- Must visit
Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens
Main city museum covering Sunderland’s history, archaeology, and changing exhibitions. A practical introduction to the city and region.
Cheapest price on 14 Oct
£14
Average ticket price on 14 Oct
£25
Fastest journey on 14 Oct
3 h 40 m
Average journey duration on 14 Oct
4 h 8 m
Buses on 14 Oct
7
Distance
181 km
The best way to find a cheap coach ticket from Manchester Airport to Sunderland is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid travelling at rush hour.
The average ticket from Manchester Airport to Sunderland will cost around £25 if you buy it on the day, but you can find cheap coach tickets today for only £14.
On Wed 14 Oct, we found 7 buses from Manchester Airport to Sunderland, including 6 direct services.
These direct buses cover the 181 km distance in an average of 4 h 8 m but if you time it right, some buses will get you there in just 3 h 40 m .
The slowest buses will take 4 h 20 m and usually involve a change or two along the way, but you might be able to save a few pennies if you’re on a budget.
FlixBus
NX170 · NX426
NX172
NX172
NX172
NX172
FlixBus
NX172
NX172
NX172Buses from Manchester Airport to Sunderland run on average 8 times per day, taking around 4h 4m. Cheap bus tickets for this journey start at £11 if you book in advance.
There are 5 coaches per day. The earliest coach runs at 06:35, the last at 16:35. The fastest coach covers the 181 km distance in 3h 35m.
Distance 181 km |
Average bus duration 4h 4m |
Cheapest ticket price £11 |
Buses per day 8 |
Direct buses 5 |
Fastest bus 3h 35m |
First bus 6:35 |
Last bus 16:35 |
Cheapest Month Aug |
Cheapest Day Mon |
High Season Jul - Sept |
Low Season Apr - Jun |
Busiest Day Thu |
Least Busy Day Mon |
The table below shows live departures for Manchester Airport to Sunderland coaches for today, Tuesday 13 October. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated coach journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Changes | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NX172 | 15:05 Manchester, Airport | 4h35 | 19:40 Sunderland, Interchange | 0 changesdirect | |
NX172 | 18:50 Manchester, Airport | 3h40 | 22:30 Sunderland, Interchange | 0 changesdirect | |
NX172 | 23:40 Manchester, Airport | 4h15 | 3:55 Sunderland, Interchange | 0 changesdirect | |
| Wednesday 14 October | |||||
NX172 | 6:20 Manchester, Airport | 4h20 | 10:40 Sunderland, Interchange | 0 changesdirect | |
FlixBus | 7:35 Manchester, Airport | 4h05 | 11:40 Sunderland, Interchange | 0 changesdirect | |
NX170 · NX426 | 9:05 Manchester, Airport | 4h35 | 13:40 Sunderland, Interchange | 1 change | |
NX172 | 10:55 Manchester, Airport | 4h20 | 15:15 Sunderland, Interchange | 0 changesdirect | |
This is the last bus of the day. | |||||
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Discover the best of Sunderland — top attractions, local food, transport tips, budget advice, and currency essentials. Plan your perfect Sunderland trip today.
Main city museum covering Sunderland’s history, archaeology, and changing exhibitions. A practical introduction to the city and region.
Glass-focused museum with exhibitions, demonstrations, and studio activity reflecting Sunderland’s industrial heritage and creative scene.
Volunteer-run museum at the restored station featuring vintage trams, buses, and transport displays. Best for engineering and family visits.
Long sandy seafront with promenade, cafés nearby, and broad views. Popular for walking, sea air, and classic coastal Sunderland scenes.
Seaside area north of Roker with beach, promenade, and open views. A relaxed place for walks and a local feel beyond the city centre.
Historic public park beside the museum and winter gardens. It offers flower beds, monuments, and a central green break in the city.
Panackelty is a North East comfort dish of layered potatoes, onions and corned beef or bacon, slowly baked. It is a long-standing Wearside home staple.
Pease pudding is a thick split-pea savoury paste, often served with ham or stotties. It is a classic staple across Sunderland and the wider North East.
Stottie cake is a dense round North East bread, usually split and filled with ham and pease pudding. It is strongly associated with local working-class food culture.
Popular seafront seafood restaurant at Roker serving fish, shellfish and classic British dishes in a relaxed modern setting.
Well-known city centre Italian restaurant with pizzas, pasta and grilled dishes. Lively, dependable and good for casual meals.
Established Indian restaurant known for curries, tandoori dishes and friendly service. Comfortable setting close to the city centre.
Generally cheaper than London and many UK tourist cities, with lower hotel rates, modest dining prices and reasonably priced local transport.
Tipping is optional. In restaurants, 10-12.5% is common for good service if not already added. Round up taxi fares; cafés usually do not expect tips.
Official public transport app
Sunderland Interchange -> Sunderland Railway Station
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from Manchester Airport to Sunderland by coach. From journey times and ticket prices to direct connections, first and last departures, and even whether the route is scenic, our FAQs cover everything you need to plan your trip. Whether you’re looking for the fastest coach, the cheapest option, or tips for making the most of your visit at Sunderland, this guide helps you travel smarter and with confidence.

Most Manchester Airport to Sunderland buses use the Manchester, Coach Station to Sunderland, Interchange station pair. Use this guide to compare Manchester Airport and Sunderland bus stations on this route, check city-centre transport, alongside checking practicalities like bus station facilities and services.
Sunderland, Interchange has practical services for this route, including Wifi, Parking, Dining, ATM, Taxis, Accessibility, WC, Shower and Ticket Office.
Food options include: Fast food outlets available.
Free WiFi available in waiting areas. ATMs are located near the main entrance.
Ticket office support is available at Sunderland, Interchange.
Available at Sunderland, Interchange: Parking, Taxis, WC.
Accessibility facilities are available at Sunderland, Interchange: Step-free access throughout.
Here are some other resources that might have the information you need