Altrincham Interchange

Altrincham Interchange is a transport hub in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England, owned and managed by the Bee Network. It consists of a bus station on Stamford New Road, a Northern Trains-operated heavy rail station on the Mid-Cheshire Line, and a light rail stop which forms the terminus of Manchester Metrolink's Altrincham line. The original heavy rail element of the station was opened by the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway as Altrincham and Bowdon railway station in April 1881, changing to Altrincham railway station in May 1974. The Metrolink element opened in June 1992. The Interchange underwent a complete redevelopment, at a cost of £19 million, starting in mid-July 2013. The new, redeveloped interchanged opened on 7 December 2014. The interchange joined the Bee Network on 5 January 2025, who operate the local buses and the Metrolink trams from the interchange. The trains running through Altrincham will join the Bee Network by 2030.

Altrincham Interchange
Rail section of Altrincham Interchange (trams on the left, trains on the right)
General information
Location	Altrincham, Trafford England
Coordinates	53.3875°N 2.3472°W / 53.3875; -2.3472
Grid reference	SJ770879
Managed by	Bee Network
Transit authority	Bee Network, Transport for Greater Manchester
Platforms	4 (2 National Rail, 2 Metrolink)
Other information
Station code	ALT
Fare zone	G
Classification	DfT category C2
Key dates
20 July 1849	Original MSJA railway station opens
3 April 1881	MSJA station replaced on current site
6 May 1974	Name changed from Altrincham and Bowdon to Altrincham
15 June 1992	Metrolink service starts
7th December 2014	Redeveloped interchange opened
5th January 2025	The interchange joins the Bee Network
Passengers
2019/20	0.373 million
2020/21	69,168
2021/22	0.222 million
2022/23	0.248 million
2023/24	0.273 million
Notes Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

History

Altrincham Station entrance in 1975, before the introduction of a bus station

A British Rail Class 304 at Altrincham in 1990

Altrincham Station clock tower

The station was opened on 3 April 1881 as Altrincham & Bowdon by the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway (MSJAR) to replace Altrincham (1st) railway station on Stockport Road and Bowdon station on Lloyd Street/Railway Street which both closed that day. All platforms were through, with Nos. 1 and 2 (nearest to the town) being used by the MSJAR.^{[citation needed]}

The Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC) trains from Manchester Central to Northwich and Chester Northgate used platforms 3 and 4. The CLC also operated a service from Stockport Tiviot Dale via Northenden to Altrincham, latterly using Sentinel steam railcars, but this service ceased in late 1939.^{[citation needed]}

The station became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway during the Grouping of 1923. The station then passed on to the London Midland Region of British Railways on nationalisation in 1948.^{[citation needed]}

Since 6 May 1974, the station has been named Altrincham.^[1] In 1975 a new booking office was opened on platform 4 to serve the car park on the site of the former goods yard. Also in 1975, work began to convert the former station forecourt on Stamford New Road into a bus station, and the Victorian glass-covered canopy over the station entrance was demolished. The new combined Altrincham Interchange bus/rail station was opened in November 1976.^{[citation needed]}

When Sectorisation was introduced in the 1980s, the station was served by Regional Railways under arrangement with the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive until the privatisation of British Rail.^{[citation needed]}

Regional Railways electric trains between Manchester and Altrincham ceased serving the station on 24 December 1991.^[2] The former electric train platforms (1 and 2) reopened for use by Metrolink on 15 June 1992.^[3]

A new roof for platform 1 costing £180,000 was installed in 2006. This platform had been uncovered since glazed panels were removed in 2003 due to safety concerns. The new roof is made of coated steel with clear panels to let in the light.^[4]

The interchange joined the Bee Network on 5 January 2025. The Bee Network operate the local buses and the Metrolink) from the interchange, and will operate the trins running through the station by 2030.

The station clock tower on Stamford New Road, erected in 1880, is a Grade II listed structure.^[5][6]

Redevelopment

The Interchange was redeveloped in 2013-15 by Laing O'Rourke. The project was partly funded by the Local Sustainable Transport Fund.^[7]

The interchange reopened on 7 December 2014, integrating Bus, Rail and Metrolink services again, although the lifts and some roofing in the railway station was not completed until 2015.^[8][9]

Services

Looking south to Altrincham Station; the terminating Metrolink tram tracks are to the right, and mainline railway through tracks to the left

Altrincham Interchange has four rail platforms. Two bay platforms are used for Metrolink services. Two further through platforms accommodate train services on the line between Manchester Piccadilly and Chester via Stockport.^[10]

Altrincham Interchange also has 5 bus stands, lettered as Stand A, Stand B, Stand C, Stand D and Stand E, used for picking up bus passengers. Most bus passengers are dropped off at one of 2 laybys located north of Stand A. There is also an extra layby opposite to stand C, however, it is not used for passengers.

