- Recommended
Harborough Museum
Local museum covering the town and district, with displays on social history, local industries and the famous Old Grammar School building below.
Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Manchester to Market Harborough among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price, take the coach, with an average ticket price of £15 For those with little time, consider booking a train, which has an average total journey time of 2h 39m. Average ticket prices depend on the travel mode: a coach costs an average of £15, while a train costs an average of £44.
Distance: 142 km
Most popular Train | Coach | Driving |
|---|---|---|
£44 Average Price | £15 Average Price Cheapest | £28 Average Price (fuel + tolls) |
2h 39m Average total duration Fastest 2h 9m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 4h 15m Average total duration 3h 45m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 2h 34m Average total duration (door-to-door) |
Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options |
This is compared to other travel options from Manchester to Market Harborough:
A coach is £28 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Manchester to Market Harborough costing on average £44.
Other travel options to Market Harborough take longer:
Coach takes on average 3h 45m.
You'll arrive about 25m sooner (2h 9m by train vs 2h 34m by car). Tickets start at around £44 compared to roughly £28 in fuel and tolls — so you're paying a bit more, but getting hours of your day back, a city-centre arrival, and the freedom to work or relax instead of drive.
Driving makes more sense if you're travelling as a group (where fuel costs split several ways), want to stop along the way, or need a car once you arrive.
The table below shows live departures for Manchester to Market Harborough trains for today, Thursday 17 September. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated train journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Changes | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 7:43 Manchester | 2h42 | 10:25 Market Harborough | 0 changesdirect | |
![]() | 13:43 Manchester | 2h42 | 16:25 Market Harborough | 0 changesdirect | |
This is the last train of the day. | |||||
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Compare train and coach prices over the next three weeks. See the best deals at a glance, find the lowest fares, and choose the option that fits your budget.
Trains from Manchester to Market Harborough run on average 7 times per day, taking around 2h 9m. Cheap train tickets for this journey start at £44 but you can travel from only £15 by coach.
The earliest train runs at 05:04, the last at 22:57. The fastest train covers the 142 km distance in 3h 13m.
Distance 142 km |
Average train duration 2h 9m |
Cheapest ticket price £44 |
Trains per day 7 |
Fastest train 3h 13m |
First train 5:04 |
Last train 22:57 |
Cheapest Month Sept |
Cheapest Day Sat |
High Season Jul - Sept |
Low Season Apr - Jun |
Busiest Day Fri |
Least Busy Day Fri |
Best time to book 7 days |
Discover the best of Market Harborough — top attractions, local food, transport tips, budget advice, and currency essentials. Plan your perfect Market Harborough trip today.
Local museum covering the town and district, with displays on social history, local industries and the famous Old Grammar School building below.
An independent museum on the canal basin telling the story of the local canal network, boats and engineering. A rewarding stop for transport history.
Museum at the lift site explaining the operation and history of the inclined plane and locks. Ideal before exploring the famous waterways outside.
A waterside area with locks, boating activity, walks and wildlife. Popular for relaxed visits and one of the district’s most distinctive landscapes.
The historic shopping spine of the town, lined with independent shops and period buildings. Good for strolling and taking in Market Harborough’s character.
Pleasant town-centre green space with formal planting, seating and space to pause. It is a useful break from shopping streets and nearby traffic.
Leicestershire pork pie is a hand-raised pastry pie with seasoned pork and jelly, long associated with nearby Melton Mowbray and widely eaten across the county.
Red Leicester is a traditional county cheese with a firm texture and nutty, mellow flavour. It is a classic local table cheese in Leicestershire.
Stilton is a rich blue cheese long linked with Leicestershire inns and markets. It is prized for its creamy texture and distinctive savoury depth.
Smart modern British restaurant in The Square, known for refined seasonal cooking and a relaxed but polished town-centre setting.
Popular independent restaurant serving British and European dishes with steaks, seafood and a lively, contemporary feel.
Casual café and restaurant with a loyal local following for brunch, coffee, cakes and light lunches in a friendly setting.
Moderate for England. Hotels and dining are usually cheaper than London, but pricier than many smaller UK towns. Local buses are manageable, and rail trips can add to visitor costs.
Tipping is modest. In restaurants, 10-12.5% is usual if service is not included. Taxis are often rounded up. In cafés, tipping is optional, though small change is appreciated.
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from Manchester to Market Harborough by train. 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 train, the cheapest option, or tips for making the most of your visit at Market Harborough, this guide helps you travel smarter and with confidence.

