Transfer Options from Manchester Airport to Manchester City Centre

Fern Coll

Travel Writer/World Explorer

November 21, 2022

Manchester is a vibrant city located in the North of England. Known for its live music venues, large shopping centres, melting-pot of cuisines and famous football team. There’s something in Manchester for everyone to enjoy.

There are three different ways to make your transfer from Manchester Airport to Manchester city centre; taxi, train or bus. The quickest transfer option is the train, which takes 15 minutes to reach the city centre and costs just £3.20 (€4). Another convenient and quick transfer option is taking a Manchester airport taxi or private car, as it takes just 20 minutes to reach the city centre. Your final option is to take the Stagecoach 43 or 103 bus, which takes 45 minutes to reach Manchester and costs £3.50 (€4).

Welcome Pickups offers meet and greet services and a friendly introduction to Manchester at the same price as a regular taxi. Click here to see the cost.

Book a trusted, English-speaking driver to pick you up at the same price as a regular taxi Learn more

Welcome Pickups has a Net Safety Score of 99 of 100

We’ve introduced a metric indicating how safe travellers feel when using our services during the COVID-19 pandemic. After every ride, we ask each traveller to leave a review.

20 minute gap between transfers
Regular Car Sanitisation
Contactless ride
Sanitiser in every car

Comparison of the options

PRICE FOR 2PASSENGERS

OPTION	PRICE	DURATION	AVAILABILITY
Welcome Pickups	€54	15min	24/7	Book
Book
Taxi	€52	20min	24/7
Train	€8	15min	02:51–01:53
Bus	€8	45min	24/7

How to get from Manchester airport to the city centre by taxi

One of the fastest and most convenient ways to get from Manchester airport to Manchester is by taking an airport taxi or private car. They are available 24/7 and have lots of different sized vehicles to accommodate different groups.

Taxi fare from Manchester airport to city centre

There’s no set-rate taxi fare from Manchester airport to the city centre. The local drivers will calculate your fare based on a number of things, including vehicle size, the time of day, number of passengers and your exact destination in the city centre. However, the average cost is around £44 (€52).

Cost

£44 (€52)

Trip Duration

15 Min.

*Prices may vary unless booked in advance.

Convenience

Safety

Value for Money

Taxis are available 24/7 at Manchester Airport

Where do I get the taxi from?

Taxis are readily available 24/7 outside of the arrivals hall of all terminals at Manchester airport. Simply look for the long line of cars and walk to the one at the front.

Convenience

Taking a taxi is an extremely convenient and comfortable way to get from Manchester airport to Manchester. There’s no need to wait in cold train or bus stations and your driver will take you directly to the door of your hotel in the city centre.

Editor’s Note

Although taking a taxi is comfortable and highly convenient, if you're a single traveller or have light luggage, taking the train from Manchester airport to the city centre will take the same time and cost much less.

Useful Tips

The larger the taxi you choose, the more expensive it will be.

Taxi drivers in England don't expect tips, but you can round up your fare if you wish.

Some taxi drivers in Manchester accept credit card payments, be sure to ask your driver before getting into the taxi if you need to pay by card.

How to get from Manchester airport to Manchester city centre by train

Taking a train from Manchester airport to the city centre is the fastest transfer option available. You can reach Manchester in just 15 minutes and tickets cost £3.20 (€4), making it the cheapest transfer option too.

How much is the train from Manchester airport to the city centre?

A one-way ticket for the train from Manchester airport to Manchester costs £3.20 (€4). However, if you purchase your tickets in advance, you can save up to 61%. You can purchase your tickets online or from the automatic ticket machines in the station.

Cost

£3.20 (€4)

Trip Duration

20 Min.

There's a wait time of up to 15 minutes for the train.

Convenience

Safety

Value for Money

The train from Manchester airport to the city centre is available from 02:51 to 01:53.

Where do I get the train from?

The train from Manchester airport to the city centre is located in the train station at the airport. To get there, you can take the Sky Link bridge from all terminals. From Terminal 1 it will take around 5 minutes to walk, 10 minutes from Terminal 2 and 7 from Terminal 3. If you have a lot of luggage or reduced mobility, you can also take the free shuttle bus.

Convenience

As taking the train is the fastest way to get from Manchester airport to the city centre, it’s very convenient. They also have some luggage storage space, free WiFi and comfortable seats on board, making the journey very comfortable. However, once you reach the train station in the city centre, you will need to take another mode of transportation to get to your hotel.

