Travelling to and around Manchester – Kingfisher Visitor Guides

By Janet Reeder

Manchester is a world-class destination, but is easy to get to and even easier to get around.

Getting here

By air

Manchester Airport is the UK’s global gateway in the North, and the largest airport outside London with over 210 destinations served by 70 airlines. Manchester’s long-haul catchment area places around 22 million people and 60 per cent of all UK businesses within a two-hour drive time – it extends north through the Lake District into Scotland; east across Yorkshire and the North East; south to Birmingham and the Midlands; and west into Merseyside and Wales.

Getting around

Greater Manchester has one of the best public transport networks in the country and Manchester city centre is well served by buses, trains and trams so there is certain to be a service to where you’re going.

By bus

Many buses run to and from Manchester city centre giving connections to Greater Manchester’s towns and villages. Buses run from the two main bus stations, at Piccadilly Gardens and Shudehill Interchange. Metroshuttle is a free bus that links key city centre areas. There are three circular routes, all with low-floor, easy access buses with a frequency of about every five minutes on Metroshuttle 1 (orange), 10 minutes on Metroshuttle 2 (green) and Metroshuttle 3 (purple).

: Trains from Manchester Airport to Manchester Piccadilly station take around 20 minutes

: The city centre is well served by taxis

By train

Trains are a quick way to get to local destinations. There are four key train stations in the city centre; Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Victoria, Oxford Road and Deansgate. Manchester Piccadilly is the largest station and is the principal arrival point in the city for most visitors arriving by train.

By Metrolink tram

Metrolink is Manchester’s iconic tram system and a speedy way to get around the city centre. Metrolink will also take you further afield to a wide range of destinations. Metrolink runs frequently so you don’t need a timetable and every tram is fully accessible, making them easy for everyone to use.

: Manchester is a bike-friendly city

: Metrolink trams will take you to a wide range of destinations in and around the city

By bike

Many dedicated routes make cycling easy in Manchester. Manchester is a very cycle-friendly city with many marked cycle lanes and dedicated routes throughout the city centre and beyond. Information, news and advice about cycling in Greater Manchester can be found at cycling.tfgm.com.

Finding out more

Transport for Greater Manchester are there to help you make local journeys and will always give you impartial advice to help you make the best local travel choices. Call at Travelshops in Piccadilly Gardens, Shudehill Interchange and other major bus stations and interchanges in Greater Manchester.