Manchester to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) bus

Buses from Manchester to London Heathrow Airport

Coaches from Manchester to London Heathrow depart several times each day, including Saturdays and Sundays. They don’t leave at fixed intervals; rather, they’re clustered around the very early morning, lunch times and late at night. Departure times are the same every day. Just be advised that you won’t be able to catch buses to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) during the later afternoon rush hour. Your average travel time will be around 5h 30min, with the fastest coach taking a bit under 5h.

Manchester to London Heathrow Airport Bus Time: Daily Departures

There are about seven coaches from Manchester to London Heathrow throughout the day, with an additional one or two on some days, making for just over 50 trips a week. The first bus of the day departs at around 4:50 a.m. and the final bus leaves for the airport at around 11:50 p.m. These run like clockwork at the same time each day, so you have a very reliable daily timetable on this route.

How long is the journey by bus from Manchester to London Heathrow Airport?

The trip duration of coaches from Manchester to London Heathrow varies depending on the time of day that you travel. The quickest bus is one of the early morning departures, taking about 4h 45min. Other journeys during the day take between 5h and just over 6h. None of these require you to make any changes on the way.

London Tourists Bus City. Source: Shutterstock

What are the departure and arrival stations for buses from Manchester to London Heathrow Airport?

Departure bus station: There are two departure stations for this route. Most leave from Manchester Shudehill Exchange. Getting there from the centre of Manchester is merely a matter of catching a Metrolink tram, which will take all of about 2min. They leave from Market Street Station on the Green line, every 30min. The other station is the one at Manchester Airport, which is about 25min from central Manchester on the Northern Rail train line. The trains leave every 20min. Shudehill Exchange is a rudimentary station, with a cash machine and toilets as its only facilities. The latter have accessibility aids. Manchester Airport Station provides personal accessibility guides, and you’ll have all the airport facilities at your disposal before reaching the platforms.

Arrival bus station: All buses from Manchester to London Heathrow arrive at Heathrow Station Terminals 1-3. Heathrow Airport itself is on the western outskirts of London, and the easiest way of getting to central London from here is to catch the Heathrow Express from the airport to London Paddington Station. They take about 15min and depart from the airport every 15min. Heathrow Station is merely a terminal for passengers catching flights, so it has no facilities of its own, except for limited mobility assistance – but once you disembark, all the airport’s facilities will be at your disposal, like shops, restaurants, pubs and fast-food outlets, as well as children’s amenities and full accessibility features.

Which bus companies travel from Manchester to London Heathrow Airport?

The vast majority of bus trips on this route are operated by Megabus, with Flixbus adding an extra one for good measure every couple of days. The latter are discounted trips, and well worth picking out from the handy Omio live timetable. These buses leave from Shudehill Exchange and take the longest to get to Heathrow, but not by much, so they offer good value for money. You won’t have to make any changes when using either carrier on any of the bus trips they offer. The Megabus coaches are the ones offering the fastest trips, with the quickest bus getting you there in about 4h 45min.

Megabus buses from Manchester to London Heathrow Airport

Megabus is a budget coach operator that services the whole of Britain, plus the nearest European countries to the Channel. These are standard speed buses with modern facilities, despite their “budget” label. These are all direct buses, in the sense that you won’t make any stopovers on the way, nor will you make any bus changes. You can expect quick stops along the way for passengers to board and alight. The fastest trip takes about 4h 45min, while the longest will have you at London Heathrow Airport in around 6h 5min.

Flixbus buses from Manchester to London Heathrow Airport

Flixbus is also a budget coach operator, and often just pips Megabus to the post in offering the cheapest tickets from Manchester to London Heathrow. These are also direct trips, with no actual stopovers en route either, discounting the quick passenger stops. Flixbus coaches take about 6h 5min to make the journey. They travel at standard motorway speed and leave every couple of days, so keep an eye out on the Omio schedules for the Flixbus trips. They’ll generally save you a few quid.

Bus Manchester to London Heathrow Airport: Services on board

Being a budget operator, Megabus only offers a single standard class. However you can choose your seat when you book, for a nominal extra fee. If you download the Megabus app you’ll receive service alerts and can track your coach’s progress as you’re waiting for it to arrive. You can also select a seat with a bit more leg room, again at a small extra charge. Each seat has a charging point and Wi-Fi is free on all trips. You luggage allowance is about 44 lbs (20 kg), and you can also bring small hand luggage on board and stow it in an overhead compartment. The coaches are air-conditioned, with comfortable modern ergonomic seats.

You can bring a wheelchair or mobility scooter, as long as you are able to get onto the buses without yours, as they’re stored in the luggage hold, and can also travel with an assistance dog. No other pets are allowed, however. You can bring a small foldable bike with you. Flixbus also offers a single class, and has the same wheelchair and mobility assistance policy. Each seat has a power point, Wi-Fi is free, and you can order snacks and drinks. You can also bring a single hold luggage item weighing up to 44 lbs (20 kg), and one carry-on item of up to about 15 lbs (7 kg). The buses have bike carriers, but you won’t be allowed to travel with pets, assistance dogs excepted.

London Victoria Tower Park. Source: Shutterstock

How to find cheap bus tickets from Manchester to London Heathrow Airport?

You can get slightly cheaper coach tickets from Manchester to London Heathrow by choosing the Flixbus trips. While the savings aren’t huge, given that both it and Megabus are budget operators, it can all add up in the long run. There are some other tips that can help you net cheap bus tickets. The first is to remain as flexible as you can about time and dates when you travel, to take advantage of last-minute cancellations that can lead to limited-time discount deals.

Alternatively you can sometimes benefit from cheaper prices by booking well in advance, when the carriers are trying to start getting their buses filled. You can also choose the operators of longer journeys, as this can also reduce the cost of tickets, particularly if there are stopovers in-between. Routes that require you to change to connecting coaches can also be a more cost-effective way to travel.

To London Heathrow Airport by bus—travel tips

Heathrow Airport is the de facto gateway to London, one of the world’s most famous capital cities. Its main tourist attractions are iconic, like Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, the London Eye and the Tower of London. If we look at the immediate areas surrounding the airport itself, we discover equally enticing attractions. Windsor Castle isn’t too far away, truly a sight worth seeing.

You can also visit Hounslow Farm, an urban farmstead that supports sustainability projects in the region. For some of the best Indian cuisine London has to offer, go from Heathrow to Little India in Southall, to the north-west of London town. If you’re travelling with kids, they’ll be over the moon at Legoland Windsor UK, which is also close to Heathrow.

For seriously thrilling rollercoasters and other daredevil rides, visit Thorpe Park, which is also very easy to reach from the airport. You can find more ideas by having a read of our regular online travel magazine, The Window Seat.