How to get from Edinburgh to Manchester by train, bus or flight.
The best way to travel from Edinburgh to Manchester is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .
Distance | 174 miles (281 km) | |
Available travel modes | Bus | |
Popular travel companies | FlixBus |
Take a bus to travel 174 miles (281 km) from Edinburgh to Manchester. FlixBus is the main travel company operating this trip. Travelers can even take a direct bus from Edinburgh to Manchester.
You can travel by train or bus for as low as $15 (€12). When you search for schedules and tickets, Omio will show you the best route.
Cross Country trains are a UK-based train operator that provides services across the country including trains between Edinburgh and Manchester. They offer a range of services, from express services to local services, and have a variety of ticket types to suit different needs. Their express services, such as the CrossCountry Voyager and CrossCountry XC Trains, offer a fast and comfortable journey, with onboard facilities such as free Wi-Fi, power sockets, and a selection of snacks and drinks. Their local services, such as the CrossCountry Regional and CrossCountry Regional Express, provide a more leisurely journey, with stops at smaller stations along the way. They also offer a range of ticket types, such as Advance, Anytime, and Off-Peak tickets, to suit different budgets and travel needs. The most popular routes for Cross Country trains include London to Birmingham, Manchester to Edinburgh, and Bristol to Reading.
National Express is the leading travel company for routes throughout the United Kingdom, operating over 550 travel a day and serving over 900 destinations across the country. National Express even offers routes to and from major UK airports like Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Bristol 24 hours a day at affordable prices for the budget traveler in mind. All National Express travel are air-conditioned and provide free WiFi and onboard entertainment. Most travel are equipped with seat belts and power outlets in each seat, so you can charge your phone or laptop during a long journey. You can select between three ticket types for the Edinburgh - Manchester travel: Restricted Fare, Standard Fare, and Fully Flexible Fare. Refundable tickets provide more flexibility than other ticket options, meaning you can cancel or change your ticket easily, should you need to.
You can travel from Edinburgh to Manchester by bus.
The fastest way to travel from Edinburgh to Manchester is by flight with an average journey time of 8 h 35 min.
The Edinburgh to Manchester distance is around 174 miles (281 km).
The average frequency per day from Edinburgh to Manchester is:
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route to Manchester from Edinburgh as scheduled services by bus can vary by season or day of the week.
These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Edinburgh to Manchester:
The following travel company offer services from Edinburgh to Manchester:
Yes, there is a direct service from Edinburgh to Manchester:
Direct services to Manchester tend to save you time and add more convenience as you won't need to transfer at another stop in between, so it's worth paying attention to before booking tickets for your journey.
Need a place to stay in Manchester?
Top pick hotels
Entire homes & apartments
Find the best accommodation for you, with our partner Expedia
Here are some other resources that might have the information you need