The tips you might need if you’re planning to drive to the Trafford Centre over the next few weeks for Christmas shopping.
Trafford Centre parking and transport hacks as we head into the December festive rush 2025
The big queues have already started at shopping centre car parks across the region on weekends as people start their festive shopping sprees. But now we’re in December, and full festive countdown, it’s set to get even busier at the biggest shopping spots.
So if you’re heading to the Trafford Centre over the next few weeks, it’s definitely worth planning ahead on how you’re getting there.
If you’re planning on driving to the vast mall, there’s a total of 10,000 free parking spaces surrounding the Trafford Centre available for visitors. But, as you may know if you’re a regular there, some are always the first to fill up.
Here, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide to the current parking situation at the Trafford Centre. That includes this year’s info on the busiest car park, the quietest car park, and more tips from bosses at the mall on how to avoid peak time congestion.
Meanwhile bosses at the centre have sought to remind shoppers this week about the new rules that came in force on parking limits across Trafford Centre car parks for the first time in September.
There’s now a maximum 12 hour time limit on all of the free car park spaces – but if you’re parking on Regent Crescent Multi-Storey, parking is limited to five hours. If you go over the time limit there, you will need to show a receipt from any store at Guest Services to extend your stay.
Here’s the top tips for navigating the Trafford Centre car parks this December.
Arrive early (or go late)
The centre’s busiest time of day is 2-4pm, whereas the centre is generally quieter earlier in the day – opening hours vary over Christmas, but as a general rule the shops open at 10am Monday – Saturday and 12 noon on Sundays.
For night owls, the centre is open until 10pm Monday to Friday – and in the week before Christmas even to 11pm – and it becomes quieter as the evening goes on.
Parking time limits
Trafford Centre bosses introduced time limits from September 1, saying “It’s important that our free car parks are available for our customers when they need them, so we’ve introduced parking limits to certain car parks. These measures will enhance our customers’ experience by improving traffic flow around site at busier times, whilst preventing misuse of car parks.”
The main change is on what bosses say is the centre’s busiest car park – the Regent Multi-Storey – which now has a 5-hour stay maximum time limit.
However guests who do stay longer than 5 hours may do so by visiting Guest Services and showing proof of purchase over £10 from any centre retailer.
All other car parks have a 12-hour maximum time limit, with no overnight parking allowed.
The car park map
Trafford Centre car park map(Image: Trafford Centre)Quietest car parks
The big advivce here is to avoid the first car parks you come to when arriving from Junction 10 – such as Regent Crescent Multi-Storey.
However, the Peel Avenue Multi-Storey is one of the last to fill up according to bosses, and is accessed from Barton Dock Road opposite Trafford Palazzo.
The centre’s overflow car park (Peel Avenue 7) is only a short stroll away but means you’ll beat the traffic when trying to leave.
Premium parking
The new Premium parking area at the Trafford Centre next to Selfridges(Image: Jason Roberts/Manchester Evening News)
Christmas is likely to be the time when Premium Parking comes into its own. This is the first pay-for car park which was launched by Centre bosses this time last year.
Location on Peel Avenue Multi-Storey car park (Upper Level), it offers larger parking bays and means you can walk into the entrance right next to Selfridges.
You can pre-book on the Trafford Centre website, or just turn up on the day – and it now costs a flat fee of £7.50 for a full day’s parking.
Also, many people may not realise that there’s a 15 minute free grace period in this car park, so if you need to nip in to collect something from Selfridges, it’s perfect for that too.
Consider public transport
The Trafford Centre tram stop(Image: Trafford Centre)
Trafford Centre now has its own bus station and a Metrolink stop right outside Selfridges. The ultimate hack is to park at Parkway Metrolink park and ride, catch the tram one stop and get off at Trafford Centre – just outside Selfridges. Parking at Parkway park and ride is free with a valid Metrolink ticket.
Plan ahead
Check your route and local traffic alerts before you set off, including live traffic updates. Account for other events on in the area that may impact traffic, like Manchester United playing at home.
Pay attention to signage as you’re driving in – if a car park is full, this should be communicated on mobile signage around the site.
When the surrounding motorways are experiencing issues, bosses suggest to stay longer and wait for the traffic to clear where possible.
Find your car
Take a photo of the coloured sign(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
We’ve all been there – you’ve parked in such a rush that when you get back to the car park you’ve completely forgotten where you car is.
Bosses suggest taking a photo of the nearest car park signage when you park up – as all car parks are colour coded.
If you do lose your car a member of staff at Guest Services on Lower Regent Crescent will more easily be able to assist you in locating your car if you know which coloured area you parked in.
Best Parking Spots for…Accessible parking
There are plenty of parent and child spaces in most of the car parks.
There is also designated disabled parking spaces in all car parks, with more recently added.
All are within easy reach of the main entrances. The Trafford Centre say that sensitive parking officers patrol the car parks and behind the scenes to prevent inconsiderate parking.
They add that one of the quietest accessible parking areas is located on Peel Avenue Multi-Storey – Upper Level, head up the ramp and follow the signs under the link bridge to the large accessible area.
Mobility Services are at Guest Services, located adjacent to the Blue Badge spaces in Regent 13 car park.
Electric charging
You can find EV Charging Points on Regent Crescent 13 & 14 near M&S as well as Peel Avenue 4 and 5A car parks.
Collecting shopping, pick up/drop offTrafford Centre Christmas opening hours
From December 1 – 17, normal shop opening hours will be Monday to Friday 10am to 10pm, Saturdays 10am to 9pm and Sundays 12noon to 6pm.
After that, the festive shopping hours are as follows:-
- 18th 10am – 11pm
- 19th 10am – 11pm
- 20th 10am – 10pm
- 21st – 12pm – 6pm
- 22nd 10am – 11pm
- 23rd 10am – 11pm
- 24th 9am – 5pm
- 26th 8am – 8pm
- 27th 10am – 9pm
- 28th 12pm – 6pm
- 29th 10am – 10pm
- 30th 10am – 10pm
- 31st 9am – 5pm
- 1st 12pm – 6pm