Bus from London to Manchester City Centre
14 direct routes · 300–435 min · first bus 06:40, last bus 00:45 (weekdays); night services 422, 424 and 3 more run 23:00–02:00.
Next buses to Manchester City Centre as of 08:01
Scheduled times at the boarding stop in London, from the operators' timetables — they update automatically. Open the stop for live tracking.
Direct routes
| Route | Operator | Journey time | Weekday journeys | Days | First | Last | Board at | Get off at | Calls at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 541 | National Express | ~345 min | 7 | Sat 5 · Sun 5 | 10:30 | 20:30 | Victoria Coach Station (north-east bound) | Manchester Central Coach Station | Milton Keynes & Birmingham |
| 540 | National Express | ~300 min | 7 | Sat 13 · Sun 13 | 07:30 | 20:00 | Victoria Coach Station (north-east bound) | Manchester Central Coach Station | Milton Keynes |
| UK980 | FlixBus | ~310 min | 6 | Sat 6 · Sun 6 | 06:40 | 00:45 | Heathrow Central Bus Station (Stops 7 - 17) | Shudehill Interchange (Stand G) | Coventry & Stoke-on-Trent |
11 occasional services — once or twice a day · UK023, UKN30, 422, 424, UKN23, 802, 829, UK030, 421, 590, UK026
Often school, college or market-day journeys — check the route before relying on one.
Times are for the first boarding point in London on each route's weekday timetable — open the route for the full timetable, live map and every stop.
The same number runs elsewhere in the UK — see every 541 bus, 540 bus, 422 bus, 424 bus, 802 bus, 829 bus, 421 bus or 590 bus timetable.
Frequently asked questions
Which bus goes from London to Manchester City Centre?
14 routes run directly from London to Manchester City Centre: the 541 (National Express), the 540 (National Express), the UK980 (FlixBus), the UK023 (FlixBus), the UKN30 (FlixBus), the 422 (National Express), the 424 (National Express), the UKN23 (FlixBus), the 802 (National Express), the 829 (National Express), the UK030 (FlixBus), the 421 (National Express), the 590 (National Express), the UK026 (FlixBus). The most frequent is the 541, 7 times each weekday — board at Victoria Coach Station (north-east bound) and get off at Manchester Central Coach Station, about 345 minutes.
How long does the bus take from London to Manchester City Centre?
Between 300 minutes on the 540 and 435 on the 422, depending on which route you catch and on traffic. It calls at Milton Keynes, Birmingham on the way.
What time is the first and last bus from London to Manchester City Centre?
On weekdays the first direct bus leaves around 06:40 and the last around 00:45 — and night services 422, 424 and 3 more run 23:00–02:00. Check the route timetables for weekends.
How much is the bus from London to Manchester City Centre?
This is a long-distance coach service, so the England £3 bus fare cap does not apply — nor do local bus tickets or passes. Coach operators set their own fares and price by demand, so booking further ahead is usually much cheaper than buying on the day.