Getting to Manchester
Information about travelling to Manchester and the University.
Before you travel
Whether you’re arriving by air, rail or road, check our website for our latest advice and guidance. If you are arriving from a red list country, please see the updates to travel restrictions for further guidance in our Travel and visas section.
Our support
If you’re worried about your journey, our Virtual Airport Support Service will be on hand in September until the start of October for arrivals from amber and green list countries. Please refer to the UK government travel advice to check your country.
The service will be operating from 6am to 2am UK time each day, to help with your arrival. Accessible by social media on Slack, we will be able to assist you in your move to both University Halls of Residences or private accommodation. We will also have WeChat available, if you are not able to access Slack.
Due to the ongoing changes with COVID-19 safety measures in the UK, we will update you with information here if there are any additions to the Virtual Airport Support Service.
Arrival information form
If you are arriving from an amber or green list country (your domicile country) then please complete the arrival information form to sign up for this service.
If you are arriving from a red list country, you are not required to complete this form. Please see the updates to travel restrictions for further guidance.
Buddy scheme
The Students Union are also running a buddy scheme to help students support each other.
Getting to Manchester
Maps and travel advice
Our maps and travel advice will help you make your way to and around the University.
Travel from Manchester Airport
Manchester Airport is located just 14 kilometres south of the city centre and is about 20 minutes away by car. If you're making your own way from the airport the easiest way to get to your accommodation will be by taxi, especially if you have a lot of luggage. Your driver can take you to exactly where you need to go and you won’t have to worry about finding your way around as soon as you arrive. It's likely to cost £25-£35 to get to University accommodation, depending on how much traffic there is and how much luggage you have.
As you arrive in the arrivals Hall look out for the signage for “Taxis” and you will see ranks of Black cab taxis outside each of the terminals. Alternatively you can book with Streetcars. The details can be found on the Airport website.
Please read the government advice for people arriving in the UK and the Public Health England advice, which the University is following.
Travel from airports other than Manchester
If you are flying to the UK we advise you to fly directly to Manchester, if you are able to. There are flights to Manchester Airport from London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Southend and London City Airports. You can also find flights to Manchester from other major European cities. If you are flying into London and transferring to another flight, remember to allow yourself enough time to get to your connection.
If you are arriving from a red list country, there are restrictions in place. Please refer to the UK government travel advice and further guidance will also be given on the University’s website.
Arriving at a London airport and continuing to Manchester by coach
If you arrive in London by plane and are going to Manchester by coach, in most cases you will first have to travel by underground train (tube) to Victoria coach station in the centre of London. You should be aware that most tube stations don't have lifts and some have lots of stairs. As well as this, space on trains can be limited and services are often very busy, especially in central London.
If you decide to fly into London Heathrow and travel to Manchester by coach, there are some direct services. The journey takes around six hours, but can be longer depending on traffic. The two most popular coach services in the UK are National Express and Megabus.
Manchester has two main city centre coach stations, Manchester Central on Chorlton Street and Shudehill Interchange.
If you decide to travel via London, remember to allow yourself enough time to collect your luggage, pass through immigration and travel across the city.
Information on transport in the London area can be found on the Transport for London website.
In-line with the UK government’s advice, we strongly recommend that face masks be worn on all public transport and in crowded areas.
Arriving at a London airport and continuing to Manchester by train
Trains from London to Manchester leave from Euston Station in central London. The quickest way to get here from any of the London airports is to take the tube (underground train). Again, we strongly advise against travelling through London on the underground with lots of luggage because of the difficulty of navigating tube stations, which don't usually have lifts, and busy tube services with limited space.
Remember to allow yourself enough time to collect your luggage, pass through immigration and travel across London.
Information on transport in the London area can be found on the Transport for London website.
Manchester has three main train stations: Piccadilly, Victoria and Oxford Road. The train from London Euston arrives at Piccadilly and usually takes just over two hours. You can find information on train times and book train tickets on the National Rail website or on Trainline. The cost of train tickets vary from around £25 to over £100 depending on the day, how far in advance you are booking, and the time of travel.
In-line with the UK government’s advice, we strongly recommend that face masks be worn on all public transport and in crowded areas.
Getting around campus
The University is located on the south side of Manchester city centre. You can find your way around our campus using our interactive map. All of our buildings are in the same general area of the city and are within easy walking distance of each other, making getting around our campus simple. There are regular shuttle buses to pick up and drop off students at various points around the campus. These are also highlighted on the campus map.