Timetables

Train from Manchester Airport

Editor’s Note

Taking the train is one of the best ways to get from Manchester airport to the city centre. However, if you're travelling in a large group or have a lot of luggage, you may want to consider taking a taxi for your comfort.

Useful Tips

The train from Manchester airport is temperature controlled all year round so is very comfortable.

There's WiFi available on the train.

Luggage rails for large items and overhead storage for smaller items are available throughout all cabins on the train.

How to get from Manchester airport to Manchester by bus

There are two Stagecoach buses that run from Manchester airport to the city centre of Manchester, numbers 43 and 103. Taking the bus is a good budget option, but it’s the slowest transfer as it takes 45 minutes to reach Manchester.

How much is the bus from Manchester airport to the city centre?

A one-way ticket for the 43 or 103 bus costs £3.50 (€4). You can purchase this from the driver by cash or card.

Cost

£3.50 (€4)

Trip Duration

45 Min.

There's a waiting time of up to 15 minutes for the 43 and 103 buses.

Convenience

Safety

Value for Money

The Stagecoach 43 and 103 buses are available 24/7 at Manchester airport.

Where do I get the bus from?

The buses run from the train station at Manchester airport. You can reach them using the Sky Link tunnel. It will take around 10 minutes to walk there from all terminals.

Convenience

Although they run 24/7, taking the Stagecoach buses from Manchester airport to Manchester city centre is the least convenient transfer option. There are multiple stops along the way, making the journey take over double that of the other transfer options. Plus, once you reach the city centre, you will need to take another mode of transportation to get to your hotel.

Timetables

Number 43 Bus

Number 103 Bus

Editor’s Note

If you're travelling on a budget, I strongly recommend that you choose to travel by train rather than by bus as it costs less and is much quicker.

Useful Tips

The Stagecoach buses run 24/7 from Manchester airport but more frequently during the day.

You can pay the driver on the bus, but you must carry change in the local currency or use your card.

There's very limited luggage storage on the buses.

Frequently asked questions

How far is the journey from Manchester airport to the city centre?

Manchester airport is located 14.5 km from the city centre of Manchester. The journey from Manchester airport to the city centre will take around 20 minutes in a taxi or by private transfer, 15 minutes by train and around 45 minutes if you take the 43 or 103 bus.

How much is taxi from Manchester airport to the city centre of Manchester?

The local taxi drivers at Manchester airport don’t offer set-rate fees for your journey. They will decide on your fare using a few factors such as time of day, number of passengers, vehicle size and excess luggage. If you’d prefer a set fare you can rely on, why not book your Manchester airport transfer with Welcome Pickups.

The best way to arrive in Manchester

High-end transfer service at the same price as a regular taxi. Available in 42 destinations.

Learn more

Book a trusted, English-speaking driver to pick you up at the same price as a regular taxi Learn more

How to get from Manchester airport to the city centre by taxi

Taxi fare from Manchester airport to city centre

Cost

£44 (€52)

Trip Duration

15 Min.

Convenience

Safety

Value for Money

Taxis are available 24/7 at Manchester Airport

Where do I get the taxi from?

Convenience

Editor’s Note

Useful Tips

How to get from Manchester airport to Manchester city centre by train

How much is the train from Manchester airport to the city centre?

Cost

£3.20 (€4)

Trip Duration

20 Min.

Convenience

Safety

Value for Money

The train from Manchester airport to the city centre is available from 02:51 to 01:53.

Where do I get the train from?

Convenience

Timetables

Train from Manchester Airport

Editor’s Note

Useful Tips

How to get from Manchester airport to Manchester by bus

How much is the bus from Manchester airport to the city centre?

Cost

£3.50 (€4)

Trip Duration

45 Min.

Convenience

Safety

Value for Money

The Stagecoach 43 and 103 buses are available 24/7 at Manchester airport.

Where do I get the bus from?

Convenience

Timetables

Number 43 Bus

Number 103 Bus

Editor’s Note

Useful Tips

Frequently asked questions

How far is the journey from Manchester airport to the city centre?

How much is taxi from Manchester airport to the city centre of Manchester?

The best way to arrive in Manchester

Save the article for later or share it with friends

The link is copied

Transfer Options in Manchester

Manchester Airport Taxis and Transfers - Book Online - Welcome Pickups

Prices and Useful Tips for Taxis in Manchester - Manchester Taxi

FromManchester Airport

ToLiverpool

FromManchester Airport

ToManchester Piccadilly Train Station

99 Destinations Worldwide

Pre-book online→