Ticket details have now been released for QPR’s trip to Old Trafford to face what we’re being told we must call Louis Van Gaal’s Manchester United in September.

Ground Name: Old Trafford

Capacity: 76 100 (all seated)

Address: Sir Matt Busby Way , Manchester , M16 0RA

Main Telephone No: 0870 442 1994

Ticket Office: 0870 442 1999

By Car

M6 for this one up to Junction 19 and then the A556 towards Altrincham and A56 towards Manchester until the ground appears. You’re unlikely to be able to get very close to it with the parking restrictions and road closures. It's 193 miles from Loftus Road , four hours give or take allowing for traffic.

Map

Parking

It’s been a while since were last here but the parking situation hasn’t changed much — lots of little private car parks at businesses and factories. The Old Trafford cricket ground charges a fiver, but the Salford Lowry Mill came highly recommended by my Mum who parked there for the Rugby League Grand Final a couple of years ago and paid £3. Alternatively you can park at the end of the tram lines at Altrincham and Eccles and get a tram to the ground from there.

Train

It remains a mystery to me how Virgin Trains managed to get more than 100,000 of their passengers to sign a petition asking for them to keep their franchise when it came under threat from an outlandish bid by First Group. As usual, on a Manchester United home matchday, we're already seeing prices heading through the roof for a game that doesn't take place until the middle of September.

At the time of writing the cheapest trip is the 0820 from Euston arriving into Piccadilly at 1103 for £27 single, coming back at 1938 (arriving 2255) for £37.50 so a round trip of £64.50. You cantake a chance on the 18.35 (arrives 20.48) but in our experience you’ve no chance of getting it unless you leave the game early. Anything other than that and you’re looking at the standard £79.70 return.

The main Manchester stations are not walkable for Old Trafford so get the tram to either Pamona or Exchange Quay on the Eccles branch or Old Trafford on the Altrincham line. A warning for after the match — trams are usually so full they don’t stop at Pamona so Exchange Quay maybe a better bet, although on a Sunday this is also an absolute ball ache. The whole place is a tourist-infested hell hole basically, go with low expectations.

Coach

The official club coach leaves Loftus Road at 10.00 and the Target Roundabout at 10.30. Tickets are priced £32 for adults, £21 for disabled, seniors and young adults, and £19 for under 16s. Season ticket holders get a £2 discount off full price and £1 off concessions.

No details on an LSA coach as yet.

Tickets

QPR have 1,316 tickets allocated for this one priced £46 adults, £36.50 for 18-20s, £27 for seniors and 16-17 year olds and £18 for under 16s.

Whether it’s a typo or not is unclear, but the official site says QPR have 12 pairs of wheelchair tickets and two pairs of tickets for the visually impaired which are available for free by calling 08444 777 007 and selecting option one. Disabled parking is available in car park E2 priced £10 if pre-booked.

Tickets go on sale to supporters with 500 loyalty points from today, 450 points from Wednesday, 300 points on Thursday, 100 points on Friday and 30 points from Saturday. A general sale will be announced in due course if any remain.

As ever, we expect Manchester United's borderline-criminal stewarding to be in full force for this fixture and would advise all QPR fans against: persistent standing or even occasional standing; shouting, clapping, talking, making a noise of any sort; catching a steward's eye; asking for directions to the bogs; looking a bit shifty; breathing too loudly; having one of the fatter more obnoxious ones steam into you on he stairs. All of these are punishable with an immediate, heavy handed, usually needlessly violent ejection carried out by a team of lobotomised gibbons. Ordinarily we'd say it's quite easy not to be thrown out of a football match, but Old Trafford is the exception. Here, it's more difficult to stay inside the place for 90 minutes. A persistent, ongoing scandal.

Links: >>> Official Website >>> Detailed Fans Guide to Old Trafford

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