London to Manchester by train
Manchester lies 262 km (163 mi) north-west of London, in the same time zone. What the numbers say about getting there.
By rail the journey is about 2 h 31 min at the speeds typical of United Kingdom rail, over roughly 319 km (198 mi) of track; the operator’s timetable is the number that counts.
Open Manchester in Google Maps
| London | Manchester | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Population | 9 million | 568,996 |
| Elevation | 25 m (82 ft) | 51 m (167 ft) |
| Time now | UTC+1 (Europe/London) | UTC+1 (Europe/London) |
| Stations on record | City Thameslink railway station, New Cross Gate railway station, Gospel Oak railway station | none listed |
| Postal codes | E1W–WC2R | M1–M99 |
Where to book trains from London to Manchester
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Staying in Manchester
Our booking partner lists 2,251+ places to stay in Manchester (statistics below are from the first 1,000). Of the 578 with a star rating, the largest group is 3-star (407), and 19 are five-star. Across 417 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.4 out of 10. Guests have left 721,007 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in Manchester
Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.
Common questions
How far is Manchester from London?
262 km (163 mi) in a straight line, north-west of London; by road roughly 319 km (198 mi).
How long does it take to get from London to Manchester by train?
About 2 h 31 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between London and Manchester?
No, both are on Europe/London at the moment.
Where can I stay in Manchester?
Our booking partner lists 2,251+ places to stay in Manchester, bookable on this site.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.