Rail

There is a basic hourly service in each direction on the Mid-Cheshire line on Mondays to Saturdays with two peak extras to/from Stockport, as of April 2025. The services run every 2 hours on Sundays, as of April 2025.

The rail services are set to join the Bee Network by 2030.

Metrolink Stop Entrance (bus station entrance)

Metrolink

Altrincham
Metrolink station
A M5000 at Altrincham Interchange on Platform 1
General information
Location	Altrincham, Trafford England
Coordinates	53.38752°N 2.34734°W / 53.38752; -2.34734
Line(s)	Altrincham Line
Platforms	2
Other information
Status	In operation
Fare zone	4
History
Original company	Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway
Pre-grouping	Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway
Post-grouping	Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway
Key dates
1992	Conversion to Metrolink operation
Route map Legend to St Peter's Square 0:21 Deansgate-Castlefield ( Deansgate) Bridgewater Canal 0:18 Cornbrook to Pomona CLC Liverpool–Manchester line 0:15 Trafford Bar to Firswood 0:13 Old Trafford 0:11 Stretford River Mersey  M60  0:08 Dane Road 0:07 Sale 0:06 Brooklands 0:04 Timperley 0:02 Navigation Road 0:00 Altrincham This diagram: view talk edit
Location

There are frequent Metrolink services from Altrincham.

The Altrincham to Piccadilly service runs daily. The first tram, on Mondays to Saturdays, runs at 05:48. These services typically run every 12 minutes. On Mondays to Thursdays, the last tram leaves Altrincham at 23:36. Late at night, extra services run from Altrincham to Old Trafford, with the last running at 00:36. On Fridays and Saturdays, the service extends to Etihad Campus from 8pm. The service continues to run every 12 minutes until 23:36, where it runs at 00:00, and 00:24. Extra services run from Altrincham to Old Trafford late at night, with the last service leaving Altrincham at 01:09. All Piccadilly services extend to Etihad Campus on Sundays and public holidays, with the first tram at 06:51 and the last tram at 23:36, running every 15 minutes. Like Mondays to Saturdays, there are some extra late night services from Altrincham to Old Trafford. The last of these services runs at 00:21.^{[11] [12]}

There is also an Altrincham to Bury service, which runs every 12 minutes from 7am to 8pm on Mondays to Fridays, and from 9am to 6:30pm on Saturdays. This service doesn't run on Sundays. This route usually operates via Market Street. Passengers can use the Altrincham to Piccadilly service at other times, when that service is running, and change trams at Piccadilly Gardens to continue towards Bury.

At times with both a Bury and a Piccadilly service, stations between Altrincham and Old Trafford are served every 6 minutes. ^[13]

Altrincham is in Metrolink fare zone 4.^[14]

Preceding station	Manchester Metrolink			Following station
Terminus		Altrincham–Bury (peak only)		Navigation Road towards Bury
		Altrincham–Piccadilly		Navigation Road towards Piccadilly
Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Hale		Northern Trains Mid-Cheshire Line		Navigation Road
Historical railways
Hale Line and station open		Cheshire Lines Committee Mid-Cheshire Line		Sale Line and station open
Disused railways
Baguley		Cheshire Lines Committee Stockport, Timperley and Altrincham Junction Railway		Terminus

Bus services

Many local bus services operate from Altrincham. Most of these are Bee Network services, however, there are also external bus companies running services from Altrincham to outside of Greater Manchester. All Bee network currently cost £2 for a single / "hopper" ticket as of April 2025 and other services leaving Greater Manchester cost £3 for a single ticket, as of April 2025. ^[15]

Bee Network Services: 11 - Altrincham to Stockport (Stand B/C) 245 - Altrincham to Trafford Centre (Stand E) 247 - Altrincham to Trafford Centre (Stand C) 249 - Altrincham to Wythenshawe (Stand E) 263 - Altrincham to Manchester (Piccadilly Gardens) (Stand D) 279 - Altrincham to Lymm (Stand C) 280 - Altrincham to Dunham Woodhouses (Stand A) 281 - Altrincham to Sale (Manor Avenue) (Stand A) 282 - Altrincham to Oldfield Brow (Stand A) 283 - Altrincham / Hale Barns Circular (Stand A) 284 - Altrincham / Hale Barns Circular (Stand A) 285 - Altrincham / Timperley Circular (Stand A) 286 - Altrincham / Timperley Circular (Stand A) 287 - Altrincham to Bowdon Vale (Stand A) 288 - Altrincham to Manchester Airport (Stand B/C) 370 - Altrincham to Stockport (Stand B/C) 371 - Altrincham to Stockport (Stand B/C)^[16]

Other Services: 5 - Altrincham to Warrington (Warrington's Own Buses) (Stand B)^[17] 88 - Altrincham to Knutsford (some services continue onto Macclesfield as the 87, with through tickets available) (D&G Bus) (Stand C)^[18]

Taxi services

There is also a taxi rank, located on Stamford New Road.^[19]