How to get to Making Active Places 2026
Making Active Places is hosted at Aviva Studios, home of Factory International. The venue is located on Water Street (M3 4JQ) in the heart of Manchester city centre.
The what3words address is chop.feeds.chase.
You can use entrances on Water Street and Liverpool Road to enter the building.
If you can, we encourage you to use public transport or active travel for part, or all, of your journey to Making Active Places 2026.
A selection of transport options is provided below for convenience. The latest travel information is available on the Factory International website.
Travelling to Making Active Places 2026 via active travel
Walking and wheeling
Making Active Places 2026 can be reached via foot or wheeling via:
- Liverpool Road, if approaching from Deansgate or Castlefield
- Quay Street, if approaching from Manchester Victoria station
- Left Bank footbridge, if approaching from Salford Central station
All footways in the local area are well lit with dropped kerbs and signalled crossing points available.
The Factory International website provides additional advice for people with visual impairments and those who may wish to avoid nearby construction works.
Cycling
There are 38 standard cycle parking spaces and two accessible cycle parking spaces available for use at Aviva Studios. Folding bikes, including folded e-bikes, can be stored inside the venue. Spaces are available on a first come, first serve basis.
Some cycle parking spaces are covered.
If you are using Starling Bank hire cycle or e-bike, the nearest on-street docking station is located 400m from Aviva Studios (Deansgate).
Travelling to Making Active Places 2026 by public transport
Rail
Aviva Studios is within a 25-minute walk of Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadilly rail stations for national mainline connections.
Tram
If travelling by tram, the nearest tram station is Deansgate-Castlefield (12-minute walk).
Bus
If travelling by bus, the free bus 1 connects Manchester Piccadilly, Oxford Road and Deansgate rail stations with Aviva Studios. This bus operates every 10 minutes during the day. All number 1 buses are wheelchair accessible.
Local buses, including routes 8, 33, 35, 36, 38, 67 and 100, all stop at locations within a seven-minute walk of Aviva Studios.
Other transport modes
Car
The nearest on-street Blue Badge parking is located on Water Street. It is a two minute walk from the nearest on-street Blue Badge spaces to the venue. The what3words address for this parking is hobby.bucket.event.
Car parking is also available at NCP Manchester Spinningfields, which is a four-minute walk from Aviva Studios.
Manchester City Council provide a list of all accessible parking spaces in Manchester city centre on its website.