More cities in one trip from Manchester
Manchester (United Kingdom) is a great base for seeing several cities in one trip: direct low-cost flights arrive from 91 airports, and FlixBus links it directly to 8 cities within about five hours. One of them is in another country (Ireland). The most searched are London, Birmingham and Bristol; the quickest to reach is Birmingham, about 1 h 55 min away. Below you'll find two ready-made loops, with nights split and travel times.
Updated on 17 September 2026
- 8 nearby cities by bus
- 91 airports with direct flights
- 2 countries
Nearby cities by bus from Manchester
Cities with a direct FlixBus or FlixTrain connection, most searched first. The time shown is the fastest direct ride we found on a typical day: times are approximate, so check schedules and prices on the FlixBus website.
| City | Distance | Approx. time | Transport |
|---|---|---|---|
| London · United Kingdom | 262 km | 3 h 45 min | Bus |
| Birmingham · United Kingdom | 113 km | 1 h 55 min | Bus |
| Bristol · United Kingdom | 227 km | 3 h 20 min | Bus |
| Leicester · United Kingdom | 119 km | 3 h 35 min | Bus |
| Cardiff · United Kingdom | 231 km | about 4 h 15 min | Bus or train |
| Newcastle-Upon-Tyne · United Kingdom | 171 km | 3 h 35 min | Bus |
| Dublin · Ireland | 267 km | about 4 h 45 min | Bus or train |
| Northampton · United Kingdom | 166 km | about 3 h | Bus or train |
“About”: there was no direct ride on the day we checked, so the time is estimated from the distance.
Loop trips from Manchester
Land in Manchester, get around by bus and come back here for your return flight. The nights are just a suggestion, and the loop works the other way round too.
Manchester → Birmingham → Leicester → Manchester
- 5 nights in total: 2 nights in Manchester, 2 nights in Birmingham, 1 night in Leicester
- About 6 h 30 min of travel in total, over three legs.
| Leg | Approx. time |
|---|---|
| Manchester → Birmingham | 1 h 55 min |
| Birmingham → Leicester | 1 h |
| Leicester → Manchester | 3 h 35 min |
Manchester → London → Birmingham → Manchester
- 5 nights in total: 2 nights in Manchester, 2 nights in London, 1 night in Birmingham
- About 8 h of travel in total, over three legs.
| Leg | Approx. time |
|---|---|
| Manchester → London | 3 h 45 min |
| London → Birmingham | 2 h 20 min |
| Birmingham → Manchester | 1 h 55 min |
Bus and flight are separate tickets: on the day of your flight, leave at least three hours between the bus arriving and the flight leaving.
Direct low-cost flights to Manchester
Airports with direct flights to Manchester, by country. Some routes are seasonal only.
Spain 19
AlicanteAlmeriaBarcelonaCastellonFuerteventuraGironaGran CanariaIbizaLanzaroteMadridMalagaMenorcaMurciaPalmaReusSantanderSevillaTenerifeValencia
Austria 2
SalzburgVienna
United Kingdom 2
BelfastDerry
Albania 1
Belgium 1
Bulgaria 1
Plovdiv
Cyprus 1
Czech Republic 1
Denmark 1
Finland 1
Hungary 1
Latvia 1
Malta 1
Netherlands 1
Norway 1
Romania 1
Slovakia 1
Sweden 1
FAQ
Which cities can you reach by bus from Manchester?
With a direct FlixBus or FlixTrain connection: London, Birmingham, Bristol, Leicester, Cardiff, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Dublin and Northampton. Times are approximate, so check schedules and prices on the FlixBus website.
How long is the bus from Manchester to London?
About 3 h 45 min on the fastest direct ride we found, over 262 km. Check schedules and prices on the FlixBus website.
How many nights do you need for a multi-city loop from Manchester?
For Manchester, Birmingham and Leicester, about 5 nights is enough (2 nights in Manchester, 2 nights in Birmingham, 1 night in Leicester), with about 6 h 30 min of travel in total.
Which airports have direct low-cost flights to Manchester?
From 91 airports in 27 countries, including Paris, Bucharest and Barcelona. With a FlyDown watch you get an alert when a flight to Manchester is cheap.