Travel Information
Compare bus, train, and flight for London to Manchester
Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from London to Manchester among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from €9. For those with little time consider booking a flight which can get you there in 2h 38m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the train is your best bet as it emits only 0.1 - 0.2kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of €9, and a flight costs an average of €59.
Distance: 162 miles (262 km)
Compare train with
Most popular Train | Bus | Flight |
|---|---|---|
€67 Average price | €18 Average price Cheapest | €179 Average price |
3h 48m Average total duration 3h 18m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 4h 7m Average total duration 3h 37m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 5h 38m Average total duration Fastest 2h 38m Onboard + 3h 0m Additional time* |
0.1 - 0.2kg CO2 emissions Lowest | 0.3 - 0.7kg CO2 emissions | 0.8 - 1.6kg CO2 emissions |
![]() Most popular train company | ![]() Most popular bus company | ![]() Most popular airline |
Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options |
Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.
Travel optionsfrom London to Manchester
How to get from London to Manchester by train, bus or flight.
Our recommendation
The best way to travel from London to Manchester is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
NX540Cheapest
NX540Fastest
BA1382Other options
C52102+
Y25123 · NT276600
C52102+
C75326+
L36759
L02285+
N12976
NX540
FlixBus
FlixBus
BA1378
BA1380
BA1364Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .
Compare prices and tickets Prices for trains, buses and flights
Compare bus, train, and flight prices over the next three weeks. See the best deals at a glance, find the lowest fares, and choose the option that fits your budget.
Feb 16
Feb 17
Feb 18
Feb 19
Feb 20
Feb 21
Feb 22
Feb 23
Feb 24
Feb 25
Feb 26
Feb 27
Feb 28
Mar 01
Mar 02
Mar 03
Mar 04
Mar 05
Mar 06
Mar 07
Mar 08
How to travel from London to Manchester?
Each year, thousands of individuals make week the trip from London to Manchester, as Manchester is home to several fun destinations such as Manchester Museum, Heaton Museum, and the renowned Old Trafford. As Manchester is home to a number of wonderful destinations, if you’ve been looking for a place you can head to for a weekend trip or even a long vacation, this city is one you should consider visiting.
If you decide to travel from London to Manchester, there are various means of transport you can travel with. These means include buses, trains, and flights. Onboard a flight, your travel time from London to Manchester will be 1h 05min. If you choose to travel via train, your London to Manchester travel time will be 2h 06min. If you prefer traveling to Manchester from London, you’ll complete the 216.9 miles (349 km) between the two cities in roughly 5h 10min.
What is the cheapest way to get from London to Manchester?
The cost of tickets from London to Manchester varies from one means of transport to another. If you’d like to travel to Manchester from London cheaply, it’s in your best interest to travel by bus, as this is the cheapest way to travel from London to Manchester. Two companies, Megabus and National Express, offer several low-cost coaches that ply the London to Manchester route.
It’s worth noting that all buses to Manchester from London usually depart the country’s capital at Victoria Coach Station. However, they have different arrival stations. If you choose to board a coach operated by Megabus, your arrival station will be Shudehill Interchange. If, on the other hand, you choose to board a coach operated by National Express, your arrival station will be Manchester Coach Station.
What is the fastest way to travel from London to Manchester?
The fastest way to travel from London to Manchester is by flight. Onboard one of the fast flights to Manchester from London, you’ll reach Manchester in just over an hour. Various airports in London have flights that fly to Manchester. They include London City Airport, Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, Luton Airport, and London Stansted Airport.
In Manchester, your flight will either land at Bradford Airport or Manchester Airport. British Airways and Finnair Airlines are the air travel companies with direct flights that cover this route. Given that both offer multiple direct flights on a daily basis, it’s safe to say that you can easily find a direct flight to Manchester from London that departs at a time you’re comfortable with.
Find the best tickets from London to Manchester and book with Omio
To find cheap mobile one-way tickets and round-trip tickets, you should make a point of visiting Omio. Omio is an online booking platform that is considered by many individuals to be one of the best in the industry. If you choose to book from Omio, you’ll have access to various tickets as many travel companies have their tickets on sale on this platform. You’ll also be able to scan all the travel options available for your route at a glance. Given that its website can be translated into various languages, you can easily book your preferred ticket in your language. To get to discover more travel tips, do not hesitate to check out the Omio magazine.
London Bridge People. Source: Shutterstock
Trains from London to Manchester
Trains from London to Manchester are operated by Avanti West Coast. Owned by FirstGroup and Trenitalia, Avanti West Coast has been providing the trains from London to Manchester since its founding, on 8th December 2019. Currently, the company has quite a number of trains servicing the route daily. All these trains depart from London Euston Station to Manchester and they stop at the city’s well-known Manchester Piccadilly. As most of these trains have no changes, if you’d like to travel from London to Manchester on a direct train, you’re in luck.
Train travel from London to Manchester with Avanti West Coast
Choosing to travel in one of Avanti West Coast’s London to Manchester trains would be a wise decision. This is because, in one, you’ll be afforded a comfortable seat, remarkable food and drinks, free Wi-Fi, and onboard entertainment. As a company, Avanti West Coast aims to cater to all. Thus, it has made all of its trains accessible even to the disabled, bikers, and even pet owners. This being the case, if you’re disabled, a bike owner would like to travel with his/her bike, or a pet owner who would like to travel with his/her pet, this company has got you covered.
Buses from London to Manchester
The London to Manchester price for buses is normally low. Given that the number of people who travel to Manchester from London during the weekdays is quite high, the number of buses that serve this route during this period of the week is approximately 30. The first bus usually leaves the station at about 12:30 a.m., while the last one usually leaves the station at about 10:00 p.m. It’s essential to note that during the weekend, the number of buses plying this route usually reduces, as the number of passengers who travel from London to Manchester during this period is normally low.
