Cheapest
Average
The best way to find a cheap fare is to book your ticket as far in advance as you can and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
The average ticket from London to Manchester will cost around £ 75 if you buy it on the day, but the cheapest tickets can be found for only £ 63.
This is the last train of the day.
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Fastest Journey
2 h 8 m
Average
2 h 30 m
Trains per day
17
Distance
262 km
Of the 17 trains that leave London for Manchester every day 15 travel direct so it’s quite easy to avoid journeys where you’ll have to change along the way.
These direct trains cover the 262 km distance in an average of 2 h 30 m but if you time it right, some trains will get you there in just 2 h 8 m .
The slowest trains will take 4 h 23 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.
Distance | 162 miles (261 km) | |
Average train duration | 2 h 40 min | |
Average train ticket price | £47 (€53) | |
Train frequency | 16 a day | |
Direct train | Yes, there are 16 direct trains a day | |
Train companies | Chiltern Railways, East Midlands Railway, Thameslink, Avanti West Coast, Cross Country, Grand Central Trains, Doggiosled, London North Eastern Railway or West Midlands Railway |
Trains from London to Manchester cover the 162 miles (261 km) long journey taking on average 2 h 40 min with our travel partners like Chiltern Railways, East Midlands Railway, Thameslink, Avanti West Coast, Cross Country, Grand Central Trains, Doggiosled, London North Eastern Railway or West Midlands Railway. Normally, there are 16 trains operating per day, including direct services available. While the average ticket price for this route costs around £47, you can find the cheapest train ticket for as low as £30. Travellers depart most frequently from London Victoria and arrive in Manchester Piccadilly.
For as little as £30 you can travel by train from London to Manchester with CrossCountry and Chiltern Railways. Omio will show you the best deals, timetables and tickets available for this journey.
CrossCountry is a fast speed train company in the United Kingdom and for your next train from London to Manchester you can choose between Standard Class and First Class tickets on Omio.
One of the best ways to travel from London to Manchester is by taking a train with CrossCountry. Omio helps you find the ideal CrossCountry train between London and Manchester by showing you CrossCountry current train timetables, the train tickets on offer (including amenities offered onboard and travel information like luggage policy) and the best prices for this London to Manchester route. You can expect to travel 162 miles (261 km) between London and Manchester on a train with CrossCountry. If you are using the Omio app to search for trains to Manchester from London, you can check straight away if the CrossCountry ticket is a mobile ticket, which makes it easy for you to go paperless when travelling without needing to purchase tickets in person at the train station. Once you’ve found that perfect train, book your CrossCountry train ticket on Omio quickly and easily, then enjoy your upcoming trip between London and Manchester!
These are CrossCountry 's ticket policies for COVID-19 for the train between London and Manchester:
Trains from London to Manchester run very frequently throughout the day, seven days a week. The journey takes between about 2h and about 3h 30min, with most trains averaging around 2h 10min. The exceptions are the last trains of the night, which take about 6h 15min to get to Manchester. During peak times, trains run at about 15min intervals, stretching to roughly 20min off-peak.
You won't want for options when looking for a London to Manchester train – there are about 45 travelling this route every day, giving you over 300 trains a week to choose from. The first trains typically leave at around 06:00 and the last after 22:00. Almost all are direct routes that don't require any stops or train changes on the way, bar a handful each day.
A train from London to Manchester usually takes just over 2h, depending on the train company, the time of day, and whether there are any stops on the way. These direct trains all take just about 2h 06min to around 2h 20min, making this a very dependable route, particularly for regular commuters. The few trains that stop en route take between 3h and 3h 30min, changing trains once.
Trains from London to Manchester: Tower Bridge in London. Source: Shutterstock
Departure train station: Any given train to Manchester from London usually leaves from London Euston Station. You can get there from Central London in roughly 11min on the Northern Underground line or in about 13min with London Bus No 168. A few trains each day leave from London St. Pancras Station. Take the Piccadilly Underground line to get there in about 7min. Both stations have many modern facilities, including step-free and wheelchair accessibility, cafés, coffee shops, fast-food outlets and retail shops.
Arrival train station: Regardless of your departure station, your London to Manchester train will arrive at Manchester Piccadilly Station. It is really close to the city centre, so it will only take about 3min to get there on a Go North West bus. The station is owned by the same company as the London ones, so you'll have the same accessibility amenities, including induction loops and tactile strips. There are Help Points throughout the concourse, with baby changing rooms also available. Shopping is plentiful, as are places to eat and drink.
