Getting around Manchester

Manchester has a good public transport network that is comprised of buses, trains and trams. The most useful services for most visitors to the city include the Metrolink tram network and the three free Metroshuttle bus routes in the city centre.

Bus

Manchester has an extensive bus network with many routes terminating at Piccadilly Gardens bus station.

Bus fares across Greater Manchester are capped at £2 and there are also a few free bus routes in the city centre and several travel passes are available that make it cheaper to get around Manchester.

The System One AnyBus ticket costs £5 and is good for one day unlimited travel on most buses within Manchester. There are also several day passes that are restricted to a single bus operator but these are not necessarily any better value and they also restrict your travel options.

There is also a network of three free bus routes that run through Manchester city centre. The three free bus routes (formerly known as the Metroshuttle bus routes) are the most useful bus routes for most visitors to Manchester as they cover most points of interest in the city centre and there is no need to worry about buying tickets or passes.

Train

There are 91 stations on Manchester’s suburban train system, which many people take to the airport or the Peak District.

The Rail Ranger pass costs £7.70 and is good for off-peak travel on all local train services in Greater Manchester.

Tram

The Metrolink tram network provides good coverage in the city centre and extends out to some suburbs. It is a useful mode of transport for many travellers with nine stops in the city centre including the main railway stations.

Useful tram routes include line 6 to the airport (although it is quicker to catch the train), lines 1 and 2 to Old Trafford cricket ground, lines 3 and 7 to Old Trafford football stadium (for Manchester United), Salford Quays, MediaCityUK and Etihad stadium (for Manchester City). Line 4 connects Manchester Piccadilly and Victoria railway stations.

A single ticket, which is good for two hours, costs £1.40–4.60 depending on how many zones you will travel through and a one-day travelcard costs £2.70–7.10 (£1.90–4.90 off-peak).

Fares

There are several good value travel passes available that give you unlimited travel on buses, trains and trams.

System One DaySaver

The System One DaySaver is a flexible travel pass that gives you unlimited travel on a combination of buses, trains and trams in the Greater Manchester area. Off-peak passes are valid after 9.30am Mon–Fri and all day on weekends.

	All day	Off-peak
Bus only	£5	-
Bus and tram	£9.50	£7.80
Bus and train	-	£8.60
Bus, train and tram	-	£10.70