Manchester to Stansted - Help!!

samtommo

Im flying out from Stansted airport on 18th April and arrive back on the 20th April but I live in Manchester and i was hoping somebody could tell me the best way of getting there (and for as cheap as possible!). I've not ruled out driving but would really prefer not to.

All suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

Many Thanks

richardw

National Express coach perhaps.

franklally

Unfortunately we've had AirBerlin and Eastern Airways in the past flying from Stansted to Manchester - now we have neither - I'll be most interested if anyone knows any other way than driving (there is obviously the train & stansted express option)

fatboyonadiet

Can you not get a train right into Standstead?

Pee

I did the train from Bromsgrove to Stanstead, several years ago. It takes forever, and the cost compared to the cost of my flight was scary. The cost would probably compare well with parking if it was for a week or so, though, but probably not for 2 days. I hope there is a smoother route from manchester.

apt

Whether the train is reasonable depends on your flight times. Manchester to Stansted via London can cost £10.50 or £14 single which is little more than the price of the Stansted Express, but only if you have an evening departure on 18 April.

alanrowell

You've discovered one of the greatest drawbacks of Stansted - terrible public transport unless you are heading towards / from London

Don't even consider coach unless you like hanging around coach stations for several hours, train means going via London ir taking a convoluted route round Yorkshire.

Easiest - and probably cheapest - is going to be a one way car hire

omelette451

alanrowell wrote: »

Easiest - and probably cheapest - is going to be a one way car hire

It really depends on your flight times, but the easiest and probably cheapest way is actually the train. There are many millions of super-fast trains Manchester to London Euston, from where you take the tube to Tottenham Hale and the express train up to Stansted. I've just done a search for a random date in mid-March and found several options from three-and-a-half-hours each way at fares from £14. You'd be hard pushed to beat that in the car. I do something similar from Liverpool and it's always been perfectly ok. There's also a slower route going via Peterborough, which I haven't tried.

OohSoHolly

Omelette451 - Can i ask where you found the fares for £14? I'm looking to go down to London from Manchester on the 12th March and all the fares i find seem to be £54 - eek!.
Thanks.

Actiongirl_2

Best route is manchester/stockport to cambridge direct, change trains at peterborough to stansted. It should cost about £48 return. I come from Stockport and now live near Peterborough!

omelette451

Actiongirl wrote: »

Best route is manchester/stockport to cambridge direct, change trains at peterborough to stansted. It should cost about £48 return. I come from Stockport and now live near Peterborough!

There is no direct train from Manchester to Cambridge. There is one to Norwich that offers a connection at Peterborough to Stansted but the whole journey takes just over five hours and costs £60. The route through London costs from £14 and takes three-and-a-half hours. Not much of a contest in my opinion.