Cheapest
Average
The best way to find a cheap train ticket from London to Manchester is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
This is the last train of the day.
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Fastest Journey
2 h 6 m
Average
2 h 19 m
Trains per day
5
Distance
262 km
Of the 5 trains that leave London for Manchester every day 4 travel direct so it’s quite easy to avoid journeys where you’ll have to change along the way.
Need a place to stay in Manchester?
Top pick hotels
Entire homes & apartments
Find the best accommodation for you, with our partner Expedia
162 miles (261 km) | |
2 h 6 min | |
$61 (€55) | |
37 a day | |
Yes, there are 37 direct trains a day | |
Cross Country, East Midlands Railway, West Midlands Railway, Avanti West Coast, Doggiosled, Chiltern Railways or Northern Rail |
Trains from London to Manchester cover the 162 miles (261 km) long journey taking on average 2 h 6 min with our travel partners like Cross Country, East Midlands Railway, West Midlands Railway, Avanti West Coast, Doggiosled, Chiltern Railways or Northern Rail. Normally, there are 37 trains operating per day, including direct services available. While the average ticket price for this trip costs around $61 (€55), you can find the cheapest train ticket for as low as $51 (€45). Travelers depart most frequently from London Victoria and arrive in Manchester Piccadilly.
Find the best trains to Manchester from London with Omio's travel partners CrossCountry, Chiltern Railways and Northern Rail (3) from $51 (€45). We can find you the best deals, schedules and tickets when comparing and booking the best route.
Over 40 trains depart London for Manchester every day. Two train providers facilitate the many departures, East Midlands Railway and Avanti West Coast. Departures start from early morning until late evening, and there are a couple of night trains. Manchester is about 162 miles (261 km) from London, and the quickest train on this journey takes about 2h 3min. You can book trains from London to Manchester using the Omio app.
Expect at least 40 departures from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly every day. At least 40 trains make this trip every day, most of them provided by Avanti West Coast Train Company. Departures start from early morning, and the first train departs at around 5:31 a.m. Expect several daytime trains and a couple of night trains including the last departure of the day at around 10:32 p.m. Download the Omio app to view the London to Manchester train schedule.
Manchester is approximately 162 miles (261 km) from London, and you can make this journey by train. Around 40 trains make this trip daily, most of them direct high-speed trains. The fastest train takes about 2h 3min to cover this distance, and it is a direct service. Connecting services are also available, and they can take up to 6h 16min to get to Manchester.
Buses in the Big Ben at sunset. Source: Shutterstock
Departure train stationLondon Euston is about 1.6 miles (2.5 km) from downtown London. You can take the bus or taxi to the station, and walking is also an option. The station offers many facilities and services, including ATMs, payphones, accessible services, accessible toilets, free Wi-Fi, photo booths, baggage storage, shops, and restaurants.
Arrival train stationManchester Piccadilly is about 2.1 miles (3.3 km) from downtown Manchester. You can walk or take a taxi downtown. The station offers many services and facilities, including ticket offices, a help point, baby changing facilities, accessible restrooms, free Wi-Fi, left luggage facilities, a car rental station, a bike hire station, photo booths, payphones, ATMs, and parking.
East Midlands Railway and Avanti West Coast are the two main providers of trains from London to Manchester. Avanti West Coast is the main provider, providing the most direct high-speed trains on this route. Generally, they provide the most trains from London to Manchester. East Midlands Railway provides regular long-distance trains from London to Manchester. As Avanti West Coast trains take about 2h on this journey, East Midlands Railway’s trains take about 6h. Moreover, they are the only train provider with a connecting service. You can learn more about the two train providers by reading the Omio magazine, Window Seat.
The route from London to Manchester is served by a couple of night trains. After 6:00 p.m., there are still at least 10 trains leaving London Euston for Manchester, including a long-distance sleeper train provided by East Midlands Railway. Most night trains are provided by Avanti West Coast, except for one, the last train of the day, which the East Midlands Railway Company provides.
