Manchester has a good public transport network consisting 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 center.
1. Bus
Manchester has an extensive bus network with many routes ending at Piccadilly Gardens bus station.
The System One AnyBus ticket costs £ 6 and is valid for an unlimited day on most Manchester buses. There are also several slightly cheaper day passes which are reserved for a single bus operator. These include the Arriva Day Saver ticket (£ 4.70) for traveling by Arriva bus, the FirstDay ticket (£ 5) for traveling by First bus and the Stagecoach Manchester Dayrider (£ 5) for traveling by Stagecoach bus.
There is also a network of three free bus lines that cross Manchester city center. The three free bus lines (formerly known as Metroshuttle bus lines) are the most useful bus lines for most visitors to Manchester as they cover most of the points of interest in the city center.
2. Train
There are 91 stations on Manchester’s commuter train network, which many people take to the airport or the Peak District.
The Rail Ranger pass costs £ 7.20 and is good for off-peak travel on all local train services in Greater Manchester.
3. Tram
The Metrolink tram network offers good coverage in the city center and extends to certain suburbs. It is a useful mode of transportation for many travelers with nine stops in the city center, including the main stations.
Useful tram routes include line 6 to the airport (although it is faster to take the train), lines 1 and 2 to the Old Trafford cricket ground, lines 3 and 7 to the stadium Old Trafford football (for Manchester United), Salford Quays, MediaCityUK and Etihad Stadium (for Manchester City). Line 4 connects Manchester Piccadilly and Victoria stations.
Popular Visas
A single ticket, valid for two hours, costs £ 1.40 to 4.60 depending on the number of zones you will cross and a day trip card costs £ 2.70 to 7.10 (1.90 to 4, £ 90 off peak).
