Travel from Manchester to Edinburgh by Coach

How to get to Edinburgh from Manchester with National Express buses

Updated January 2010

You can get from Manchester to Edinburgh (or Edinburgh to Manchester) by taking the National Express coaches. The journey is 6 hours and 20 minutes for the quickest direct buses. Travelling by National Express is a cheap way to get from Manchester to Edinburgh with economy apex return tickets (very cheap tickets) starting at £27.40. Also check the Manchester - Edinburgh flights page for quicker travel.

Tickets and timetables for Manchester - Edinburgh coaches.

There are up to 6 coaches a day between Manchester Central Coach Station (Chorlton St) and Edinburgh Bus Station (St. Andrew's Square). There are two direct Manchester - Edinburgh buses a day (each way) while the other coaches are indirect National Express services via Newcastle upon Tyne and Leeds (2 changes), via Glasgow (1 change) or via Carlisle (1 change). National Express is the only coach company operating services between Manchester and Edinburgh.

Direct buses from Manchester to Edinburgh (journey time between 6-9 hours)

	Weekdays					Weekend
	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Manchester to Edinburgh (NX336, overnight) (departs at 01:10, arrives at 07:30)	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	Book bus ticket
Manchester to Edinburgh (NX383) (departs at 10:30, arrives at 19:30)	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	Book bus ticket

Direct buses from Edinburgh to Manchester (journey time between 6-9 hours)

	Weekdays					Weekend
	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Edinburgh to Manchester (NX383) (departs at 09:30, arrives at 18:45)	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	Book bus ticket
Edinburgh to Manchester (NX336, overnight) (departs at 21:30, arrives at 03:55)	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	Book bus ticket

NOTE: the schedule of buses may change without notice. Please double check with the National Express for the latest travel times for getting to Manchester or Edinburgh.

There are no early morning, late evening or overnight direct coaches between Manchester and Edinburgh other than the National Express services listed above. See below the section on non-direct buses.

Instant fares for cheap flights from Manchester to Edinburgh and Edinburgh to Manchester.

All Edinburgh - Manchester buses (National Express) with service times

Direct buses

Daytime coaches

• There is one direct daytime bus from Edinburgh to Manchester (bus service NX383) which departs St Andrews Bus Station at 09:30; it arrives at Manchester Central Coach Station at approx 18:45.
• There is one direct daytime bus from Manchester to Edinburgh (bus service NX383) which departs Manchester Central Coach Station at 10:30; it arrives at St Andrews Bus Station at approx 19:30.

Overnight coaches

• There is one direct overnight bus from Edinburgh to Manchester (bus service NX336) which departs St Andrews Bus Station at 21:30 and arrives at Manchester Central Coach Station at approx 03:55.
• There is one direct overnight bus from Manchester to Edinburgh (bus service NX336) which departs Manchester Central Coach Station at 01:10 and arrives at St Andrews Bus Station at approx 07:30.

Indirect buses

Daytime coaches

• There are up to 4 indirect daytime coaches from Edinburgh to Manchester (changes in Newcastle upon Tyne, Leeds, Glasgow or Carlisle). The earliest indirect bus departs St Andrews Bus Station at 07:00 while the last daytime bus leaves at 12:30.
• There are up to 4 indirect daytime buses from Manchester to Edinburgh (changes in Newcastle upon Tyne, Leeds, Glasgow or Carlisle). The earliest indirect bus departs Manchester Central Coach Station at 08:45.

Overnight coaches

There are no indirect overnight buses between Manchester and Edinburgh.

How long does it take to get from Manchester to Edinburgh by bus

The direct buses take between 6 hours and 20 minutes (overnight) and 9 hours (daytime) depending on the route they take, but the the non-direct Manchester to Edinburgh bus services to St Andrews Bus Station or Manchester Central Coach Station include waiting times in Leeds, Newcastle upon Tyne, Carlisle or Glasgow of up to 100 mins. Given the choice, always go for the direct coach services.

How much does the bus ticket from Manchester to Edinburgh cost

The Manchester - Edinburgh route is not a National Express funfare route where very cheap bus fares are available. However, going by bus to Edinburgh or Manchester can be cheaper than travelling by train, especially when you're travelling on relatively short notice (within a matter of weeks).