Most Manchester to Market Harborough trains use the Manchester Piccadilly to Market Harborough station pair. Use this guide to compare Manchester and Market Harborough train stations on this route, check city-centre transport, alongside checking practicalities like train station facilities and services.
Manchester Piccadilly has practical services for this route, including Wifi, Lockers, Parking, Dining, ATM, Taxis, Accessibility, WC, Hotel, Ticket Office, Bike Parking, Bike Rental, Car Rental and Information Desk.
Food options include: Burger King, Caffè Nero, Carluccio’s, Hotel Chocolat, Starbucks, The Pasty Shop, Costa Coffee, Pret a Manger, Upper Crust, McDonald's, & more
Pay as you go Wi-Fi is available through BT Wi-Fi. ATMs are there are ATM machines on the main concourse, Platform 10 and on the mezzanine level.
The ticket office is open Mon - Sat: 04:30 - 22:30, Sun: 07:00 - 22:30. Information desks are located near the Fairfield Street entrance on the mezzanine level.
Luggage storage is operated by Excess Baggage Co. Llocated between Platforms 10 and 11 and open daily from 08:00 to 21:00.
Available at Manchester Piccadilly: Parking, Taxis, WC.
Available at Manchester Piccadilly: Bike Parking, Bike Rental, Car Rental.
Accessibility facilities are available at Manchester Piccadilly: There is step-free access throughout the station. Ramps for train access and wheelchairs are also available.
Nearby hotels include DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Manchester - Piccadilly, Premier Inn Manchester City, Staycity Aparthotels - Manchester Piccadilly.
Manchester Airport is 13 km from Manchester city centre. Public transport options include:
Manchester Airport has practical services for this route, including Wifi, Shopping, Parking, Dining, ATM, Accessibility, WC, Ticket Office, Bike Parking and Information Desk.
Food and drink options are available at Manchester Airport.
Wi-Fi is available at Manchester Airport. ATMs are available at Manchester Airport.
Ticket office support is available at Manchester Airport. Information desks are information available from staff: ,Yes - from help point,Yes - from information point,Yes - from ticket office, Helpline Contact: 0800 107 2149, Passenger Information Systems: Departure screens, Announcements.
Available at Manchester Airport: Parking, WC.
Available at Manchester Airport: Bike Parking.
Accessibility facilities are available at Manchester Airport: Staff help available: Yes, Step free access coverage: Yes, Step free access note: re Step free access is provided from the Ground Transport Interchange to all platforms via lifts or ramps. This station is staffed for all services. This station is Category A. Station staff can provide assistance from Meeting Point 1 (adjacent to the Station Booking Office) and throughout the railway station, and with boarding and alighting the train. Customers requiring assistance should make themselves known to station staff no less than 20 minutes prior to the departure time of their train. Customers requiring assistance to access other services or to connect with terminals should request this from their airline or Manchester Airport Group. Assistance can be requested in advance by contacting the TransPennine Express Assisted Travel Team on 0800 107 2149 (18001 prefix for TextRelay). Please be aware that some platforms at this station have no or only partial tactile paving on the platform edge, Accessible public telephones: In the station cafe on platforms 2 and 3, Accessible ticket machines: There are accessible ticket machines at this station, Accessible toilets: Yes, Ramp for train access: Yes, Wheelchairs available: Yes, Impaired mobility set down / pick up points available: Yes.
Market Harborough has practical services for this route, including Parking, Dining, Accessibility, WC, Hotel, Ticket Office and Bike Parking.
Food and drink options are available at Market Harborough.
Ticket office support is available at Market Harborough.
Available at Market Harborough: Parking, WC.
Available at Market Harborough: Bike Parking.
Accessibility facilities are available at Market Harborough: Staff help available: Yes, Step free access coverage: Yes, Step free access note: Category A station. Step free access is available to both platforms, via the ticket office for platform 1 or the new car park for platform 2. Please check which platform your train is due to depart from before arriving at the station. Services to the north, including Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield and Derby normally depart from platform 1. Services to London and stations south of Market Harborough normally depart from platform 2. If you do need assistance to change platforms, we're happy to help. Please speak to a member of staff or use a Help Point in the station. This station has tactile paving at the edge of each platform, Accessible car park equipment: Wheelchair users may require assistance using car park equipment at this station, Accessible ticket machines: There are accessible ticket machines at this station, Accessible toilets: Yes, Ramp for train access: Yes, Wheelchairs available: Yes, Impaired mobility set down / pick up points available: Yes.
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