's school.
For more information about public transport to Heaton Park, and directions for car drivers, visit the Heaton Park website. Note that the St Margaret's Road entrance is the most convenient for Heaton Hall, and is the only entrance which will remain open after dark. There is a small car park for guests adjacent to Heaton Hall and one a bit further away. As a guest there is no charge for parking your vehicle though you can give a donation.
Time
Allow 50-55 minutes from Piccadilly, and 40 minutes from Victoria, including all transfers and the final walk to Heaton Hall.
Tickets
If you're arriving by train, you may be able to buy a train ticket which includes travel to Heaton Park Metrolink. You can also buy a PlusBus add-on with your train ticket, offering unlimited bus travel in Manchester on the day for £2.70. There are also combined bus/tram/train tickets available for the Greater Manchester area.
Getting home in the evening
Fortunately, both trams and buses run until midnight and beyond on Saturday night.
In theory the return journey is like the outward journey but in reverse. However, most of the park gates will be locked at dusk (around 9.45pm), so you won't be able to use the gate by Heaton Park Metrolink Station. The only gate open after that time is the one on St Margaret's Road. This could add 10 or 15 minutes to the walk. Trams on Saturday evening are every 12 minutes.
You could save around 10 minutes walking time by getting the 135 bus from St Margaret's Church on Bury Old Road instead. Buses run every 20 minutes on Saturday evening.
Planning other journeys by public transport
If you want information about other journeys that you're planning (to and from your hotel for example), please ask us as we know all about the best methods and the cheapest tickets!