Traveling by bus from London to Manchester with Megabus or National Express
Buses to London from Manchester are usually provided by Megabus and National Express. If you decide to travel on a bus operated by one of these companies, you’ll have a safe journey, as both only employ well-trained and experienced bus drivers. You’ll also have an enjoyable time as you’ll be able to view the scenic attractions found along the Manchester-London road.
Manchester Castlefield. Source: Shutterstock
Flights from London to Manchester
British Airways, Finnair Airlines, and easyJet are the airlines that have flights from London to Manchester. Both British Airways and Finnair Airlines have direct flights that serve the route everyday day of the week. easyJet, on the other hand, has plenty of one-stop flights from London to Manchester. This being the case, if you’d like to fly to Manchester from London, and you wouldn’t mind a brief layover, EasyJet has got you covered.
Flying from London to Manchester with British Airways/Finnair Airlines/easyJet
All the airlines that offer flights to Manchester from London have friendly staff. Thus, aboard one of their flights, you’re bound to be well catered to. Given that all these airlines have modern and spacious airplanes, it’s fair to state that if you’re a fan of sustainable travel and comfortability, these airlines have got you covered.
To Manchester by train/ bus/ flight—travel tips
Every year, Manchester is flocked by thousands of tourists. This is primarily because this city has several amazing destinations. If you’re a fan of the outdoors, there are plenty of destinations that are worth visiting in this city. They include Rochdale Canal, Platt Fields Park, Clifton Country Park, and Tandle Hill.
If you plan on touring this city with your kids, there are also plenty of kid-friendly destinations you can pay a visit to. They include Rock Over Climbing, LEGOLAND Discovery Center, National Football Museum, and Piccadilly Gardens. Additionally, if you love food, there are numerous superb restaurants you can dine at. Some of the notable restaurants in Manchester include Bill’s Spinningfields Restaurant and Gaucho.
How to Travel from London to Manchester
The journey from London to Manchester is convenient for travelers in the UK whether you choose to travel by bus, train or plane. Depending on the mode of transit and time of departure, journey times from London to Manchester vary between 2 and 5 hours. Key departure points in London include Victoria bus station, Euston train station, and London Heathrow airport.
Trains from London to Manchester | Buses from London to Manchester | Flights from London to Manchester
London to Manchester Travel Comparison
Average Price |
Travel Time |
Cheapest Time to Book |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
€15 |
4:25 h |
1 Month Ahead |
|
€59 |
2:07 h |
2 Months Ahead |
|
€159 |
1:00 h |
2 Months Ahead |
What is the best way to travel from London to Manchester?
Cheapest way to travel from London to Manchester
![]()
Taking the bus is the cheapest way to travel from London to Manchester. Buses traveling from London to Manchester depart from London's Victoria bus station and take at least 4:25 h to arrive at Manchester Coach station. Approximately 30 buses travel from London to Manchester per day, with the first departing London at 12:30 a.m. Weekend buses are offered more infrequently. National Express is the main bus company that travels from London to Manchester.
Fastest way to travel from London to Manchester
![]()
Taking a flight is technically the fastest way to travel from London to Manchester; however, when travel time to and from London and Manchester's airports is taken into consideration taking a train is actually the fastest way to travel between the two city centers. Flights traveling from London to Manchester can depart from either London's Heathrow, Gatwick, City, Luton, or Stansted airport and arrive at either Leeds/Bradford airport or Manchester airport after an hour of flight time. British Airways usually offers 8 direct flights per day, with the first departing London at 7:10 a.m.
Most popular way to travel from London to Manchester

Taking the train is the most popular way to travel from London to Manchester. Trains traveling from London to Manchester depart from London's Euston train station and take approximately 2 hours to arrive at Manchester's Picadilly train station. All trains that travel from London to Manchester are operated by Virgin Trains. Virgin Trains travel from London to Manchester approximately 10 times per day, with the first train departing London at 8:00 a.m.
How to get from London to Manchester
The Best Way According to our Users
More than 1,000 travel companies trust us to sell their tickets all in one place.
FAQs: Travel from London to Manchester
Travel to Manchester easily. Whether you want fast, cheap or something entirely different, our travel experts have collected everything you need to know so you can find the best option from London to Manchester.

This is compared to other travel options from London to Manchester:
A bus is $20 (€16) less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from London to Manchester costing on average $32 (€26).
A bus is $63 (€50) less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from London to Manchester costing on average $75 (€59).
Other travel options to Manchester take longer:
Train takes on average 2h 11m.
Bus takes on average 4h 10m.
- Around 54 buses per day.
- Around 13 trains per day.
- Around 11 flights per day.
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between London and Manchester as scheduled services by bus, train, and flight can vary by season or day of the week.
- Flights mostly depart from London Heathrow Airport and arrive in Manchester Airport.
- Trains mostly depart from London Euston (EUS) and arrive in Manchester Piccadilly (MAN).
- Buses mostly depart from London, Victoria Coach Station and arrive in Manchester, Shudehill Interchange.
- Travel with British Airways, KLM, Cityflyer (British Airways 2) to go to Manchester by flight.
- Travel with Megabus, National Express, FlixBus, DoggioBus to go to Manchester by bus.
- Travel with Avanti West Coast, West Midlands Trains, East Midlands Trains, CrossCountry, Northern Rail (3) to go to Manchester by train.
- 7 direct flights per day with British Airways.
- 52 direct buses per day with Megabus, National Express, FlixBus, DoggioBus.
- 8 direct trains per day with Avanti West Coast.
Travelling from London to Manchester: related information
Here are some other resources that might have the information you need
