Buses to Manchester Airport

Getting the bus to Manchester Airport is a much cheaper alternative to taking the train. Buses and coaches stop at Manchester Airport coach station, right next to the train station. From there, it takes only 10 to 15 minutes to walk to the Airport terminals via the indoor Skylink walkway. There’s no need, therefore, for an extra shuttle bus.

National Express runs coaches from Manchester to Manchester Airport that operate every 40 minutes, on average, through day and night. Regular local buses also run from various locations in Greater Manchester to the airport. If you’re travelling from further afield, National Express runs direct coaches to Manchester Airport from major locations within the UK.

Read on to learn more about the different buses, including how frequently and what time buses run, and where they run from.

Getting to Manchester Airport by bus

Using Trainline, you can book cheap bus tickets from Manchester city centre and major locations in the UK to Manchester Airport in just a few clicks. This will save you money on taxis and airport parking, meaning you’ll have more to spend on your holiday. We recommend that you book tickets well in advance to get the cheapest fares.

National Express operates most of the coaches to Manchester Airport, including a coach from Manchester Coach Station to Manchester Airport Coach Station. On this route, tickets cost £4 and up with the journey taking approximately 25 minutes. Around 30 Manchester to Manchester Airport services run each day, at intervals of about 40 minutes. The services also run through the night. If you’re travelling from further afield, National Express run direct services from many UK towns and cities including London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Sheffield and Edinburgh. They also run transfer services to Manchester Airport from Birmingham, London Heathrow, London Stansted, London Gatwick and London Luton airports. All National Express coaches are comfortable with free Wi-Fi and air conditioning on board.

All coaches stop at Manchester Airport Coach station which is next to Manchester Airport train station. This is adjacent to Manchester Airport Terminal 2. Manchester airport has 3 terminals in total, connected by the indoor Skylink walkway. It takes around 10 to 15 minutes to walk between the terminals. Local buses also run directly to Manchester Airport from the city centre and various parts of Greater Manchester, including the Trafford Centre, Altrincham, Wythenshawe, Sale, Fallowfield, Didsbury, Wilmslow and Stockport.

If you have an early flight, there’s a Radisson Blu hotel between the train station and Terminal 2. This is again connected to the terminals via the Skylink walkway.

Things to do at Manchester Airport

With 1.7 million passengers a month, Manchester Airport is the third busiest airport in the UK. It has many coffee shops, bars, restaurants, and shops to cater to these passengers.

To get to your check-in gates, you’ll have to walk along the Skylink walkway to your designated terminal. But don’t worry if it’s raining—everything’s indoors.

Each terminal has shops like WHSmith, Monsoon, Dixon’s Travel, Boots, and a duty-free store with confectionary, souvenirs, alcohol, and more. You’ll also find establishments such as Burger King, Caffe Nero, Starbucks, and many more places to have a bite to eat or a drink before you fly. Each terminal has shops like WHSmith, Monsoon, Dixon’s Travel, Boots, and a duty-free store with confectionary, souvenirs, alcohol, and more. You’ll also find establishments such as Burger King, Caffe Nero, Starbucks, and many more places to have a bite to eat or a drink before you fly.

Looking for other ways to travel to Manchester Airport? You can also take the train to Manchester Airport.

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