The station originally opened on 20 July 1931 on the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway (MSJAR) following the electrification of that line, and was referred to as Navigation Road (Altrincham) on early tickets, timetables, etc. British Rail electric trains between Manchester and Altrincham ceased serving the station on 24 December 1991. The former Altrincham-bound (down) platform has since been used for Mid-Cheshire Line trains and the former Manchester-bound (up) platform reopened as a Metrolink stop on 15 June 1992.
Freight trains also operate through Navigation Road, including heavy block trains carrying limestone from quarries at Tunstead (near Buxton) to alkali works at Northwich.
There is a car park on the Metrolink side of the station with 65 spaces plus 5 disabled spaces.[1]
In January 2018 a ticket machine was installed within the shelter on the heavy rail side of the station. Pre-ordered tickets can be collected here as well as buying tickets for journeys from this station.[citation needed]
The nearest hospitality venues to the Navigation Road stop are The Waiting Room Cafe at A4 studios and The Hive by VH Interiors a General Store & Beverage Bar, both located on Grosvenor Road on the way into Altrincham.[citation needed]
Navigation Road is served by an hourly train service between Manchester Piccadilly and Chester via Stockport and Northwich, which is run by Northern Trains, with additional trains at peak times.[2] The Sunday service originally ran only between Chester and Altrincham thus not serving Navigation Road, with passengers connecting onto the Metrolink at Altrincham for stations to Manchester, however a 2-hourly Sunday service to Manchester and beyond is now in place.[citation needed]
A T-68 tram leaves for Altrincham in 1992, shortly after the station's part conversion to Metrolink
Navigation Road is located on the Altrincham Line with trams towards Altrincham stopping every 6 minutes during the day Monday to Saturday and every 12 minutes Monday to Saturday evenings and on Sundays. In the opposite direction, trams head towards Piccadilly and Bury, with the Monday to Saturday daytime service running every 12 minutes to both Piccadilly and Bury. Evening and Sunday journeys run to Piccadilly only.[3]
As of January 2019, Navigation Road is located in Metrolink fare zone 4.[4]
Navigation Road station is served by Diamond Bus routes 285, which runs anti-clockwise, and 286, which runs clockwise, both running every hour. These routes run between Altrincham Interchange and Timperley, as a circular service.[5]
