Your Guide on the Best Ways to Get Around Manchester

Getting around a city can always be a bit confusing, as there seem to be so many options! Whether you’re debating if you need a car to get around, or if you’re wondering which public transport is the best to rely on, you can find all the information you need in our guide on the best ways to get around Manchester.

Is Public Transport Better?

Public transport is generally good for getting around Manchester, though it does depend on what you plan on doing in Manchester. For example, if you’re only visiting and so planning on staying in the city centre, you may even be able to get around by walking to and from places. For the most part though, relying on the buses, trains, and metro tends to be plenty enough to get to most places in and around Manchester.

There are always issues that will arise with public transport, however. Services across all three platforms face delays (and in some cases, cancellations), and there may a lot less reliability than if you were to use a car. However, it is possible you may save some money, especially with the rising cost of petrol and diesel making driving a car so expensive at the current time.

Bus, Train, or Metro?

If you’re considering public transport, you may want to decide which service is the best to use. All three services have some sort of scheme whereby buying often results in lower fares. For example, you can purchase a railcard as a young person on trains, or you can buy bus tickets in advance to save lots of money.

The Metrolink is one of the most successful ways to get around Manchester, as the services are frequent and so delays don’t cause much of an issue. However, there are limited destinations as of yet, and though there are plans for expansion of the Metrolink, you may find it difficult if you’re looking to travel to many different places, especially if they’re outside of the city.

The trains and buses tend to be less frequent, but cover a lot more ground, and you can often find the services are relatively quick. However, each comes with its own issues – the rising cost of train and bus fares does mean travelling by public transport may start to become less affordable. That said, a proposed scheme from the mayor Andy Burnham means bus fares may be reduced soon. The new initiative plans on capping adult single trips to £2, and a day ticket to only £5, meaning this may be a more viable option in the near future.

The trains, whilst handy to get around, do face their own problems. For example, the train service run by Northern Rail has been criticised quite substantially for lack of quality services as well as extended delays. Northern Rail has faced a lot of scrutiny from the public and many train users in Manchester tend to be unsatisfied with the services, giving more reason to lean towards bus services when getting around.

What Are Alternatives to Public Transport?

Public transport isn’t always an option – you may want to venture further out or get around quicker and more efficiently. If you decide you need a car, whether that’s out of necessity to get to certain places regularly or simply a desire for more flexibility, you might want to lease a car. We’d recommend leasing an electric car – Manchester has already faced difficulties regarding air pollution, and though the proposal for a Clean Air Zone has been denied, the discussions are still ongoing, meaning having an eco-friendly car could save you some trouble (and money) later on. You can find more information on electric cars from ElectriX - this also includes why it may be more affordable to lease a car. Living in a city can be expensive so saving money when you can is always a good idea.

There are also taxi services, including Uber, operating in Manchester. Though you should be careful about using these in the city centre due to the nature of city driving and the number of one-way roads potentially hiking your fare, it’s certainly an option to get around if you’re stuck or need to go out of your way. This tends to be more expensive but can be suitable in a hurry. Especially if you're planning for a few nights out, it can be handy to have a taxi service on hand that can take you home if you're over the limit, so you don't need to worry about assigning a designated driver

There you have it! These are our recommendations for the best ways to get around Manchester so you can travel in a way that is most enjoyable, affordable, and relevant to you.