Fans planning to travel to Old Trafford have been urged to check their travel plans ahead of Saturday’s Grand Final.

TransPennine Express (TPE) has warned of disruptions to their rail service ahead of the Rugby League Grand Final at Old Trafford this Saturday.

The train operator has said that there may be last-minute changes to services on Saturday evening due to staff shortages caused by high levels of sickness and training backlogs.

St Helens fans arrive at Old Trafford for the Betfred Super League Grand Final in 2021. Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images | Getty Images

placeholder image — St Helens fans arrive at Old Trafford for the Betfred Super League Grand Final in 2021. Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images | Getty Images

The match kicks off at 6pm on 24 October between St Helens and Leeds Rhinos.

Fans from St Helens and Leeds have been asked to consider alternatives to rail travel as the few trains that will be running out of both Manchester Piccadilly and Victoria are expected to be very busy.

TPE is not the only operator experiencing issues at the moment, therefore TPE are advising passengers to carefully check train times before travelling.

James Roby of St Helens lifts the trophy after winning the Betfred Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford in 2021. Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Kathryn O’Brien, customer service and Operations Director for TransPennine Express, said: “We are doing all we can, as a company and an industry, to try to ensure people can enjoy the whole experience of the Grand Final, but are asking customers to consider alternative travel and to carefully check their trains in advance.

“All services are likely to be busy that evening and customers are also advised to allow extra time for journeys in case of possible disruption.”

Train times for Saturday can be found on the TPE or National Rail websites.