Make sure to book in advance for travel on busy periods like Bank Holidays, Half-Term, Christmas Holidays and New Year's. Check ticket availability

National Express bus fares between Manchester and Edinburgh

The cheapest National Express tickets for the Manchester coach are Economy tickets but you need to book these in advance.

Single fares

• Economy single ticket: £29.00
• Standard single ticket: £29.00

Return fares

• Economy Apex return ticket: £27.40
• Economy return ticket: £33.80
• Standard advance return ticket: £35.30
• Standard return ticket: £40.60

Book Manchester - Edinburgh direct coach tickets

NOTE: Ticket prices may change without notice. Please double check with the National Express for up to date coach fares.

Where does the bus between Manchester and Edinburgh stop

Stops for direct buses

You can buy tickets for travel from any of these stops in Scotland or England to Manchester or Edinburgh.

The direct National Express NX336 (overnight) bus goes via Preston, Carlisle and Glasgow. Full NX336 itinerary: Manchester, Salford, Preston, Lancaster, Carlisle, Glasgow, Edinburgh.

The direct National Express NX383 (daytime) bus goes via Leeds, Newcastle Upon Tyne and the Scottish Borders. You can buy tickets for travel from any of these stops in Scotland or England to Manchester or Edinburgh. Full NX383 itinerary: Manchester, Oldham, Bradford, Leeds, Harewood, Harrogate, Ripon, Catterick, Darlington, Durham, Newcastle Upon Tyne (coach station and Newcastle airport), Ponteland, Belsay, Capheaton, Kirkwhelpington, Knowesgate Hotel, Elsdon, Otterburn, Rochester, Rochester, Cottonshopeburn, Byrness, Catcleugh, Whiteleas, Carter Bar, Letham, Edgertson, Camptown, Jedforest, Ferniehurst, Ferniehirst Castle, Jedburgh, Melrose, Galashiels, Stow, Fountainhall, Heriot, Dalkeith, Edinburgh.

Stops for buses changing in Glasgow

Manchester, Preston, Carlisle, Hamilton, Glasgow, Edinburgh.

Stops for buses changing in Carlisle

Manchester, Preston, Carlisle, Glasgow, Edinburgh.

Stops for buses changing in Leeds and Newcastle upon Tyne

• Manchester, Miles Platting, Failsworth, New Moston, Chadderton, Leeds, Wetherby, Darlington, Durham, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Edinburgh; or
• Manchester, Miles Platting, Failsworth, New Moston, Chadderton, Leeds, Harewood, Harrogate, Ripon, Catterick, Darlington, Durham, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Morpeth, Alnwick, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Edinburgh

National Express coach services - Web links

Bus Tickets, Timetables and Journey Planner
Use the form to get timetables and tickets for coach trips from Manchester to Edinburgh or Edinburgh to Manchester and anywhere else in the UK. Alternatively, you can buy your ticket from St Andrews bus station or Manchester coach station. Remember that the cheapest Edinburgh - Manchester bus tickets are available ONLY online.

Address of Manchester Central Coach Station

National Express Coach Station in Manchester
Chorlton Street
Manchester
Tel: 0870 580 8080
Postcode: M1 3JF

Address of Edinburgh Bus Station

National Express Coach Station in Edinburgh
St Andrew's Square
Edinburgh
Scotland
Tel: +44 (131) 5556363
Tel: +44 (131) 2253858

No exact postcode has been found for St Andrew's Bus Station in Edinburgh

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Origin of 'Edinburgh'

Tourists have problems with the name of Edinburgh. There are hundreds of ways people write it and the most common writings include 'edinburg', 'edinborough', 'edimburgh', 'edinbourgh', 'ediburgh', 'edinbugh', 'edinboro', 'edingburgh', 'edinbrugh', 'edimburg', 'edinburugh', 'edingurgh', 'edinbrough', etc.

According to the Scottish Place Names dictionary, the name Edinburgh means 'Fort of the Rock Face'. The 'edin' part comes from Scottish Gaelic and means 'rock face', while 'burgh' comes from Old English meaning stronghold.

Some more obscure (and quite funny) ways of writing Edinburgh include: edinburough, edingburg, edinbourg, edinburh, edinurgh, edenburg, edinbough, edinbourough, edinbrgh, edingborough, edenburgh, edinberg, edinborgh, edinborugh, edinburge, edinburhg, edingbourgh, etc.

Edinburgh is spelt Edimburgo in Spanish and Italian and Édimbourg in French.

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