Avanti West Coast is the main train provider for trains from London to Manchester. They provide around 40 trains on this journey, most of them direct high-speed trains. On average, Avanti West Coast trains to Manchester take about 2h 5min to get to Manchester. Trains are available from around 5:31 a.m. until their last departure, at around 9:36 p.m.
East Midlands Railway is the other provider with trains from London to Manchester. The company provides long-distance trains, taking about 6h 15min to get to Manchester. They have one night train available, an overnight sleeper train departing London station at around 10:32 p.m. They provide at least one daily train, which usually includes a stopover in Sheffield en route to Manchester.
Avanti West Coast trains offer two classes, standard and first-class seats. Passengers will be allowed two pieces of luggage on the train. The trains are wheelchair-accessible, and wheelchair assistance is provided to passengers with limited mobility. Pets are allowed on the train, and they should remain in their pet carriers. Amenities offered include free Wi-Fi and food for passengers on standard seats, and those plus power plugs, complimentary drinks, extra legroom, and a wider seat for those in first-class. East Midlands Railway offers standard and first-class seats on this train. Passengers will be allowed three bags on the train. Pets in pet carriers are welcome aboard. People in wheelchairs will get special assistance boarding and alighting, and station staff assists at train stations. Passengers on standard seats get free Wi-Fi and power plugs, while those in first-class get the same plus a wider seat with extra legroom. All passengers will have access to clean onboard restrooms.
Trains are the most sustainable choice for traveling from London to Manchester. First, trains use a clean and renewable energy source, meaning they aren’t as polluting as other means of transport. Trains are also very efficient, thanks to their sleek aerodynamic bodies that allow them to move without much resistance, meaning they use the least amount of energy for propulsion. Moreover, they have adopted regenerative braking technologies allowing them to store the energy used in braking to be used on other train activities.
There are four tips you should try to get cheap train tickets. First, buy your ticket using the Omio app. The Omio app is the only platform to get cheap train tickets and great deals and discounts. Second, buy your ticket in advance. With the new Omio app, you can buy your train ticket months in advance, and then, tickets are usually much cheaper. Third, be flexible. Allow some flexibility in your schedule so that you can compare train fares for different dates and choose to buy your tickets on dates with the cheapest fares. Lastly, if you’re wondering whether to go for high-speed or regular trains, the latter is usually better for those looking for cheap tickets.
Railway viaduct in Manchester. Source: Shutterstock
Looking for attractions in Manchester? The city is filled with gems, from sprawling museums and galleries to lavish concert halls to family-friendly attractions. The Imperial War Museum North is one of those attractions. The beautiful waterfront building contains special exhibits that showcase the many ways that conflict can shape a society. Just from a renovation, the Whitworth has received international and national acclaim for the brilliant architecture and their exhibitions program. The John Rylands Research Institute and Library in Manchester is another special kind of exhibition. It takes the form of a library that houses a rare book collection spanning five millennia. One of the books housed in this neo-Gothic building is the original Gutenberg Bible.
The Science and Industry Museum is a family-friendly museum showcasing interactive science exhibits, and among those housed there is a working steam train. Art lovers will enjoy the Manchester Art Gallery, which houses over 25,000 artifacts collected from six different centuries. Contemporary art is also displaced in this beautifully restored neo-Classic art gallery. Manchester Museum will be a treat to history buffs. The museum hosts over six million pieces in its archives, including an impressive Egyptology collection. Another great Manchester museum is the People’s History Museum.
When departing from London, you have various train station options to start your trip from including London Victoria, London St Pancras International and London Paddington. When arriving in Manchester, you can end your route in train stations like Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Airport and Manchester Victoria.
Passengers board the train most frequently from London Victoria, which is located around 1.8 miles (2.9 km) away from the city centre, and they get off the train at Manchester Piccadilly, located 0.6 miles (954 m) away from the city centre.
Here are some other resources that might have the information you need