Car rental in Manchester

Manchester by car

Manchester was the first place anywhere to industrialise at scale, and the cotton mills left behind a dense brick grid threaded with canals. The Pennines rise immediately to the east, where snow can close the passes towards Sheffield for days at a time.

Driving in Manchester

Manchester is reached by M60, M56, M62 and A57. Parking in the centre is paid and marked by zone. Driving through the centre is restricted, so most drivers park on the edge.

Where to park

Free park and ride sites include Ladywell near Eccles, which has a tram station, and the Trafford Centre, where buses run to Stretford tram station and the city centre. Open-air car parks sit behind Piccadilly Station, opposite the cathedral and beside Salford Central Station. At weekends, single yellow lines just over the border in Salford can be used without paying.

Arriving by road

Traffic from the north and Scotland takes the M6 and then the M61. For the M56 and south Manchester, the A556 off M6 junction 19 is the direct link, though it can back up at busy times. Inside the centre, signs for the inner ring road point to most destinations.

From the airport without a car

Trains from Manchester Airport serve Piccadilly and Oxford Road stations. When trains are sparse, bus 43 takes over and reaches Piccadilly via the university corridor along Oxford Road. The Metrolink navy line also reaches the airport via Wythenshawe, mostly useful for the southern suburbs.