First thing is to get from the airport to the city center. Use
these maps as a little help. Some maps include clickable areas linking to other more detailed maps. All the maps can be printed. This will help you to find the bus station. There are the
other available options to get to the city center, but I choose this one because it's the cheaper one. You will get Stagecoach 43 to the Piccadilly Gardens. This should be the last station, but maybe someone will stay in the bus, so if you are not sure, ask bus driver if it is the Piccadilly Gardens. You will probably recognize it by a lot of people on the street, but ask if you are not sure. As there are usually a lot of people to go out on that station, you don’t have to press the button in the bus. Bus goes every 10 minutes and takes approximately 35-50 minutes to the city center. The daily ticket is 3, 5 pounds, but you will by Megarider ticket (that is a weekly ticket and you can ask for weekly ticket or for Megarider). The price for this ticket is 11 pounds and you can buy it from the bus driver (prepare money before you go into the bus). The ticket is valid for the 7 days and you can drive by Stagecoach and Magic Bus as many times as you want and this is the reason why I suggest the weekly ticket (see image).
The bus has only one door, so you don’t have to worry on which one you have to go in :-) I’m not sure for bus 43, but probably it will be on two levels. I’ve usually go upstairs when I have to travel longer, but be careful when you have to go down. My suggestion is to set down as I suppose you’ll have the luggage.
Bus routes from the airport are shown on the next image:
Manchester - Wythenshawe - Airport Timetables from 31st August 2008 (PDF - 34kb).
Stagecoach bus:
In Manchester center there are Piccadilly Gardens and Piccadilly Station. As you are coming by bus, you’ll reach to the Piccadilly Gardens. If you want to leave your luggage first, you can do it at the Piccadilly Station, 5 min from the Piccadilly Gardens, and the price is 7 pounds for 24 hours.
Click here and see the third option where is written “North Britain Station” and the last one is for the Piccadilly Station. (My opinion is that it’s a little expensive, but that’s your choice. I’ll try to find a cheaper option and write about that.)
Map with marked Piccadilly Gardens (B, the bus station) and Piccadilly Station (A):
View Larger MapThe Manchester City Center map is available
here (PDF - 1,39mb).
That's all for now. Some links that could be useful are listed below:
Manchester airportVisit Manchester Places to eat and drink near the Piccadilly GardensPiccadilly Gardens - WikitravelPiccadilly Gardens - WikipediaStagecoach bus company
