Travel Information between Manchester and Bolton
| 11 miles (17 km) | |
| Bus or train | |
| $2 - $8 | |
| Train • $2 (€2) • 11 min | |
| Train • $2 (€2) • 11 min | |
| National Express or Northern Rail (3) |
Take a bus or train to travel 11 miles (17 km) to Bolton from Manchester. The most popular travel companies which serve this journey are National Express or Northern Rail (3) among others. Travelers can even take a direct bus or train from Manchester to Bolton.
Travel optionsfrom Manchester to Bolton
How to get from Manchester to Bolton by train, bus or flight.
Our recommendation
The best way to travel from Manchester to Bolton is by taking a train because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
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How to travel from Manchester to Bolton?
Located in the North West of England, Bolton is a wonderful city that attracts many visitors every year. Its stunning moorlands combined with a cosmopolitan town, make Bolton a top-rated tourist destination. It is also home to the Premier League football team, Bolton Wanderers, who play their home games at the Reebok Stadium. Bolton is also situated 10 miles north-west of Manchester city center, so travel between the two is a breeze. Travelers can get from Manchester to Bolton by bus or train. The bus and train services are available every day of the week, but there are fewer services during weekends and holidays. The journey time is usually between less than an hour and two hours. The buses depart Manchester city from Manchester Chorlton St. Station and arrive at the central bus station in Bolton while the trains leave Manchester Oxford Road Station and arrive at Bolton Railway Station. Both the Bolton Railway Station and Bolton Bus Station are located at Bolton's Interchange, which is Bolton's main transportation hub.
What is the cheapest way to get from Manchester to Bolton?
The cheapest way to get from Manchester to Bolton is by bus, which takes one hour and 30 minutes. The bus departs from Manchester Chorlton Station and arrives at Bolton's main bus station. These bus services are operated by National Express and depart four times a day.
What is the fastest way to travel from Manchester to Bolton?
The quickest way to get from Manchester to Bolton is by train, which can take as little as 19 minutes. This is usually a direct train that departs from Manchester Oxford Road and arrives at Bolton railway station. The trains leave every half an hour and operate every day.
Find and book the best tickets from Manchester to Bolton with Omio.
Omio partners directly with hundreds of travel companies to offer travelers the best deals on ticket fares. This enables travelers to compare train, bus, and flight options in one place, saving time and money. The booking system at Omio is also easy to use. Simply input the travel dates, departure point, and arrival point, the website will immediately present the most efficient routes and the rates. To enjoy even more affordable fares, Omio recommends booking tickets as early as possible. Prices can also vary depending on the time of day, route, and the class booked.
Travel from Manchester to Bolton by train
Each day, there are over 20 trains on the rail route between Manchester and Boston. The trains often take about 20 minutes to reach Bolton, without stops. The journey time may be longer on weekends and holidays. Two train companies serve this route: Northern Rail and TransPennine Express. Northern Rail operates a train from Manchester Oxford Road to Bolton every 30 minutes while TransPennine Express services this route every four hours. The earliest train to Boston is usually scheduled to depart around 5:00 a.m., and the last train is around midnight. There are no sleeper services. All the trains leave from Manchester Oxford Road station and arrive at Bolton railway station. The Bolton railway station is located in the center of town, so travelers can easily access the other parts of Bolton.
Travel from Manchester to Bolton by bus
Between Manchester and Bolton, there are up to 12 bus departures. The average time for a bus to travel between Manchester and Bolton is around two hours. However, the fastest bus reaches Bolton in one hour and 30 minutes, with the earliest bus leaving Manchester is around 6:00 a.m. and the latest around 11:00 p.m. National Express offers buses four times a day that depart from Manchester Coach Station, which is only a nine-minute walk away from the Manchester city center. The point of arrival is the Bolton central bus station, which is only a three-minute walk from the town center. The Bolton central bus station is connected to other parts of the city by public transport.
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FAQs: Travel from Manchester to Bolton
Travel to Bolton 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 Manchester to Bolton.

There are 2 travel options between Manchester and Bolton. You can take a bus or train.
The cheapest way to travel to Bolton from Manchester is a train with an average price of $2 (€2).
This is compared to other travel options from Manchester to Bolton:
A train is $6 (€5) less than a bus with an average ticket price of $8 (€7) from Manchester to Bolton.
The fastest way to get to Bolton from Manchester is by train with an average travel time of 11 min.
Other travel options to Bolton take longer:
Bus takes 25 min on average.
The distance from Manchester to Bolton is approximately 11 miles (17 km).
The average frequency per day from Manchester to Bolton is:
- Around 2 buses per day.
- 8 trains per day.
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your journey between Manchester and Bolton as scheduled services by bus or train can vary by season or day of the week.
These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Manchester to Bolton:
- Buses mostly depart from Manchester, Coach Station and arrive in Bolton, Interchange.
- Trains mostly leave from Manchester Piccadilly and tend to arrive in Bolton.
The following travel companies offer services from Manchester to Bolton:
- National Express or Bee Network can get you to Bolton by bus. You can find a good deal for bus tickets with National Express from Manchester to Bolton for $9 (€8) on Omio.
- Travel with Northern Rail (3) or first_transpennine_express to go to Bolton by train. For a good deal on tickets, you can find Northern Rail (3) Manchester to Bolton tickets on Omio for $2 (€2).
Yes, there are direct services available from Manchester to Bolton with the following travel companies:
- Direct bus available with Bee Network 2 direct buses per day.
- 8 direct trains per day with Northern Rail (3) or first_transpennine_express.
Direct services tend to save you time and add more convenience in getting you to Bolton as you won't need to transfer at another stop in between, so it's worth paying attention to before booking your tickets to Bolton from Manchester.
Travelling from Manchester to Bolton: related information
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