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Trains from Manchester to Edinburgh

Q: What is the average Manchester to Edinburgh train duration?

The Manchester to Edinburgh train duration is on average 3 h 11 min , which is to be expected when travelling 174 miles (281 km) from Manchester to Edinburgh. However, the time it takes can vary based on specific dates, weekends, and bank holidays.

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Train Information to Edinburgh from Manchester

	Distance	174 miles (281 km)
	Average train duration	3 h 11 min
	Average train ticket price	£77 (€87)
	Train frequency	10 a day
	Direct train	Yes, there are 10 direct trains a day
	Train companies	First Transpennine Express, Avanti West Coast, London North Eastern Railway or Cross Country

Trains from Manchester to Edinburgh cover the 174 miles (281 km) long route taking on average 3 h 11 min with our travel partners like First Transpennine Express, Avanti West Coast, London North Eastern Railway or Cross Country. Normally, there are 10 trains operating per day, including direct services available. While the average ticket price for this trip costs around £77, you can find the cheapest train ticket for as low as £39. Travellers depart most frequently from Manchester Piccadilly and arrive in Edinburgh Waverley.

Train companies

CrossCountry trains between Manchester and Edinburgh

Buy your official CrossCountry train tickets between Manchester and Edinburgh from £39 with Omio. Find train times and tickets for over 1000 travel companies to compare and book the most popular trip.

CrossCountry

CrossCountry is a fast speed train company in the United Kingdom and for your next train from Manchester to Edinburgh you can choose between Standard Class and First Class tickets on Omio.

Save time and money by searching for and booking your CrossCountry train from Manchester to Edinburgh online with Omio! If you’re looking for the cheapest, fastest or earliest CrossCountry train from Manchester to Edinburgh, Omio can help you out every step of the way. Check current CrossCountry train timetables for the ideal departure and arrival times, compare the best connections for the 174 miles (281 km) route from Manchester to Edinburgh as well as ticket information for the train (such as luggage policy and amenities offered onboard), and then book a cheap train ticket – all in one convenient place. If you are using the Omio app to search for trains between Manchester and Edinburgh, 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. Buy your official CrossCountry Manchester to Edinburgh train tickets online on Omio quickly and easily and enjoy the travel experience!

Please follow the recommendations outlined by CrossCountry when booking your train tickets from Manchester to Edinburgh due to the coronavirus:

Refund or voucher policy
If you have an Off-Peak or Anytime ticket, you can get a full refund and the £10 admin fee has been waived. Advance tickets are normally non-refundable but you can now also get a full refund if your Advance ticket was booked before 23 March 2020.
Cashless payments recommended
Online booking and check-in recommended

Learn more about CrossCountry

Trains from Manchester to Edinburgh

Travellers heading from the north-west of England to the Scottish capital on business or for a spot of sightseeing can take daily direct trains from Manchester to Edinburgh Waverley. There are direct services seven days a week, with departure times ranging from early morning to mid-evening. Journey times to Edinburgh average just over three hours. Additional indirect connections with one change en route increase the travel options from Manchester to Scotland, although these take slightly longer.

Which train companies travel from Manchester to Edinburgh?

Direct services from Manchester Piccadilly to Edinburgh Waverley are provided by First Transpennine Express. Indirect connections with one change use a variety of routes and operators, including Virgin Trains departures from Manchester Victoria via Wigan North Western and Cross Country and London North Eastern Railway connections from Manchester Victoria via York.

How long is the train from Manchester to Edinburgh?

Direct First Transpennine Express departures from Manchester Piccadilly are the quickest option on the 212-mile route to Edinburgh, taking just over three hours. Indirect connections from Manchester Victoria take between three hours 30 minutes and over four hours to reach the Scottish capital.

How many trains are there from Manchester to Edinburgh?

The First Transpennine Express timetable offers eight daily direct trains to Edinburgh from Manchester Piccadilly with the schedule beginning in the early morning and continuing with trains every two hours until mid-evening. Sunday services are slightly reduced, with a later first morning train from Manchester. There are numerous daily indirect connections from Manchester with a choice of routes and operators.

