Skip to contentTrainline homepage
Business

No tickets in your basket.

Why not plan a trip?

My Bookings
Loading...
Loading...

Trains from Manchester to Leeds

Booking.com

ExternalLinkExternalLink

Open Booking.com in a new tab with places to stay on your trip

TransPennine Express
Avanti West Coast

Compare prices from over 270 rail and coach companies in Europe

Icon of trainline-phone-tickets.svg

Buy your tickets with us and easily find them on your phone

Icon of trainline-safe-payments.svg

Safely pay with PayPal, Visa and all international payment cards

Looking for the cheapest date to travel?

Within 7 days

Outbound from

Within 1 month

Outbound from

Within 3 months

Outbound from
Low prices found by our customers
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Today16 Sep17181920212223242526272829301 Oct23456789101112
Each fare is the lowest adult economy ticket fare found by our customers on Trainline. Fares booked further in advance than the dates displayed may be cheaper. Prices are updated daily, subject to change and indicative of price last update. Limited availability. Discount cards and coach journeys excluded, prices exclusive of booking fee.
  1. Home
  2. Train times
  3. Manchester to Leeds

Trains to Leeds from Manchester

It takes an average of 1h 16m to travel from Manchester to Leeds by train, over a distance of around 36 miles (58 km). There are normally 330 trains per day travelling from Manchester to Leeds and tickets for this journey start from £3.80 when you book in advance.

First train

02:42

Last train

01:59

Departure stationManchester
Arrival stationLeeds
Journey time

From 46m

Distance

36 miles (58 km)

Frequency

330 trains per day

Changes

Direct trains available

Price

From £3.80

Train operators

TransPennine Express

Travelling from Manchester to Leeds by train in less than an hour

🍃 Create 67% less CO2 when you choose train over car*

Is switching to train one of the best ways to lower your CO2 impact? Sure is. Keep it simple. Keep it low carbon.

Want to swap Lancashire for Yorkshire and looking for more information on how to travel from Manchester to Leeds by train? Start your journey today! 

Generally, the train journey from Manchester to Leeds takes around 1 hour and 17 minutes, but can take just 49 minutes on the fastest services, with around 258 trains running on this route every day. As there are direct services provided by TransPennine Express and Northern Rail, you don’t need to worry about making any changes along the journey.  

On this route, you’ll hop on a train at either Manchester Piccadilly or Manchester Victoria station. It doesn’t matter whether you’re travelling with on a TransPennine Express or Northern Rail service, you’ll enjoy onboard amenities including free WiFi and comfortable seating. If you like to travel in style, upgrade to First Class. With TransPennine Express First Class, you’ll enjoy more spacious seating, reclining seats and complimentary food and drink.  

If you’d like to snap up the cheapest train fares, try booking an Off-Peak time – tickets are usually cheaper when you travel Off-Peak compared to taking the train at Peak times. If you’d like to save even more, get a Railcard and save up to 1/3 on eligible journeys for a whole year.  

Eager to book? Start a search with us today for cheap train tickets from Manchester to Leeds – just head to our Journey Planner at the top of the page. For more information about the journey, keep reading for our timetable to view live train times, FAQs and tips on how to book cheaper train fares. 

*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.

What do people frequently ask about the train journey from Manchester to Leeds?

Want to know more about your journey from Manchester to Leeds? We've compiled some of the most frequently asked questions by our customers to help you plan your journey.

How do I get from Manchester to Leeds?

You can travel from Manchester to Leeds by train in about 1 hour and 16 minutes. With around 330 trains running each day, taking the train is easy. If you’re looking for other options, you can also catch the bus from Manchester to Leeds. Find out more in our Journey Planner.

How long is the train journey from Manchester to Leeds?

On average, the train journey from Manchester to Leeds takes around 1 hour and 16 minutes, with 330 trains per day. The duration may vary slightly depending on the specific train and any potential delays. Use our Journey Planner to check out more information.

How much is the train from Manchester to Leeds?

Train tickets from Manchester to Leeds start from as little as £3.80, depending on the time of booking, class of service and type of train. Booking in advance often results in cheaper prices.

What is the fastest train from Manchester to Leeds?

The fastest trains from Manchester to Leeds can cover the distance of 36 miles (58 km) in as little as 46 minutes.

How do I find cheap train tickets from Manchester to Leeds?

As most UK train companies increase their prices as the departure date approaches, our Trainline team of experts have put together these tips to help you find the cheapest tickets.

1. Book in advance

Train tickets from Manchester to Leeds start at £3.80§ one way for a Standard Class ticket if you book in advance. UK train companies usually release Advance tickets up to 12 weeks ahead of time, and these can be cheaper than tickets bought on the day of travel.

2. Sign up to Ticket Alert

If you're planning a trip more than 12 weeks ahead, sign up to our Ticket Alert to get notified when Advance tickets are released for your travel date.

3. Use a Railcard

National Railcards offer a 1/3 off eligible train tickets in the UK and can be a great investment if you travel throughout the year. Buy one with us and you'll be able to store it digitally in our app, so you'll always have it on your travels.

4. Book split tickets

Our handy feature SplitSave will 'split' your train journey into multiple tickets, which can be much cheaper than buying a single ticket. Find out more about split tickets.

5. Travel Off-Peak

If you can be flexible with your travel times, Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak tickets are usually cheaper in the UK. Generally, Off-Peak times are any time at weekends and outside of Monday to Friday morning and evening rush hours.

6. Consider a Season Ticket

Best for commuters, if you catch a train on the same route more than 3 times per week, you could save money with a Season Ticket. With annual, monthly, weekly and flexi options available, find out if a Season Ticket for Manchester to Leeds is right for you.

For more money-saving tips on UK and European train travel, read our cheap train tickets guide.

§Advance adult single fare. Excludes booking fee. Prices seen by Trainline customers in the last 30 days. Availability limited.

Tips and tricks from our Trainline team

We love helping our customers find inspiration for their next train journey. Discover some travel stories written based on our employees' experiences.

Travelling from Manchester to Leeds by train

Our train to Leeds departed from Manchester Piccadilly station, the main railway station in Manchester and a major transport hub for the north of England. From the city centre, we walked to the station for about ten minutes. We got through the ticket gates after showing our digital tickets to the railway staff, and hopped on the train.

We had booked our Advance train tickets online as they were the cheapest option, and we were able to reserve our table seats too. With an Advance ticket, you can only catch the specific train listed on your ticket, so we made sure we boarded the TransPennine Express train departing from platform 1 at 11:35 we had booked online. As we were travelling Off-Peak, the train was quite empty; we just sat back and relaxed while watching the world go by.

We got from Manchester to Leeds in less than an hour. Leeds train station is only a few minutes away from the city’s main attractions, so we just got off our train and started exploring.

Overall, our train journey was quite comfortable and super quick – making only two stops at Stalybridge and Huddersfield, we reached Leeds before we even knew it, without having to worry about traffic nor parking.

About Paola

Paola, a Trainline employee, chose to share her experience of the journey between Manchester and Leeds.

† Average savings on advance fares booked at least one week before day of travel vs Anytime fares purchased on day of travel. Subject to availability. Excludes coach.

Europe’s leading train and coach app

We help customers across Europe make more than 172,000 smarter journeys every day.

Get a link