Piccadilly - Manchester
Piccadilly is the hub of Manchester’s transport system and the first area of the city that many visitors will experience. In recent years a multi-million pound redevelopment of the area has seen Piccadilly train station gain a new concourse, airport-style walkways and shops, while Piccadilly Gardens has been transformed into one of the most exciting public spaces in Europe.
Piccadilly train station is one of the busiest in the UK with around 50,000 users every day. Trains go to many destinations including London Euston, Manchester Airport, Liverpool Lime Street, Leeds, Glasgow Central, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Birmingham New Street, Newcastle, Blackpool North, Chester, Nottingham, Hull, Preston, Bolton, and Cardiff Central.
Facilities include long and short-stay car parks, public toilets, left luggage, and taxi ranks. The station also boasts a large number of shops, bars and restaurants including a Sainsbury’s Local supermarket, Boots, WHSmith, Burger Kings, KFC, and Starbucks.
There’s also a Metrolink station at Piccadilly. Destinations served include Bury, Eccles, Altrincham, and Salford Quays. It’s also possible to catch a tram from Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Victoria.
Redevelopment of Piccadilly Gardens started around 2001. The area now includes one the biggest walk-through fountain plazas in the world and is spectacularly lit at night. The bus station here serves many destinations including Rochdale, Wigan, Worsley, Manchester Airport, Oldham, Stockport, and the Trafford Centre. There’s another Metrolink station here.
A pavilion, designed by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando, separates the gardens from the Metrolink and bus stations. The area is also home to several statues including memorials to Robert Peel, James Watt, and Queen Victoria. A more recent memorial is the Tree of Remembrance, a sculpture erected in 2005 and designed by artists Wolfgang Buttress and Fiona Heron. The 10 metre high steel and copper structure commemorates the civilians killed in Manchester during World War II.
There’s no shortage of hotel accommodation in Piccadilly. Options include ABode, Gardens Hotel, Macdonald Manchester, Malmaison, Mint Hotel, Portland, and Ramada Manchester Piccadilly. Visitors preferring apartments can stay at the Place Apartment Hotel. All these hotels are near Piccadilly train station.
Restaurants in the area include Barburrito (Mexican), Rice (International), and the Michael Caines restaurant at ABode.