Transfer to/from - Manchester airport (MAN)

Transportation

COVID-19 - Due to the current Coronavirus pandemic, services and schedules of the different transportation options may be subject to change as well as the limit of available capacity could be reduced. In turn, due to the changing situation, some services may even be temporarily canceled.

There is an area in the airport called The Station, accessible through any of the terminals by Skylink walkways. Trains and buses serving the enclosure converge here.

Bus - Local buses operate everyday to and from the airport, reaching several locations nearby and Manchester city centre (travel time: 66 minutes). On the other hand, National Express (Tel +44 871 781 8181) provides transportation to several destinations in the region and the country, including Birmingham, Liverpool, London, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Tickets can be acquired at the ticket desk situated inside the airport station.

Train - There are frequent services from TransPennine Express (Tel +44 345 600 1671) and Northern (Tel +44 800 200 6060) to and from the airport, connecting it with several cities in the north and center of the country: Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Sheffield, York, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool, Huddersfield, Bolton, Preston, Blackpool, Lake District, Chester and North Wales (the last two through an interchange in Manchester Piccadilly). At the same time, trains run between the enclosure and Manchester Piccadilly Station, in the city centre, every 10 minutes, with a trip of 20 min. and a fare of £2.90-4.00.

Tram - Metrolink (Tel +44 161 205 2000) operates direct services every 12-15 minutes to Victoria, and from there to the rest of the network, with destinations such as Wythenshawe, Roundthorn, Chorlton and Cornbrook. They leave from 4:45 am to 11:10 pm (Sundays from 5:40 am). Tickets have a cost of £1.40.

Taxi - Street Cars (Tel +44 161 228 7878) has vehicles outside every terminal. Journey time to downtown Manchester is 25-45 minutes.

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Local buses

43 - Operates 24 hours a day to Piccadilly Gardens, via Wythenshawe, Sharston and Rusholme.
103 - To downtown Manchester through Wythenshawe, Benchill, Sharston, Northenden and Moss Side.
199 - Runs to Stockport Express Station, and then on to Hazel Grove, New Mills, Whaley Bridge, Chapel en-le-Frith and Buxton.
288 - To Hale Barns, Hale and Altrincham.
330 - Stockport, Hyde, Dukinfield and Ashton-under-Lyne.
368A - To Stockport via Wythenshawe, Peel Hall, Heald Green, Cheadle Hulme and Edgeley.
737 - Hale, Timperley, Norhtenden, East Didsbury.

Further information on the public transport

Local buses

43 - Operates 24 hours a day to Piccadilly Gardens, via Wythenshawe, Sharston and Rusholme.
103 - To downtown Manchester through Wythenshawe, Benchill, Sharston, Northenden and Moss Side.
199 - Runs to Stockport Express Station, and then on to Hazel Grove, New Mills, Whaley Bridge, Chapel en-le-Frith and Buxton.
288 - To Hale Barns, Hale and Altrincham.
330 - Stockport, Hyde, Dukinfield and Ashton-under-Lyne.
368A - To Stockport via Wythenshawe, Peel Hall, Heald Green, Cheadle Hulme and Edgeley.
737 - Hale, Timperley, Norhtenden, East Didsbury.

Further information on the public transport

Transportation Tips to/from the airport?

While there are issues that seem more than obvious, it is always advisable to take into account when moving from or to the airport, and especially if you go on some public transport.  1- To the airport - It is convenient to go out with a little more anticipation than you would commonly suggest. If you choose a taxi or a private car service, always keep in mind peak transit times, demonstrations, strikes or events that may take more or less the trip to the airport from where you are. It is always good to be informed about what happens in the place where you find yourself.
If you have a shared transfer service, please have a contact Tel in case of any delay on the part of the company. In these cases, a scheduled collection schedule is already in tenter.
If you are using public transport (bus, train), have the schedules (weekends and holidays usually have fewer frequencies), if you have to transfer and also how to board (if you need a card or boarding pass or paying at the moment to the driver or rider). These are details that seem obvious, but it is advisable to know not to have surprises and suffer a delay that could bring complications.
If you rent a car to get to the airport check well, where you must leave the vehicles. In some airports, there is an exclusive parking lot for rental cars.  2 -From the airport- here is a little less stressful as you don't have the pressure to miss the flight. In the worst case you will arrive later to the place where you are going to stay or to the meeting point where you try to arrive. Once you get out of the plane, pick up your suitcase and finish with the required arrival procedures. Then you have to look for the public transport signs or consult the airport staff. It is very useful to inform the timetables of the buses in case you arrive late at night. Not all of them work 24 hours a day. The same goes for taxis. If you have hired a private car service, keep ready the mobile app to contact the driver. Some transport services hired, have a person waiting for you, identified with a sign.
If you rent a car to go from the airport to your final destination, for more peace of mind it is recommended to reserve it earlier. Rental counters are usually available at arrivals hall.