There are two main train companies operating trains from London to Manchester. The first is Avanti West Coast, which travels a direct route between the two cities for a travel time in the 2h to 2h 20min band. Trains run throughout the day, from early morning until mid-evening, with the last one leaving close to 22:00. The other main train provider on this route is West Midlands Railway, making one stop on the way in Crewe, where you'll leisurely switch trains in about 40min before continuing to Manchester. Your travel time will be between about 3h and 3h 30min.
There is a single night train from London to Manchester, leaving at around 22:30 from London St. Pancras Station. You'll travel on East Midlands Railway, with the journey taking about 6h 20min, arriving in Manchester Piccadilly Station at roughly 05:00 after a stop in Sheffield. This is also the longest train trip to Manchester on offer.
Avanti West Coast provides the quickest train to Manchester from London, without having to make any stops on the way there. Trains can certainly be classed as high-speed, travelling at speeds between 125 mph (200 km/h) and 140mph (225 km/h). They will get you from London to Manchester in around 2h 10min on average and run throughout the day.
West Midlands Railway offers a one-stop London to Manchester train route, taking between 3h and 3h 30min for the trip. Trains leave from London Euston Station and travel via the town of Crew to arrive at Manchester Piccadilly Station. Your stopover in Crewe will take about 40min. Trains run at standard speed, using a combination of diesel and electric models, and operate from early morning till mid-evening.
East Midlands Railway operates a train from London to Manchester a few times a day. They also take between roughly 3h to 3h 30min, except for the night train, which takes about 6h 20min. The day trains depart from London St. Pancras Station, travelling via Sheffield and running from early morning till early evening, the night train once again an exception. These aren't high-speed trains, and you'll find yourself travelling at a more sedate pace.
Taking a train is a more sustainable way of travelling in general, and certainly vastly more so than if all the passengers made the trip by car. Additionally, UK train companies all have pervasive sustainability programmes in place, focused on both short- and long-term environmental impact. Some of these include using specific percentages of recycled materials in building their carriages and switching to more electric trains from diesel locomotives. You'll certainly take a step toward reducing your carbon footprint by taking a train to Manchester from London.
Avanti West Coast offers several types of tickets, including Standard and First Class. Trained Passenger Assist personnel can help with boarding and disembarking for passengers with limited mobility, and support animals are welcome. You can take up to two small domestic pets with you, and they travel free of charge. You can also reserve space for a bicycle in a dedicated cycle carriage. West Midlands Railway has spaces for wheelchairs and mobility scooters, with personal assistance on hand. You can also bring two domestic pets, either on leads or in travel containers. The trains have room for two bicycle spaces, which you can book in advance. Otherwise, you can put a folded bike in a container as a luggage item. First-class travel is available on some of the trains, so just check beforehand. East Midlands Railway offers First and Second-class tickets. You can only bring a foldable bicycle, which goes on board with you. All carriages have full accessibility amenities and wheelchair space. You can bring a dog, cat or bird in a container free of charge on their trains from London to Manchester.
There are a few ways to get cheaper tickets for a train from London to Manchester. One is to book well in advance; tickets can often be cheaper as the train companies strive to fill their seats as quickly as possible. The other approach is to remain very flexible about the day and date on which you travel. This will put you in a position to benefit from any last-minute deals that arise due to other passengers cancelling their tickets. You can also choose longer train trips and those that make stops or change trains on the way, as these are typically cheaper, too. Another tip is to set price alerts on Omio so that you'll be notified when cheap tickets become available.
Trains from London to Manchester: Irwell river and cityscape of Manchester. Source: Shutterstock
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Manchester is Castlefield. It's an Urban Heritage Park surrounded by restored Victorian Houses, with a reconstructed Roman fort as its centrepiece. It follows the contours of the Bridgewater Canal. If you're after museums, you'll find plenty of those once you start exploring the city after arriving on a train to Manchester from London. The pick of the bunch is the Science and Industry Museum, which houses a very interesting Air and Space Gallery. You can also pay a visit to the Manchester Art Gallery. On the sporting side, you can visit the National Football Museum, fittingly located at Old Trafford. For architectural sites, head to the Victorian-era St. Mary's Catholic Church or Manchester Town Hall. If you're with kids, Heaton Park has an animal farm, an adventure playground and boating activities. For more ideas, check out our Omio online travel magazine, The Window Seat.
Some of the London train stations to Manchester you can start your journey from include London Victoria, London Euston and London Kings Cross. Similarly, some of the arrival train stations in Manchester include Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Airport and Manchester Victoria.
When travelling this route, Omio customers are departing most frequently from London Victoria and arriving in Manchester Piccadilly.
The most popular departure train station with passengers for this trip, called London Victoria, is located 1.8 miles (2.9 km) from the city centre of London.
The most popular arrival train station, Manchester Piccadilly, is located 0.7 miles (1.2 km) away from the city centre of Manchester.
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