When visiting either Manchester or Birmingham – or why not, both of them – travelers have plenty of choices when it comes to transportation. First of all, they are just 80 miles apart, so you can fly into either of them or into London – especially if you come from other parts than Europe – and then travel by land.
Buses and trains offer excellent connections between Manchester and Birmingham. You can also rent a car if you prefer the freedom at moving at your own pace.
Quick summary
The cheapest way to travel between Manchester and Birmingham is by bus. Fares start at £3.00 one way and the travel time is about 2 hours. Trains are slightly faster, but more expensive.
Trains from Manchester to Birmingham
Birmingham’s main station is New Street, which offer direct connections to Manchester Piccadilly , about every 10 to 15 min daily. The travel time is 1 ½ h to 1h 50 min and single fares start at £32.50.
Details, schedules and prices can be found here .
>>read more about Train Travel in England
Buses from Manchester to Birmingham
All intercity buses arrive at Birmingham Coach Station, a modern new station which is located close to the city center.
National Express offers daily connections, departing hourly or every two hours from Manchester Coach Station. The travel time is between 2h 50 min and 3h 15 min and the single fare starts at £5.50.
Megabus offers nine departures per day, about every 2 hours. The travel time is close to 2 h and the single fare starts at £3.00 and depends on the time of the departure.
>>read more about Bus Travel in England
Driving from Manchester to Birmingham
You can rent a car in Manchester and drive the 83 miles to Birmingham in about 1 ½ h. Of course, the travel time depends on the traffic on M6.