Manchester Shudehill could certainly be a lot better especially for a major city, but it certainly…read moreisn't too bad either, with a good number of connections via bus, while also having Metrolink services and being a short walk away (or one stop on the Diamond Number 8 bus and/or Metrolink towards Bury) to Manchester Victoria Railway Station. The station's layout is easy to follow, although it is split into two bus stations, most of which do go from the main terminal. Buses from here serve most of Manchester including Bury, Bolton, Salford, Rochdale, Middleton and the MRI. National Express also run coaches from here going across the country. I would love to see digital bus timetables showing when the next bus is, which I've seen in other locations across England, which perhaps could list destinations and towns showing the next bus to go there, which means you can always get the next bus and know how long it'll take without the need for third-party mobile phone apps. The staff inside the station seem friendly, and although they do try to help it stay clean, it doesn't always stay that way, mainly down to members of the public openly making a mess including smoking (which is forbidden), or the occasional litter or pigeon problem. There is an ATM outside (Be careful as this is a common spot for homeless people), newsagents and a coffee shop (which never seems to be open) at Shudehill. 3*

Shudehill Interchange is one of Manchester's transport hubs that is far less scummy than Victoria…read morestation and much less stressful than the bustling Piccadilly Station. You can catch the metro from Shudehill either as well as many local buses. It's also the Manchester stop for Megabuses which I love because the bus station is only five minutes away from my flat. Mega useful. Inside the bus station is a newsagents which sells confectionary and crisps and stuff for your journey, and generally the station is clean, light and well maintained. There's a few seats if you've got a long wait too. Ooh, also dead useful is that there is a cash machine just outside the main entrance. Dead handy if you're over in Trof or tv21 and need some more cash quickly.

Didsbury Village Metrolink is a fairly new addition to the Metrolink network, the station opened in…read more2013. It is in a great location for Didsbury Village with the suburb's shops and restaurants a couple of minutes away on foot. It is on the South Manchester Line between East Didsbury and Rochdale Town Centre, with some Rochdale-bound trains terminating at Shaw and Crompton. It is a pretty basic tram stop, it is fairly clean, with ample shelter, it has ramped access onto street-level which is easier for everyone, to avoid dealing with slippy steps or slow lifts. 4* - Nice tram stop. It would be even better if they finally set the Stockport extension into motion.

Very close to the heart of Didsbury village, a useful service to get into Manchester or to the…read morenearby shopping area of Parswood.

Piccadilly Gardens Metrolink is one of the most used stations on the Manchester Metrolink Station,…read moreit opened in 1992 before being rebuilt in 2009. It consists of a single island platform with services mostly running every 12 minutes on key routes. It's pretty much your bog standard tram platform, there are some backrests and seating while waiting for your tram, and some shelter, although on days with heavy rain and wind, it won't do much at all. Each side of the platform has ramped access and stairs making it easy to get in and out of, it's also facing Piccadilly Gardens bus station and City Tower, making it easy to continue on your journey. Ticket machines are available on the platform, but it's easier just to tap in and out with contactless nowadays, where the fares are now capped. It's a very busy interchange, so can get very crowded on the platforms, one thing I think isn't well thought out at the Metrolink stops in the city centre is that people just stand in the way, which makes it difficult if you're rushing for a tram, or trying to get off, there isn't really anywhere to go. Due to the central location, Piccadilly Gardens is on multiple lines and serves trams to Altrincham, Ashton Under-Lyne (via Piccadilly Station and Etihad Campus), Bury (via Victoria Station), Eccles (via Media City) and other part-route variations of the above. 3* - Bog standard tram stop, right in the heart of the city centre. It isn't somewhere you'd want to spend too long and can be uncomfortable at peak times, but with trams coming every couple of minutes, you shouldn't need to be there long.

Piccadilly Gardens acts as a busy interchange for buses and trams in and out of the city. You can…read morepretty much get a tram or bus to anywhere from here. So if you're in town and need to get out, Piccadilly Gardens will probably have a bus or tram going to somewhere at least vaguely near you. With the high volume of traffic going through, things can get pretty hectic down there, so make sure you're looking both ways when you're crossing the street and finding which stop is yours. It seems as if buses and trams are coming from all directions! If you're getting a bus up from Fallowfield on an evening, chances are you'll be sharing the bus with loads of pissed-up students on their way to some club. When you finally arrive in Piccadilly Gardens, they'll barge past you to get out of the bus and then they'll literally run as fast as they can to the nearest doorway or corner to empty their bladder. Lovely.

