Manchester Transport
Getting There
Car
Manchester’s orbital motorway, the M60, connects to the M56 (Chester, Manchester Airport and M6 for Birmingham) and the M61 (Bolton, Preston and M6 for Lancaster).
Car hire companies with offices in Manchester city centre include easyCar and Sixt.
Air
Manchester Airport is situated 10 miles south of Manchester city centre, roughly halfway between Stockport and Warrington.
Train
Manchester Piccadilly [map] is the main train station in Manchester. Most of the intercity trains depart from here including those to London, Glasgow, Birmingham and Cardiff. Trains to Manchester Airport also leave from here.
The city’s other major station is Manchester Victoria [map] . Most trains depart for other destinations in the North West such as Bolton and Southport. The station is connected to the Manchester Evening News Arena.
Manchester Piccadilly and Victoria are connected by the Metrolink, the city’s light rail system.
Manchester also has a number of smaller train stations including Oxford Road [map], Deansgate [map] and Salford Central [map]. Many trains going to Piccadilly stop at Oxford Road and Deansgate, while those going to Victoria typically call at Salford Central.
The Metroshuttle, a free bus service serving most of the city centre, runs from Piccadilly, Victoria, Oxford Road, Deansgate and Salford Central.
Timetables and cheap train tickets are available from the Trainline.
| From | Stopping (*see note) | To | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrow-in-Furness | Lancaster, Preston, Bolton, Manchester Piccadilly | Manchester Airport | First TransPennine Express |
| Birmingham New Street | Stockport | Manchester Piccadilly | Virgin Trains |
| Blackpool North | Preston, Bolton, Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport | Buxton | Northern |
| Blackpool North | Preston, Bolton, Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport | Hazel Grove | Northern |
| Blackpool North | Preston, Bolton, Manchester Piccadilly | Manchester Airport | First TransPennine Express |
| Bournemouth | Stockport | Manchester Piccadilly | Virgin Trains |
| Buxton | Stockport, Manchester Piccadilly, Bolton | Preston | Northern |
| Cardiff Central | Stockport | Manchester Piccadilly | Arriva Trains Wales |
| Carmarthen | Stockport | Manchester Piccadilly | Arriva Trains Wales |
| Chester | Stockport | Manchester Piccadilly | Northern |
| Cleethorpes | Stockport, Manchester Piccadilly | Manchester Airport | First TransPennine Express |
| Clitheroe | Bolton | Manchester Victoria | Northern |
| Crewe | Stockport | Manchester Piccadilly | Northern |
| Derby | Stockport | Manchester Piccadilly | Virgin Trains |
| Edinburgh | Lancaster, Preston, Bolton | Manchester Piccadilly | Virgin Trains |
| Gatwick Airport | Stockport | Manchester Piccadilly | Virgin Trains |
| Glasgow Central | Lancaster, Preston, Bolton | Manchester Piccadilly | Virgin Trains |
| Glasgow Central | Lancaster, Preston, Bolton, Manchester Piccadilly | Stockport | Virgin Trains |
| Guildford | Stockport | Manchester Piccadilly | Virgin Trains |
| Hazel Grove | Stockport | Manchester Piccadilly | Northern |
| Hull | - | Manchester Piccadilly | First TransPennine Express |
| Liverpool Lime Street | Manchester Piccadilly | Manchester Airport | Northern |
| Liverpool Lime Street | Warrington Central | Manchester Oxford Road | Northern |
| Liverpool Lime Street | Warrington Central, Manchester Piccadilly | Middlesbrough | First TransPennine Express |
| Liverpool Lime Street | Warrington Central, Manchester Piccadilly | Middlesbrough | First TransPennine Express |
| Liverpool Lime Street | Warrington Central, Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport | Norwich | Central Trains |
| Liverpool Lime Street | Warrington Central, Manchester Piccadilly | Scarborough | First TransPennine Express |
| Liverpool Lime Street | Manchester Victoria | Stalybridge | Northern |
| Llandudno | Chester, Warrington Bank Quay | Manchester Piccadilly | Arriva Trains Wales |
| London Euston | Stockport | Manchester Piccadilly | Virgin Trains |
| Macclesfield | Stockport, Manchester Piccadilly | Manchester Deansgate | Northern |
| Manchester Airport | Manchester Piccadilly | Middlesbrough | First TransPennine Express |
| Manchester Airport | Manchester Piccadilly | Newcastle | First TransPennine Express |
| Manchester Airport | Manchester Piccadilly | Scarborough | First TransPennine Express |
| Manchester Airport | Manchester Piccadilly, Bolton, Wigan Wallgate | Southport | Northern |
| Manchester Airport | Manchester Piccadilly, Bolton, Preston, Lancaster | Windermere | First TransPennine Express |
| Manchester Airport | Manchester Piccadilly | York | First TransPennine Express |
| Manchester Piccadilly | Stockport | Milford Haven | Arriva Trains Wales |
| Manchester Piccadilly | Stockport | Reading | Virgin Trains |
| Manchester Piccadilly | - | Sheffield | Northern |
| Manchester Piccadilly | Manchester Airport | Wilmslow | Northern |
| Manchester Victoria | - | Leeds | Northern |
| Manchester Victoria | - | Rochdale | Northern |
| Manchester Victoria | Bolton | Wigan Wallgate | Northern |
| Rochdale | Manchester Victoria, Wigan Wallgate | Southport | Northern |
* Only major stops in North West England are listed.