Quickview
How to get to Manchester by bus
| Routes | 41 |
| Trips per day | 422 |
| bus lines | 4 |
| Stations | 5 |
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.
About Manchester
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
Image credit: Mikey
Link to image attributionA short walk from the city center, Manchester Coach Station is located on Chorlton Street on the ground floor of a multistory parking garage. 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. Neighboring 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.
Popular bus stations in Manchester:
Manchester Coach Station
Shudehill Interchange (Stand G)
Thomas Street - Stop Nn
Miles Platting
New Moston
What bus companies travel to Manchester, United Kingdom?
Located in United Kingdom, Manchester is accessible by bus from 41 other cities. You can choose from 422 daily scheduled trips when you search for buses to Manchester on Wanderu. National Express usually has the most buses on any given day.
Looking for other ways to get there? Train tickets to Manchester are also available..
Bus companies serving Manchester
| Bus | Routes | Avg. Time | Avg. Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Express | 90 | 6h 5m | RON 130.69 |
| Megabus | 57 | 5h 22m | RON 116.86 |
| FlixBus | 56 | 12h 45m | RON 247.55 |
| Witchway | 3 | 0h 42m | RON 11.74 |
National Express is probably the UK's best-known bus company, offering intercity services to London, Manchester, Southampton, and Edinburgh. Onboard the single and double-decker vehicles, travelers enjoy a good amount of legroom – roomier than airlines have in coach class – alongside WiFi, restrooms, and air conditioning.
Founded in 2003, Megabus UK was created to provide travelers with greener, more straightforward and smarter travel. The carrier has routes all across the United Kingdom in England, Scotland, and Wales. The Megabus UK fleet, easily distinguishable by its dark blue and yellow colors, has free Wi-Fi, outlets and charging ports, onboard restrooms, and 20 kg luggage allowances on each bus.
Which bus service has the best service to Manchester?
Based on customers travel reviews, travelers who booked on Wanderu rave about traveling to Manchester by bus with National Express giving them a 4.6 rating out of 5.
Travelers also mentioned that National Express had the most comfortable bus service to Manchester taking into account the seats and amenities that National Express offers. They rate National Express a 4.3 out of 5 when it comes to just how relaxing and enjoyable their experience was onboard.
If you are looking to arrive to Manchester punctually, travelers suggest that National Express has the best on time performance on their bus schedules to Manchester, rating them a 4.9 based on their on time arrivals.
Frequently Asked Questions
The busiest bus station in Manchester is Manchester Coach Station. There are several other active stations in addition to this main station. The most popular bus stations in Manchester are:
- Manchester Coach Station
- Shudehill Interchange (Stand G)
- Thomas Street - Stop Nn
| Departure | Avg. Time | Avg. Price |
|---|---|---|
| London | 6h 2m | RON 113.48 |
| Sheffield | 3h 32m | RON 65.74 |
| Birmingham | 2h 24m | RON 48.06 |
| Leeds | 1h 21m | RON 37.90 |
| Brighton | 9h 47m | RON 163.54 |
Top bus routes to and from Manchester
Wanderu is the simplest way to book coach and train travel.
With just a quick search on Wanderu, you can compare coach 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 coach and train tickets hassle-free and with no additional fees. Most importantly, as Wanderu is an official partner of all leading bus and train companies, we always have the best coach and train deals out there.
Book coaches and trains on the go with the Wanderu app.
Download our app and snag the best travel deals across North America & Europe.Learn more