Trains from London to Manchester

Go green

Taking the train instead of driving lowers your CO2 impact by a whopping 67%.* Keep it simple, keep it low-carbon.

Save time & money

What's faster or cheaper than flying from London to Manchester? Ah yes, that'd be the train. Cheaper even without a Railcard, too. Win for you. Win for the planet.

Bikes on board

In the UK, you can take your bike on the train, for free! Cool, huh? And, thanks to our bike reservation feature, travelling with your bike has never been easier.

Travel in style

Unlike flying or driving, going by train means no extra luggage charges or parking costs. Plus, you step off the train, right into the city-centre. Aaaand relax.

* Calculations are based on CO2 / passenger km, comparing an average petrol car, using statistics and conversion factors published in the government’s greenhouse gas reporting conversion factors published 7 June 2023 and revised 28 June 2023. See here for more.

Between London and Manchester, 87% of the journeys sold on Trainline between May 2022 and May 2023 were cheaper and faster by rail vs plane. (61% of the journeys sold on Trainline were cheaper and faster by rail vs car.)

Avanti West Coast is one of the major rail operators in the UK. Having taken over the running of the West Coast Main Line in 2019, it now provides services from London Euston and several of the UK’s larger stations including Birmingham New Street, Manchester Piccadilly and Liverpool Lime Street. 

Many journeys are on high-speed services where you don’t need to change trains, so Avanti West Coast is a great alternative to flying if you’re looking to explore up and down the country. 

More information about Avanti West Coast 

Avanti West Coast trains have an onboard shop where you can purchase a variety of hot and cold drinks and snacks.

If you want to stretch your legs, there's also a click-and-collect option on Pendolino trains. You'll receive a notification when your order is ready, then just visit the onboard shop to collect your food and drink. 

In First Class, Avanti West Coast serves free food and drinks throughout your journey. The menu can change depending on the type of train you're travelling on and the time/day of your journey. Here's an idea of what you can expect during your journey: 

• Breakfast is served until 11:00 am and includes soft drinks like tea or coffee, and usually a bacon roll or a veggie option 
• During the rest of the day (10:00 am - 10:00 pm), light dishes or a hot meal will be on offer 
• Healthy options are available 
• Meals are made with unique, quality products made by local suppliers along the route. 

How to get to London Euston station from central London 

London Euston station is conveniently located in the heart of the capital. If you’re in the city centre, you can simply walk to the station to catch your train. Alternatively, you can travel to the station by: 

• London Overground (orange): services run between Watford Junction and London Euston station.
• London Underground services: the Northern (black) and Victoria (light blue) lines stop at Euston. The Hammersmith and City (pink), Circle (yellow) and Metropolitan (magenta) lines stop at Euston Square station; from here, it’s a short walk to Euston train station.
• Transport for London (TfL) buses: Bus lines 1, 18, 30, 68, 73, 91, 168, 205, 253, 390 and night bus lines N5, N20, N73, N91, N205 and N253 stop at London Euston. 

What’s available at London Euston station?

As one of the busiest stations in the UK, there’s plenty on offer at London Euston to keep travellers fuelled and entertained before their train journeys begin. There’s also passenger assistance available.

London Euston offers the following facilities and assistance services:

• Food and drink outlets such as Caffe Nero, Pret A Manger and M&S
• Cash machines
• Avanti First Class lounge (First Class ticket holders only)
• Luggage storage
• Waiting rooms
• Toilets (including accessible toilets and a Changing Places toilet)
• Luggage trolleys
• Wheelchairs
• Free WiFi
• Audio induction loop.

Taking the tram in Manchester 

Manchester has an extensive tram network called Metrolink. There are seven tram lines serving different parts of the city, with many lines stopping at the city’s train stations – so it’s easy to get around! 

Generally, Metrolink services run from 6:00 am until midnight, Monday to Thursday. On Fridays and Saturdays, trams run until 1:00 am. Metrolink’s Sunday hours are between 7:00 am and midnight. Individual services may differ, so it’s a good idea to check online before you travel. 

Taking the bus in Manchester 

Manchester has frequent bus services operating to help you get around. There’s a free bus in the city centre which has two circular routes – this runs approximately every ten minutes during the day, though exact times may vary. You can use these bus services to get between the different train stations in Manchester, or to explore the city while giving your feet a rest! 

There are also paid bus services operated by First and Stagecoach which extend into Greater Manchester.