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Travel Information
Compare train, bus, and flight for Manchester to Exeter
Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Manchester to Exeter among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price, take the bus, with an average ticket price of $50 For those with little time, consider booking a flight, which has an average total journey time of 2h 53m. If you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint, the train is your best option, with estimated CO2 emissions of 0.1 - 0.3kg. Average ticket prices depend on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of $50, while a flight costs an average of $161.
Distance: 198 miles (319 km)
Compare train with
Most popular Train | Bus | Flight | Driving |
|---|---|---|---|
$152 Average price | $50 Average price Cheapest | $161 Average price | $85 Average price (fuel + tolls) |
4h 59m Average total duration 4h 29m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 7h 44m Average total duration 7h 14m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 2h 53m Average total duration Fastest 53m Onboard + 2h 0m Additional time* | 4h 26m Average total duration (door-to-door) |
0.1 - 0.3kg CO2 emissions Lowest | 0.3 - 0.8kg CO2 emissions | - CO2 emissions | - CO2 emissions |
 Most popular train company |  Most popular bus company |  Most popular airline | Your own car or car rental |
Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options |
Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.
This is compared to other travel options from Manchester to Exeter:
A bus is $103 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Manchester to Exeter costing on average $152.
A bus is $112 less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Manchester to Exeter costing on average $161.
Other travel options to Exeter take longer:
Train takes on average 4h 59m.
Bus takes on average 7h 44m.
Tickets start at around $152 compared to roughly $85 in fuel and tolls — a saving of about $-67.07. The journey takes 4h 29m versus 4h 26m by car, so you'll arrive a bit later, but you can work, read, or sleep along the way rather than spending the time behind the wheel. You'll also save the hassle of parking at the other end.
Driving is worth it if you're on a tight schedule, travelling as a group, or want to stop somewhere en route.
Travel optionsfrom Manchester to Exeter
How to get from Manchester to Exeter by train, bus or flight.
Our recommendation
The best way to travel from Manchester to Exeter is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
- NX541 · NX1015:15 AM7h25Manchester, Coach Station12:40 PMExeter, Honiton Road$491One-way1 transfer
Cheapest
- NX541 · NX1015:15 AM7h25Manchester, Coach Station12:40 PMExeter, Honiton Road$491One-way1 transfer
Fastest
G38856+K00429+
W350545:30 PM5h14Manchester Piccadilly (MAN)10:44 PMExeter St Davids (EXD)$1011One-way2 transfers
Other options
- G38897+K00435+W3501211:29 AM5h17Manchester Piccadilly (MAN)4:46 PMExeter St Davids (EXD)$1011One-way2 transfers
- G38844+K00436+C0085210:30 AM5h17Manchester Piccadilly (MAN)3:47 PMExeter St Davids (EXD)$1011One-way2 transfers
- G38930+K00430+W350504:30 PM5h20Manchester Piccadilly (MAN)9:50 PMExeter St Davids (EXD)$1011One-way2 transfers
- NX541 · NX1015:15 AM7h35Manchester, Coach Station12:50 PMExeter, Bampfylde Street / Stover Court$491One-way1 transfer
- NX541 · NX1047:25 AM7h20Manchester, Coach Station2:45 PMExeter, Honiton Road$521One-way1 transfer
- NX541 · NX1047:25 AM7h30Manchester, Coach Station2:55 PMExeter, Bampfylde Street / Stover Court$521One-way1 transfer
BA1379 · BA1436+BA40737:00 AM6h55Manchester Airport1:55 PMExeter International Airport$13171One-way2 transfers
Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .
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How to travel from Manchester to Exeter?
It's possible to travel from Manchester to Exeter by train, bus, and plane. It is a busy train route, with dozens of services each day, but there are fewer buses and planes. The journey by train takes around 4.5 hours, and by bus, it takes around 11 hours. Plane travel times can vary but the fastest flight takes approximately 5 hours. There are train, bus, and plane services every day of the week, including Sunday.
What is the cheapest way to get from Manchester to Exeter?
