Visit Manchester by Train
Find out about trains to Manchester, how to get great discounts on your travel, and top offers on things to do when you get there
Welcome to Manchester
The city is jam-packed with museums, art galleries, theatres and shops. There are, of course, 2 globally famous football teams (Manchester City and Manchester United), an enviable musical heritage that includes Joy Division and Oasis, a vibrant restaurant scene and a regenerated and revitalised city centre.
Find out more about travelling to Manchester by train below, along with everything you need to know about the town. Discover all the best things to do and places to visit in Manchester – and don’t forget you can save money on your train travel with a Railcard.
By taking the train you are also helping to lower carbon emissions. And, if you require additional support when travelling, the Passenger Assist service can help you.
If you fancy travelling a bit further afield, you can also visit our Day Trips From Manchester by Train page.
How to get to Manchester by train
Manchester has 4 stations:
Manchester Piccadilly: This is Manchester’s main station. There are regular direct trains to and from many destinations including Liverpool, Chester, Stockport, Blackpool, Crewe, Birmingham, Oxford, Southampton and Cardiff. There are direct services to and from London Euston every day
Manchester Victoria: For trains to and from Blackburn, Chester, Wigan, Leeds and Liverpool
Manchester Oxford Road: For trains to and from Blackpool, Liverpool, Nottingham, Cleethorpes and Middlesborough
Manchester Deansgate: For trains to and from Liverpool, Blackpool, Southport and Barrow-in-Furness
You can plan your Manchester train journey, find the cheapest fares and book tickets online with our Journey Planner.
Fastest journey times to Manchester by train
From | To | Journey time from* |
|---|---|---|
London | Manchester | 2 hr 6 min |
Liverpool | Manchester | 36 min |
Chester | Manchester | 50 min |
Huddersfield | Manchester | 29 min |
Lancaster | Manchester | 56 mins |
Edinburgh | Manchester | 3 hr 14 min |
Cardiff | Manchester | 3 hr 19 min |
Birmingham | Manchester | 1 hr 28 min |
* Please note, some journeys will take longer and you may have to change trains
Get great offers on top Manchester attractions
Visit National Rail’s Days Out Guide for more great offers when you travel by train.
1/3 OFF: LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Manchester
Visit the ultimate indoor LEGO® playground, with thrilling indoor rides, themed build zones, a 4D cinema and large soft play area
1/3 OFF: SEA LIFE Manchester
Get transported into a fascinating underwater world, with an amazing ocean tunnel, 30 display tanks and more than 5,000 sea creatures
50% OFF: The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience (Manchester)
The outrageously popular 90s TV show is now a stunningly immersive adventure you can experience for yourself
More attractions in Manchester
Get 20% OFF entry to the National Football Museum with National Rail’s Days Out Guide(external link, opens in a new tab), where you can learn about the history of the beautiful game
Visit The Lowry(external link, opens in a new tab) on the Salford Quays waterfront, a striking building with several gallery spaces that also hosts theatre and dance productions
Discover the secrets of Salford Quays, Media City and the Manchester Ship Canal on a lively and informative Salford Quays Guided Walking Tour(external link, opens in a new tab)
Free things to do in Manchester
Explore Castlefield Viaduct(external link, opens in a new tab), a beautiful ‘sky garden’ created on a Victorian steel viaduct that offers free guided tours in the morning and non-booked visits to capacity in the afternoons
Visit the impressive Manchester Art Gallery(external link, opens in a new tab), which has been standing in the centre of the city for nearly 200 years and which has nearly 13,000 works of art
Check out the Whitworth Gallery(external link, opens in a new tab), which was founded in 1880 in memory of the industrialist Sir Joseph Whitworth and is still going strong today with a permanent collection of more than 60,000 works of art, textiles and wallpapers
Family Manchester
Visit the stunning Imperial War Museum North(external link, opens in a new tab), with its walk-through timeline of the First World Wat to the present day, plus an impressive selected of rotating exhibitions. Entry is free
Mayfield Park(external link, opens in a new tab) opened in 2022 and is the first new city park in Manchester for 100 years. Its 6.5-acre parkland includes a kids’ play zone
Find out all about the Industrial Revolution (Manchester was the world’s first industrial city) and its intersection with science at the brilliant Science + Industry Museum(external link, opens in a new tab). Entry is free
Accessible Manchester
If you require assistance for any part of your rail journey, please visit our Passenger Assist page to find out more
To search or browse Manchester’s accessible attractions, restaurants, hotels and more, visit the AccessAble website(external link, opens in a new tab)
Theatre and shows in Manchester
Manchester Opera House(external link, opens in a new tab) hosts concerts, musicals and ballet in a grand setting
Drop into the vibrant HOME(external link, opens in a new tab) arts centre, cinema and theatre complex that is also a good spot for eating and drinking
Visit the angular Aviva Studios(external link, opens in a new tab), a vast landmark cultural space that offers intimate theatre shows, exhibitions, multimedia performances and a huge space for concerts
Music in Manchester
Find out all about the history of Manchester’s Musical Routes with Jo Whiley’s audio guide
Plan a visit to Band on the Wall(external link, opens in a new tab), an award-winning venue that hosted Joy Division and The Fall in their early years
Enjoy live events at New Century Hall(external link, opens in a new tab), which boasts a sprung dance floor, a disco ceiling and a state-of-the-art sound system
Bridgewater Hall(external link, opens in a new tab), which overlooks the Rochdale Canal, is home to the 165-year-old Hallé Orchestra and regularly hosts the BBC Philharmonic
LGBTQIA+ Manchester
Every year, the city hosts the massive Manchester Pride(external link, opens in a new tab) celebration, and there are Pride events year-round
Visit Canal Street(external link, opens in a new tab), the centre of the city’s famous Gay Village
Hang out at The Brewers(external link, opens in a new tab) for an unforgettable night of cabaret, comedy and music
Manchester in film and TV
Manchester is a popular shooting location for many films and TV shows, including:
Coronation Street, which was filmed at Granada TV Studios until 2014, and is now based in Salford’s Media City
Darkest Hour was partly shot in the neo-Gothic chambers of Manchester Town Hall
Canal Street was a location for Queer as Folk
Victoria Baths and the waterways in Castlefield featured in some Peaky Blinders scenes
Find out more about Manchester
Go to the Visit Manchester website.(external link, opens in a new tab)
Get 1/3 off train fares with a Railcard
Save up to 1/3 off your trips when you travel by train with a Railcard
From children to seniors, over 20 million people in Great Britain can save with a Railcard. See which one is right for you
Buy yours today for just £30 and you’ll make the cost back in 1 or 2 trips!
Journey times and offers are correct at time of publication but subject to change.
Castlefield Viaduct image credit: by David Dixon is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Manchester Opera House image credit: Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net). is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Band on the Wall image credit: by Lszeickner is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Coronation Street image credit: by Lewis Clarke is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.