Cheap coach tickets from Reading to Manchester
Find and compare the best ground travel options in one place.
Millions of travelers trust Wanderu every year to get:
Lowest Prices
We partner with the top coach & train carriers to bring you the best deals.
Best Travel Options
We help you find & compare the best buses & trains in one place.
Quick & Easy Booking
Book trips quickly with a simple, hassle-free checkout – online & on our app.
Fast Customer Support
We don’t monkey around. We respond within minutes to help you out.
See what travelers are saying about Wanderu:
Reading to Manchester Coach Timetable
Coach from Reading to Manchester: Journey Information
There are 14 intercity coaches per day from Reading to Manchester. Traveling by coach from Reading to Manchester usually takes around 8 hours and 7 minutes, but the fastest National Express coach can make the trip in 6 hours and 48 minutes.
| Distance | 150 mi (241 km) |
| Shortest duration | 6h 48m |
| Cheapest price | £43.76 |
| Most frequent service | National Express |
| Coach lines | 1 |
What coach companies travel from Reading to Manchester?
There is one intercity bus company available to search and book on Wanderu that operates from Reading to Manchester. National Express connects the two cities by bus, it offers multiple scheduled buses per day for you to choose from.
| Coach | Daily Trips | Avg. Time | Avg. Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Express | 14 | 8h 8m | £69.78 |
Book National Express from Reading to Manchester from £44. There are 14 National Express schedules from Reading to Manchester and you can expect on average to pay for a National Express ticket to Manchester. In Reading, National Express departs to Manchester from Reading Station and no other station. In Manchester, National Express arrives at Manchester Coach Station and no other station.
An average trip on National Express from Reading to Manchester takes 8 hours and 8 minutes , while the fastest available National Express trip will get you to Manchester in 6 hours and 48 minutes .
On weekends, National Express offers 14 trips per day and you could expect to pay for a weekend getaway to Manchester.
Frequently asked questions about traveling by coach from Reading to Manchester
The coach takes an average of 8 hours and 7 minutes to cover the 150 miles from Reading to Manchester. However, the fastest coach only takes 6 hours and 48 minutes. It’s definitely on the longer side, so plan to get comfortable for a long road trip. Keep in mind that your actual coach may arrive earlier or later than scheduled, depending on whether there is more or less traffic than usual.
The first coach leaves at 04:00 and the last coach leaves at 22:00. To see the times for all coaches from Reading to Manchester, enter your specific travel dates in the search bar.
There are 14 scheduled coaches that travel from Reading to Manchester every day, so you have a decent number of options to choose from. Unfortunately, none of them are direct connections, so no matter which coach you take, you will have to transfer coaches at least once during your journey.
Need more travel options? Consider taking the train from Reading to Manchester; ticket prices start at £83.37.
City Information
Reading
Image credit: Reading Tom
Link to image attribution
Image credit: Unsplash
Image credit: Reading Tom
Link to image attributionLocated only 20 minutes west of London, Reading is a large university and market town in the English county of Berkshire. Reading has an intriguing mix of the past and the present, with a vibrant student scene thriving among the city's medieval and Victorian architecture.
Reading sits on the River Thames, at the end-point of the Kennet and Avon Canal, so there are a number of pretty riverside walks to take in the scenery. Explore the gardens and meet the animals at Beadle Wildlife Park, a vast park crisscrossed with nature trails.
To discover the town's past, visit the Reading Museum, where you can take a trip through time from early Saxon settlements to the Industrial Revolution through 21st-century life.
Since Reading is home to a large university, you are always guaranteed exciting nightlife. Filled with many restaurants, pubs, bars, and clubs, Reading is the perfect place for a night on the town. Try The Nag's Head, The Lyndhurst, or The Purple Turtle to start your night right.
Because Reading is only a short way from London, getting to Reading is simple. Fly to one of London's large international airports for access from around the world. Reading Train Station is also one of Britain's main railway interchanges, making it easy to reach from all over the country by train. National Express coaches also operate through the city from many destinations around the United Kingdom.
Manchester
Image credit: Unsplash
Image credit: Unsplash
Image credit: Unsplash
Most recognizable for its world-famous football team, Manchester is a modern, vibrant city with a diverse range of attractions that will appeal to explorers of all kinds. Often referred to as "The Capital of the North," Manchester is also known for being the birthplace of the industrial revolution. Visitors can relive this booming era by taking a trip to the Science and Industry Museum to see how this previously small town changed the world's ideas of industry and manufacturing forever. These days, Manchester is famous for its music and art scene, with it being the birthplace of bands like The Smiths and Oasis.
Art and music-lovers may want to visit Afflecks, a vast and eclectic emporium of all things indie and grunge, to purchase records, artwork, and memorabilia, among many other things. Manchester is also home to 15 parks and gardens, with Fletcher Moss Park and Botanical Gardens among the most popular. This park provides a beautiful setting for picnics and scenic walks, perfect for when you need an escape from the bustling city.
And if you really are only here for Man U, both Old Trafford and Etihad Stadium are stops on our itinerary to visit every premier league stadium in England.
With three large train stations—Piccadilly, Oxford Road, and Victoria—Manchester is easily accessible via rail. National Express and Megabus coaches also allow access from all over the country. In addition, Manchester Airport houses three large terminals, which provide global entry to the city.
Station Information
Where does the coach leave from in Reading?
Main departure station: Reading Station
Most coaches depart from the main station in Reading.
All coach stations in Reading:
Reading Station
Where does the coach arrive in Manchester?
Image credit: Mikey
Link to image attributionMain arrival station: Manchester Coach Station
A short walk from the city centre, Manchester Coach Station is located on Chorlton Street on the ground floor of a multistory car park. It has basic facilities including restrooms, food kiosks, and a small newsagent. The station's shops are open between 06:30 am and 7:00 pm each day. Neighbouring streets offer several bars and other food options. As a major hub for National Express, this station is the departing point for trips to Birmingham, London, Northern Ireland, and Ireland. Local buses depart from streetside shelters outside the station.
Coach stations in Manchester:
Manchester Coach Station
Get around town with Moovit
Need a return trip from Manchester to Reading?
Search Coach Tickets
Wanderu is the simplest way to book coach and train travel.
With just a quick search on Wanderu, you can compare bus and train schedules and prices from hundreds of travel companies in one convenient place to find the trip that works best for you. Wanderu’s simple checkout process makes it easy to book cheap bus and train tickets hassle-free. Most importantly, as Wanderu is an official partner of all leading bus and train companies, we always have the best bus and train deals out there.