Train Transfers To and From Manchester Airport

Manchester Airport handles a large number of domestic and international flights from its three large terminal buildings, named Terminal 1,2 and 3. It is situated 14 km (8.6 miles) from central Manchester, halfway between London and Edinburgh. The airport is also situated nearby Birmingham and Leeds, both of which have large and busy airports. Passengers arriving at Manchester Airport, or wanting to travel to Manchester Airport, have a range of transportation options. The airport features ‘The Station’, which is Manchester Airport’s integrated transport hub, offering rail, bus and coach services. The airport’s railway station is also situated at The Station, and offers fast and frequent train services for over 100 destinations across Northern England and beyond.

Manchester Airport’s railway station was built in 1993, together with the second terminal building. There are three rail companies which currently operate services to and from the airport, and these are Northern Rail, First TransPennine Express and Arriva Trains Wales. These companies operate under the direction of National Rail. A third rail platform was recently added to the airport’s railway station. This platform is intended to increase the number of railway passengers at the airport, as well as to offer support for the increasing passenger numbers using the railway facilities. In future there may also be a link from the airport to the Chester and Stockport line. This line will then allow for faster connections to the areas of Chester, Merseyside and North Wales.

The Station at Manchester Airport is situated between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, and passengers can reach the train station by using the Skylink moving walkway. The terminals are also currently connected to the train station by a free bus service. Tickets for the train services can be purchased in advance of your flight to Manchester Airport, online, and they can then be collected from the self-service machines in the baggage reclaim halls. Tickets may also be purchased from the booking office at The Station.

From the train station at the airport, passengers enjoy frequent and direct services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, run by TransPennine Express and Northern Rail to the cities of Sheffield, York, Newcastle, Leeds, Huddersfield, Bolton, Preston, Blackpool and the Lake District. Arriva Train Wales offers services to Chester and North Wales. Nine trains an hour link Manchester Airport to the main train station in the city center, named Manchester Piccadilly, from where all other destinations can be reached. Trains also travel frequently from Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Airport.

Connections from The Station can be made to Crewe, for destinations within Southern England, to various destinations throughout Northern England, and to Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverly via Carlisle, which is a new service that came into place in December, 2007. At present, no long distance destinations are available to the airport from the south, since the service to and from Skegness via Derby was discontinued due to poor passenger usage. In future, there may be a direct western rail link to Manchester Airport, but for now plans are uncertain. Arriva Trains Wales also offers three trains per day to Chester, with stops at Warrington Bank Quay. One of these trains continues to Llandudno.

Passengers can save money by understanding which ticket or rail pass option will suit their travel requirements. TransPennine offers various train tickets, all of which differ so that you can choose the one with the best value fare for your journey. Advance tickets are those for single, one-way journeys, and they must be purchased in advance before 18:00 on the day before your desired train trip. They offer both Standard and First-class travel, and discounts are available for children and passengers with Railcards. These tickets are only valid for the booked train service requested. Off-Peak Single and Off-Peak Day train tickets are sold at excellent prices, and Season Tickets can be used for travel on any day, provided the ticket is still valid. They can be purchased to include seven days, one calendar month, or any time length between one and twelve months. Anytime tickets are valid for one day, and can be purchased in advance or on the day of travel. First Class and Weekend First tickets are also available, and they include a complimentary tea, coffee or water and a biscuit if the train connection offers catering services.

Passengers arriving at Manchester Airport now have the convenient option of the Print at Home train tickets. This option is only available for the Manchester Airport Advance tickets. When booking online, customers will now be able to print their own tickets at home, and simply bring them with, ready for the train journey. You must have your ticket with you, as well as the payment card with which you purchased the ticket in order for it to be valid. It also doesn’t matter whether the ticket is printed in color or in black and white.

Railcards are specifically designed for great savings on train fares. There is the 16-25 Railcard for younger travelers between the ages of 16 and 25, and which are valid for train travel for one year throughout Great Britain. Persons who are aged over 26 may also purchase this option provided they are in full time education. The Family and Friends Railcard offers savings for anyone traveling with children, and the Senior Railcard is specifically for anyone over the age of 60. Disabled passengers will qualify for the Disabled Persons Railcard, allowing you and an adult companion to receive a third off most train fares throughout Great Britain.

Passengers arriving at Manchester Airport will find the train services from The Station to be fast, reliable and cost effective. Additional enquiries can be made to National Rail, at 08457 48 49 50, and further information about the general services offered at Manchester Airport is available from the information desks situated in the Arrival areas of the terminal buildings.