How to travel from Manchester to Edinburgh

Fri, May 16
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Travel Information to Edinburgh from Manchester

distanceDistance174 miles (281 km)
modeAvailable travel modesTrain, bus or flight
priceTicket price range$13 - $98
cheapestCheapest modeBus • $13 (€11) • 6 h 23 min
fastestFastest modeTrain • $26 (€23) • 3 h 13 min
carriersPopular travel companiesMegabus, British Airways or TransPennine Express

Travel 174 miles (281 km) by train, bus or flight between Manchester and Edinburgh. The most popular travel companies which serve this journey are Megabus, British Airways or TransPennine Express among others. Travelers can even take a direct bus, flight or train from Manchester to Edinburgh.

Travel options
from Manchester to Edinburgh

How to get from Manchester to Edinburgh by train, bus or flight.

Our recommendation
bus

The best way to travel from Manchester to Edinburgh is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.

FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
11:50AM9h45
Manchester, Shudehill Interchange
09:35PMEdinburgh
$541One-way
1 transfer
Cheapest
FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
11:50AM9h45
Manchester, Shudehill Interchange
09:35PMEdinburgh
$541One-way
1 transfer
Fastest
TransPennine ExpressP13176
08:24AM3h13
Manchester Oxford Road (MCO)
11:37AMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
$951One-way
0 transfers
Other options
Northern Rail (3)G53080+Avanti West CoastC50096
08:38AM3h42
Deansgate (DGT)
12:20PMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
$1051One-way
1 transfer
Northern Rail (3)G78651 · G31933+Avanti West CoastC50096
08:45AM3h35
Manchester Victoria (MCV)
12:20PMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
$1051One-way
2 transfers
Northern Rail (3)G78651 · G31933+Avanti West CoastC50096
08:45AM3h35
Manchester Victoria (MCV)
12:20PMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
$1051One-way
2 transfers
Megabusundefined · undefined
01:00PM6h23
Manchester, Shudehill Interchange
07:23PMEdinburgh
$681One-way
1 transfer
FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
07:50AM9h45
Manchester, Shudehill Interchange
05:35PMEdinburgh
$591One-way
1 transfer
Megabusundefined · undefined
04:00AM5h53
Manchester, Shudehill Interchange
09:53AMEdinburgh
$641One-way
1 transfer
AzulBA7808 · BA4015
05:00PM3h50
Manchester Airport (MAN)
08:50PMEdinburgh Airport (EDI)
$5611One-way
1 transfer
British AirwaysBA1389+Cityflyer (British Airways 2)BA8706
10:30AM6h55
Manchester Airport (MAN)
05:25PMEdinburgh Airport (EDI)
$8451One-way
1 transfer
British AirwaysBA1389 · BA1448
10:30AM6h10
Manchester Airport (MAN)
04:40PMEdinburgh Airport (EDI)
$9331One-way
1 transfer

Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .

Compare prices and tickets Prices for trains, buses and flights

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General Information about the journey from Manchester to Edinburgh

Flying is the fastest method of travel between the two cities at just over an hour. Traveling by bus takes the longest amount of time at upwards of 5.5 hours. There are usually between one and three departure and arrival points.

Buses from Manchester to Edinburgh

National Express operate services between the cities, departing from Manchester Coach Station and arriving at Edinburgh Bus Station on Elder Street. There are usually five departures per day, one at around1:00 a.m., three between 8:00 a.m and 10:30 a.m. and one in the early afternoon. The journey takes between 5.5 hours and 8.5 hours, there are direct buses and those requiring one change available.

Trains from Manchester to Edinburgh

Trains leave from three stations in Manchester, Oxford Road, Deansgate and Piccadilly and all arrive at Waverley Station in Edinburgh. All trains are either direct routes or have a change at one station. Trains are run by Transpennine Express, Virgin Trains and Cross Country Trains. There are around 10 trains per day, they depart at least once every hour from approximately 9:00 a.m. until early afternoon. The journey takes between three and four hours.

Flights from Manchester to Edinburgh

How to Travel from Manchester to Edinburgh

Flying is the fastest method of travel between the two cities at just over an hour. Traveling by bus takes the longest amount of time at upwards of 5.5 hours. There are usually between one and three departure and arrival points.

What is the best way to travel from Manchester to Edinburgh?

Cheapest way to travel from Manchester to Edinburgh

The cheapest way from Manchester to Edinburgh is by bus. National Express operate services between the cities, departing from Manchester Coach Station and arriving at Edinburgh Bus Station on Elder Street. There are usually five departures per day, one at around 1:00 a.m., three between 8:00 a.m and 10:30 a.m. and one in the early afternoon. The journey takes between 5.5 hours and 8.5 hours, there are direct buses and those requiring one change available.

Fastest way to travel from Manchester to Edinburgh


Flights are the quickest way from Manchester to Edinburgh. Direct flights between the main airports in each city are available from Flybe. The flight takes just over an hour. During the week there are three flights, one each in the morning, afternoon and evening. At the weekend there are one or two flights in operation.

Trains are the most popular way to get from Manchester to Edinburgh. Services leave from three stations in Manchester, Oxford Road, Deansgate and Piccadilly and all arrive at Waverley Station in Edinburgh. All trains are either direct routes or have a change at one station. Trains are run by Transpennine Express, Virgin Trains and Cross Country Trains. There are around 10 trains per day, they depart at least once every hour from approximately 9:00 a.m. until early afternoon. The journey takes between three and four hours.

Direct flight between the main airports in each city are available from Flybe. The flight takes just over an hour. During the week there are three flights, one each in the morning, afternoon and evening. At the weekend there are one or two flights in operation.

How to get from Manchester to Edinburgh

The Best Way According to our Users

Whether it is for business or leisure, in order to travel from Manchester to Edinburgh, 84,46% of our customers choose the train as their preferred mode of transportation. By traveling by train on this route, you can enjoy the comfort of spacious seats, spectacular views—and in some cases free Wi-Fi—in both second and first class. Our customers have decided that the train is the best way to get from Manchester to Edinburgh and have chosen to enjoy this fast, safe and efficient way to arrive at their destination. Taking the train also avoids long lines or potential expenses for transfers to/from the station—especially since most main railway stations are located in the city center. Train companies in Europe vary from country to country, but most of them offer high-speed train routes, therefore when you add up at the end-to-end journey time, the train is often also the fastest way to get to your destination.

Search on Omio to find cheap tickets from Manchester to Edinburgh. It’s easy to find the most attractive prices and choose your preferred route for your journey. Book on web or app, and travel with your mobile ticket —without the stress of printing your ticket.

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Trenitalia
Easyjet
Deutsche Bahn
SNCF

All travel companies: Airlines, Train and Bus from Manchester to Edinburgh

Find the best trip from Manchester to Edinburgh with National Express, FlixBus and CrossCountry. Comparing schedules and prices and booking the most convenient route has never been easier with over 1000 travel companies on Omio.

Cross Country trains are a UK-based train operator that provides services across the country including trains to Edinburgh from 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 Manchester - Edinburgh 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.

      British Airways (BA) is the United Kingdom’s flag carrier airline with headquarters in London near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport (LHR). BA is the second largest UK-based airline in terms of fleet size and number of passengers carried. Known as a full-service global airline, British Airways offers year-round low fares to destinations worldwide and flies to and from centrally-located airports. Its extensive global route network includes more than 170 destinations in nearly 80 countries throughout Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Australia.

        FAQs: Travel from Manchester to Edinburgh

        FAQs: Travel to Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh.
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        HomeTravelTravel to United KingdomTravel to EdinburghHow to travel from Manchester to Edinburgh

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