How to travel to Manchester Christmas markets via…

How to travel to Manchester Christmas markets via public transport

With the Manchester Christmas markets making a comeback this winter, many will be eager to make their way to the city centre over the coming weeks.

This year, the central hub of the Christmas markets will be located at Winter Gardens in Piccadilly Gardens, providing a wide array of food, drink, and trinkets. Other Christmas market locations can be found around the city, including St Ann's Square, Exchange Square, new Cathedral Street, King Street, Market Street, and Cathedral Gardens.

Due to the high number of people expected to visit the markets this year, there will likely be a lot of traffic leading into the city for the rest of the year. Because of this, many may prefer to find an alternative way to the Christmas markets aside from driving.

Fortunately, many public transport options for finding your way into the city centre include trams, buses, and trains.

Tram

The nearest tram stop to the Christmas market hub in Piccadilly Gardens is located an incredibly short distance away while the Exchange Square tram stop will drop you right outside the Exchange Square market. New Cathedral Street, Exchange Street and St Ann's Square and King Street while Cathedral Gardens is closest to the Victoria tram stop.

All the previous stops mentioned are Zone 1 on Greater Manchester's Metrolink system which you will have to select when purchasing a ticket. For a Zone 1-only ticket, a single Adult Anytime ticket for a single journey costs a measly £1.40 and £2.70 for an Adult Anytime travelcard.

If you think you're going to be going to the Christmas Markets a lot over this season, you can purchase an Adult 28 Day Anytime travelcard which costs £36.40 for Zone 1 only.

Tickets can be purchased at any tram stop via the ticket machines or on Metrolink's app for iOS and Android devices.

For route maps and timetables click here.

Train

The closest train station to Winter Gardens is Piccadilly Station. It's roughly a 10-minute walk away from the main hub and is essentially a straight line away from the station so it's highly unlikely you'll get lost.

Victoria is the closest station to the Cathedral Gardens market and the stalls in Exchange Square and St Ann's Square. Deansgate is the closest station to the King Street end of the markets.

A journey planner, route maps and timetables are available from National Rail.

Bus

Picadilly bus station is incredibly close to the main hub this year (Vincent Cole - Manchester Evening News)

If you prefer taking the bus, you will find that Piccadilly Bus Station is only a few metres away from the main hub and is the best bus stop to get off at to reach the markets. Another option is Shudehill Interchange which is just under a mile away from Piccadilly Gardens.

Shudehill Interchange also provides easy access to the Cathedral Gardens markets, Exchange Square, St Ann's Square and King Street.

A journey planner, route maps and timetables are available from Transport For Greater Manchester.

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