Manchester travel
Manchester is well served with travel connections. Visitors to Manchester have many alternative ways of getting arriving. Manchester is a modern 21st century city with air, rail, tram, bus and road links that are equal to or better than those found in similar sized cities in other countries.
Manchester visitors can use public transport, taxis or hired car to make the most of their time in the City and to explore the Greater Manchester area.
Transport options fall into two categories. Firstly there are the options available to get to Manchester. Secondly there are the options available once you have arrived in the City.
Getting to Manchester
By air
Manchester's nearest airport, simply called Manchester Airport, is a world class airport located about 20 minutes drive from central Manchester, in the south of the Greater Manchester area. Liverpool John Lennon Airport is about 50 minutes away.
By rail
There is a regular rail service from London. Manchester has two main railway stations - Manchester Piccadilly Station and Manchester Victoria Station.
By car
There is a well developed road and motorway network in the UK. However, road congestion on some parts of the motorway network can be a problem and may increase journey times. Depending on the type of car you are driving and the number of breaks you take, it should take between 5 and 7 hours to drive from London to Manchester.
By coach
Coach services run frequently between most towns and cities in the country including London and Manchester. They are clean, reliable, frequent and are relatively inexpensive.
Travelling throughout Greater Manchester
Road
Getting around Manchester by road is easy and the whole of the Greater Manchester area is well served by a comprehensive road and motorway network. Car hire is a great option and there are numerous car hire firms in the area.
Taxis
There are two types of taxis and the difference is important. Britain's distinctively shaped 'black cabs' are recognised world wide and you will see them all over Manchester. If they are available for hire they will have their amber rooflight illuminated. Black cabs can be hailed from the street, or can be ordered by telephone. Minicabs are a popular alternative to black cabs. They are simply every day saloon cars and so come in all shapes and colours. Only licenced taxis are allowed to operate so look for the Local Authorty licence plate on the back of the car. One important difference between black cabs and minicabs are that minicabs are not allowed to pick up people from the street and can only be ordered by telephone.
Tram - Metrolink
There is an extensive light rail network (officially called the Metrolink and known locally as trams) covering many parts of the city. Although more expensive than busses, trams are efficient and reliable. However, one of the main drawbacks to the Metrolink service is that many parts of the city are far from a Metrolink station.
Bus service
Bus services are relatively cheap and are great for short distances or for travellers on a budget.
You can find more useful information about public transport in Greater Manchester on the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive website.