The cheapest way to travel from Manchester to Exeter is by bus. There are generally four services each day, with the first departing from Manchester Bus Station in the early hours of the morning and the last leaving late at night, before arriving at Sidwell Street Bus Station. Services run on every day of the week at the same time. All of the coaches are provided by National Express, and most have one change, in London, while others may have two changes in Birmingham and Bristol. Journey times vary from 8-11 hours.
What is the fastest way to travel from Manchester to Exeter?
The fastest way to travel from Manchester to Exeter is by train. All of the fastest trains are provided by Cross Country, and while some services run directly, most have one change in Birmingham. Cross Country usually operate one train from Manchester to Exeter every hour throughout the day, departing from Manchester Picadilly Station and arriving at Exeter St David's Station. The shortest train takes around 4 hours to reach Exeter, while the longest takes 11 hours.
Find and book with Omio the best tickets from Manchester to Exeter
If you need to travel from Manchester to Exeter, Omio is on hand to help travelers compare and book trains, buses, flights, and ferries, so that you can choose the best option for your journey.
Travel from Manchester to Exeter by train
There are dozens of trains from Manchester to Exeter each day, and most of them are provided by Cross Country. They run directly and indirectly, on weekdays and weekends, and have a journey time of between 4-11 hours. Avanti West Coast also offers one early morning service, which takes around 5 hours and has one change, at Euston Station in London. Trains to Exeter depart from Manchester Picadilly Station and arrive at Exeter St David's station which is north of Exeter city center. The center can be reached by train in around 7 minutes, with services to St Thomas Station, or by bus in around 10 minutes. It's also reachable on foot, approximately 10 minutes' walk away.
Travel from Manchester to Exeter by bus
National Express generally run four buses from Manchester to Exeter every day, including Sundays. The fastest bus leaves in the afternoon and takes around 8 hours and 15 minutes, while the longest is an overnight service that can take over 14 hours. Buses depart from Manchester Bus Station and arrive at Exeter's Sidwell Street Bus Station. Sidwell Street Bus Station is in the city center, and the nearby Exeter Central Station and St James Park Station can both be reached on foot in under 5 minutes. The south-western part of Exeter, including St Thomas Station, is around a 10-minute bus ride away.
Travel from Manchester to Exeter by plane
Flights from Manchester to Exeter are provided by Encompass Aviation, Aurigny Air Services, KLM, and Sun Air of Scandinavia. Services differ depending on the day of the week, with more flights at weekends. On weekdays there are usually around four flights per day. Encompass Aviation offers the most flights between the two cities, with the fastest service lasting just over 5 hours including one change in Edinburgh. Other services have at least two changes, in various cities, and can take up to 21 hours. On Sundays, there may be up to six flights per day, all of which have at least one change. The fastest flight on a Sunday is provided by KLM and Encompass Aviation and lasts around 7 hours with two changes. All flights to Exeter depart from Manchester Airport and arrive at Exeter International Airport. Exeter International Airport is 7 miles outside the city center, which can be reached by train in around 25 minutes, and by bus in around 40 minutes.
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FAQs: Travel from Manchester to Exeter
Travel to Exeter 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 Exeter.
This is compared to other travel options from Manchester to Exeter:
A bus is $103 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Manchester to Exeter costing on average $152.
A bus is $112 less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Manchester to Exeter costing on average $161.
Other travel options to Exeter take longer:
Train takes on average 4h 59m.
Bus takes on average 7h 44m.
- Around 17 trains per day.
- Around 13 buses per day.
- Around 2 flights per day.
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between Manchester and Exeter as scheduled services by train, bus, and flight can vary by season or day of the week.
- Flights mostly depart from Manchester Airport and arrive in Exeter International Airport.
- Trains mostly depart from Manchester Piccadilly (MAN) and arrive in Exeter St Davids (EXD).
- Buses mostly depart from Manchester, Coach Station and arrive in Exeter, Bampfylde Street / Stover Court.
- Travel with CrossCountry, Transport for Wales, Avanti West Coast, Great Western Railway to go to Exeter by train.
- Travel with Loganair to go to Exeter by flight.
- Travel with National Express, FlixBus to go to Exeter by bus.
- 1 direct trains per day with CrossCountry.
- 2 direct flights per day with Loganair.
Travelling from Manchester to Exeter: related information
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