What are the departure and arrival stations for trains from Manchester to Edinburgh?

Departure train station: Trains depart from Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria. Piccadilly Station is located on the eastern side of central Manchester, with public transport links available on Freebus services and Metrolink trams. Victoria Station is north of the city centre, with a Metrolink tram stop and city bus connections. Both stations have refreshment facilities, newsagents and taxi ranks, and Piccadilly offers luggage storage lockers.

Arrival train station: Trains arrive at Edinburgh Waverley. Waverley Station is located in central Edinburgh, with frequent bus and tram services available from nearby stops on Princes Street and an airport shuttle service departing from Waverley Bridge. The station concourse has a food supermarket, fast food restaurant, pub, luggage storage facilities and a taxi rank.

Travel Tips

Trains from Manchester to Edinburgh

Travel by train to Edinburgh easily. Whether you want fast, cheap or something entirely different, our travel experts have collected everything you need to know so you can find the best option from Manchester to Edinburgh.

What is the cost of cheap trains between Manchester and Edinburgh?

Omio customers have found the cheapest trains between Manchester and Edinburgh to cost as little as £39 in the next 7 days.

What is the average cost of a train from Manchester to Edinburgh?

If you’re looking to purchase tickets for this journey in the next 7 days, you’ll find that Manchester to Edinburgh train prices are on average £77 one way.

What is the distance by train from Manchester to Edinburgh?

The Manchester to Edinburgh train distance is approximately 174 miles (281 km).

What is the average Manchester to Edinburgh train duration?

The Manchester to Edinburgh train duration is on average 3 h 11 min, which is to be expected when travelling 174 miles (281 km) from Manchester to Edinburgh. However, the time it takes can vary based on specific dates, weekends, and bank holidays.

What is the departure train station in Manchester and arrival train station in Edinburgh?

Some of the Manchester train stations to Edinburgh you can start your journey from include Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Victoria and Manchester Oxford Road. Similarly, some of the arrival train stations in Edinburgh include Edinburgh Waverley, Edinburgh Haymarket and Edinburgh Gateway.

When travelling this route, Omio customers are departing most frequently from Manchester Piccadilly and arriving in Edinburgh Waverley.

Where is the Manchester train station located? Where is the Edinburgh train station located?

Passengers board their train most frequently from Manchester Piccadilly and travel around 0 mile (s) / 0 km from the city centre to this train station.

Passengers travelling this route most often arrive at Edinburgh Waverley and need to travel approximately 0 mile (s) / 0 km from the train station to the city centre in Edinburgh.

What train companies offer a service from Manchester to Edinburgh?

When taking a train from Manchester to Edinburgh, you can count on First Transpennine Express, Avanti West Coast, London North Eastern Railway or Cross Country for the best way to get you to Edinburgh. You can also check all possible train companies who offer a service between Manchester and Edinburgh and compare the amenities they offer before buying a train ticket.

How many train services per day are there to Edinburgh from Manchester?

On average, there are 10 trains a day from Manchester to Edinburgh. The train times and services may be different on weekends and holidays compared to weekdays.

When does the first train depart from Manchester to Edinburgh? When does the last train depart from Manchester to Edinburgh?

You can take the first train from Manchester to Edinburgh at 04: 57 or take the last train from Manchester to Edinburgh leaving at 10: 54. Look for the latest Manchester Edinburgh train timetable on Omio and book the best time to take the train for this journey.

How early should I buy Manchester to Edinburgh train tickets to get the best deals?

The price of a one way train ticket from Manchester to Edinburgh is on average £77 if you buy within the next 7 days. But we recommend booking tickets before your planned travel date to find the best prices for trains from all possible train providers offering this route. In general, you can find train tickets between Manchester and Edinburgh available a few months in advance.

Important Stations and Airports for this Journey

Manchester

Edinburgh

Manchester Piccadilly is the most popular Manchester railway station for Omio travellers, but it's not the only one. Read all the information you need to know about the main train stations in Manchester for your journey to Edinburgh.