Market Street Metrolink is located right at the top of Market Street, in Manchester city centre, it…read moreis opposite Primark and is one of the busiest stops on the network as a whole. If you're heading to the Manchester Arndale, Piccadilly Gardens and many attractions/events in the city centre, this stop could be handy for you. It is on the yellow, green and dark blue lines meaning trams from here go to Piccadilly, Altrincham, Manchester Airport and Bury (via Victoria). As with all stations on the Metrolink network, this stop is step-free. You are able to use ramped access on both sides of the platform, although there is the option of taking a couple of steps too if you're in a hurry. The station isn't too exciting - it does have adequate shelter for the regular rainy days we have in Manchester, as well as a couple of seats, it generally isn't a place you're going to spend too much time due to the regular services from here. While the station isn't staffed 24-7, at peak times and whenever there are maintenance works at the station or on the network as a whole, you can expect staff members on the platform to offer assistance. 4*

The Metrolink tram system covers a good part of Greater Manchester (from Bury to Altrincham and…read moreManchester Piccadilly to Eccles). When making an onward connection at Manchester Piccadilly, it's clearly sign-posted, simple and speedy to find. The maps on the platform are easy-to-follow. On-site machines permit you to get your ticket just before you board (although you might need to allow a little extra time for this). Trams run very regularly, around every 12 minutes. Once on-board, the large windows are a boon - even in the rain - as they give you a good perspective on Manchester's diverse offering - from the impressive new super-modern developments to the canalside, former mill areas and historic buildings.

Rochdale Town Centre Metrolink Station is the main Metrolink station serving Rochdale, it does what…read moreit says in the name, it is a stop for the metrolink in the city centre, adjacent to the new Number One Riverside Building and opposite the new Bus Station, in an area which was flooded really badly towards the end of 2015, in what was dubbed the Boxing Day floods, meanwhile the MP for this area, the "delightful" Simon Danczuk was just sat in the pub, while the people of Rochdale squirmed and suffered. Moving onto my regular review, this is a small stop at one of the end of the lines so it is only on a line going to Exchange Square, so if starting or ending your journey at this station, odds are you will have to go on and off trams. Due to the location of the stop, it can take quite a while to get to Manchester as the only route to Victoria Station and Exchange Square goes via Mlnrow and Exchange Square and takes 49 minutes. The station is pretty basic as well, and being on the end of the line with only one tram passing through, it can be really quiet and often due to the length of time and the lack of routes, it often isn't easier to get the tram, and it is more easier to go to the nearby train or bus stations for your travel. There is only one ramp access at the end of the stop, as it is quite large, it could mean running for a train if it is in, and your worried you are going to miss it, which could be quite stressful due to its' poor design if you are travelling with wheelchairs, or prams or simply just struggle to get up steps. Overall, this station isn't really nice especially considering the accessibility and it simply being on one route which seems to take so long and makes it harder, not easier to get the tram, which is a shame and the reason I feel this stop deserves a single one star.

I actually like Timperley Metrolink Station. It is on the Altrincham Line on the Manchester…read moreMetrolink and is located in Travel Zone 4. It was originally opened as a Railway Station back in 1849, before opening as a converted Metrolink station in 1992, some parts of the old station remain including the old railway bridge, from around this point, it switches to a multi-direction track into Altrincham, which is pretty cool but can often mean having to wait a couple of minutes for a signal. (Instead of having tracks for each direction, one is a Railway track, and one has been converted for Metrolink trams) I think the station looks good too, the platform is spacious, there is more than one area providing good shelter, it's a pretty typical Metrolink station but it looks pleasant, which is a bonus. It's a short walk into Timperley town centre, there is also a Waitrose supermarket nearby, interestingly Waitrose's "Altrincham" branch is actually a little closer to this Metrolink station than Altrincham town centre. Due to it being a Zone 4 station outside of the city centre, it is often unstaffed and it is only on one line, meaning you might have a little wait for a tram sometimes, but it isn't too bad as services going into Altrincham or Manchester city centre depart every 10-15 minutes. 4*

Bowker Vale is located on the Bury line of the Manchester Metrolink, services run between Bury and…read moreManchester city centre, every 6 minutes at peak times, with services continuing onto Altrincham or Piccadilly Station after Manchester city centre depending on which tram you board. The location is good, there is short-stay parking, ideal for dropping someone off on the street outside the station. The 59 bus which runs between Oldham and Manchester Piccadilly, and other bus services, including the 41, also stop just outside the station, on Middleton Road. It is a short walk from the main road to the station, with ramped access or steps. If you end up on the wrong platform, there is a staircase and a bridge to cross the tracks. While the station does not have lift access, both platforms are accessible without needing steps from the street. It is a basic tram stop apart from that, it is very poorly lit, especially from the street to the platform, which could be a problem in the evening. The lack of shelter also could be a problem on one of the many wet and windy days we get in Manchester, with only partial shelter. There are a small number of seats, but again these do get wet, despite being under a small roof and aren't the most comfortable. 3* - Average tram stop, the location is useful if you're looking to save some time getting into Bury or Manchester compared to the bus. It's also the closest tram stop to Middleton town centre, which has wrongly been excluded from the tram network.