There are 8 ways to get from Manchester to Cairnryan by bus, train, car, plane, or car ferry
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Bus
best- Take the bus from Shudehill Interchange to Buchanan Bus Stationbus Ukn30 / ...
- Take the bus from Glasgow Buchanan to Cairnryan Stena Terminalbus 923
7h 25mDrive 222.4 mi
cheapest- Drive from Manchester to Cairnryancar 222.4 mi
3h 58m£55–79Train
- Take the train from Manchester Piccadilly to Glasgow Centraltrain
- Take the train from Glasgow Central to Ayrtrain
- Take the train from Ayr to Stranraertrain
8h 4m£128–228Fly Manchester Airport to Belfast International Airport, car ferry
- Fly from Manchester Airport (MAN) to Belfast International Airport (BFS)plane MAN - BFS
- Take the car ferry from Larne to Cairnryancarferry
7h 20m£64–345Train, bus
- Take the train from Manchester Piccadilly to Carlisletrain
- Take the train from Carlisle to Dumfriestrain
- Take the bus from Dumfries station to Port Rodiebus 500
7h 56mBus via Ayr
- Take the bus from Manchester Central Coach Station to Buchanan Bus Stationbus 590 / ...
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Ayr Bus Stationbus X77
- Take the bus from Ayr Bus Station to Henrietta Streetbus 60 / ...
- Take the bus from Henrietta Street to Old Pierbus 360 / ...
9h 14m£62–134Fly Manchester Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport, train, car ferry
- Fly from Manchester Airport (MAN) to George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD)plane MAN - BHD
- Take the train from Belfast Lanyon Place to Larne Harbourtrain
- Take the car ferry from Larne to Cairnryancarferry
7h 14m£69–351Train to Liverpool, fly to Belfast International Airport, car ferry
- Take the train from Manchester Piccadilly to Liverpool South Parkwaytrain
- Fly from Liverpool (LPL) to Belfast International Airport (BFS)plane LPL - BFS
- Take the car ferry from Larne to Cairnryancarferry
7h 49m£81–363
Manchester Airport (MAN) to Belfast International Airport (BFS) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Manchester to Cairnryan is to drive which costs £50 - £80 and takes 3h 58m.
The fastest way to get from Manchester to Cairnryan is to drive which takes 3h 58m and costs £50 - £80.
No, there is no direct bus from Manchester to Cairnryan. However, there are services departing from Shudehill Interchange and arriving at Cairnryan Stena Terminal via Glasgow Buchanan. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 7h 25m.
No, there is no direct train from Manchester to Cairnryan. However, there are services departing from Manchester Piccadilly and arriving at Stranraer via Glasgow Central and Ayr. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 8h 4m.
The distance between Manchester and Cairnryan is 294 miles. The road distance is 223.7 miles.
The best way to get from Manchester to Cairnryan without a car is to bus which takes 7h 25m and costs .
It takes approximately 7h 25m to get from Manchester to Cairnryan, including transfers.
Manchester to Cairnryan bus services, operated by FlixBus, depart from Shudehill Interchange station.
Manchester to Cairnryan train services, operated by TransPennine Express, depart from Manchester Piccadilly station.
The best way to get from Manchester to Cairnryan is to bus which takes 7h 25m and costs . Alternatively, you can train, which costs £120 - £230 and takes 8h 4m.
What companies run services between Manchester, England and Cairnryan, Scotland?
You can take a bus from Shudehill Interchange to Cairnryan Stena Terminal via Buchanan Bus Station and Glasgow Buchanan in around 7h 25m. Alternatively, you can take a train from Manchester Piccadilly to Old Pier via Glasgow Central, Ayr, Stranraer, and Port Rodie Ferry Terminal in around 8h 4m.
- Website
- easyjet.com
Flights from Manchester Airport to Belfast International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £35–110
Flights from Manchester Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £30–110
Flights from Liverpool to Belfast International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £28–100
- Website
- ryanair.com
Flights from Manchester Airport to Belfast International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £19–70
- Website
- aerlingus.com
Flights from Manchester Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 8m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £35–120
- Phone
- +44 345 600 1671
- tpecustomer.relations@tpexpress.co.uk
- Website
- tpexpress.co.uk
Train from Manchester Piccadilly to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 18m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £80–140
- Website
- https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/
Train from Manchester Piccadilly to Carlisle
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 55m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £40–75
- Website
- https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/
Train from Manchester Piccadilly to Liverpool South Parkway
- Ave. Duration
- 42 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £10–18
- Website
- https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 (0)344 811 0141
- Website
- scotrail.co.uk
Train from Glasgow Central to Ayr
- Ave. Duration
- 53 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £18–35
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Train from Ayr to Stranraer
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 21m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- £25–50
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Train from Carlisle to Dumfries
- Ave. Duration
- 36 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £14–27
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 28 9066 6630
- Website
- translink.co.uk
Train from Belfast Lanyon Place to Larne Harbour
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £7–11
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
- Phone
- 03457 125 678
- Website
- eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk
Train from Manchester Piccadilly to Liverpool South Parkway
- Ave. Duration
- 40 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £14–22
- Website
- https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.fr
Bus from Shudehill Interchange to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 5m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £24–40
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- Phone
- +44 28 9066 6630
- Website
- translink.co.uk
Bus from Glasgow Buchanan to Cairnryan Stena Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 20m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 1576 203874
- info@houstoncoaches.co.uk
- Website
- houstonscoaches.co.uk
Bus from Dumfries station to Port Rodie
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 31m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Website
- https://www.houstonscoaches.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 (0)3717 81 81 81
- Website
- nationalexpress.com
Bus from Manchester Central Coach Station to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 5m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £40–95
- Website
- https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Ayr Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 3m
- Frequency
- Every 20 minutes
- Estimated price
- £11–15
- Website
- https://www.stagecoachbus.com/about/west-scotland
Bus from Ayr Bus Station to Henrietta Street
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 2m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £8–12
- Website
- https://www.stagecoachbus.com/about/west-scotland
Bus from Henrietta Street to Old Pier
- Ave. Duration
- 48 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–12
- Website
- https://www.stagecoachbus.com/about/west-scotland
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- info@citylink.co.uk
- Website
- citylink.co.uk
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Ayr Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £6–13
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
- Single
- £6–13
- Phone
- 01304 44 88 88
- customer.services@poferries.com
- Website
- poferries.com
Car ferry from Larne to Cairnryan
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £25–220
- Website
- https://www.poferries.com/en
- Passenger Standard
- £25–45
- Passenger Car
- £130–220
Car ferry from Larne to Cairnryan
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £25–220
- Website
- https://www.poferries.com/en
- Passenger Standard
- £25–45
- Passenger Car
- £130–220
Car ferry from Larne to Cairnryan
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £25–220
- Website
- https://www.poferries.com/en
- Passenger Standard
- £25–45
- Passenger Car
- £130–220
Want to know more about travelling around United Kingdom
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Related travel guides
Travelling to the UK: What do I need to know?
Read the travel guide
Want to know more about Flixbus?
Read the travel guide
More Questions & Answers
Manchester to Cairnryan bus services, operated by FlixBus, arrive at Buchanan Bus Station.
Manchester to Cairnryan train services, operated by TransPennine Express, arrive at Glasgow Central station.
Yes, the driving distance between Manchester to Cairnryan is 224 miles. It takes approximately 3h 58m to drive from Manchester to Cairnryan.
There are 219+ hotels available in Cairnryan.











































