Manchester airport to Buxton by public transport

To me the answer is bus, because it doesn't involve a transfer. Just sit back and relax.

The journey time is identical bus vs train.

On the bus the fare is £2 (under the government scheme), on the train the turn up and go fare is £21.20.

If the flight is on time, and you clear the airport expeditiously you will be in or just after the evening peak on the train so a crowded train (at least to start with). If the flight was late the last bus is as late as 2315.

I've just been looking. If you use the train don't pay the full fare of £21.20 each. Instead ask at the ticket office for a Greater Manchester Wayfarer, which costs £16.90 each.

It should also be available on the ticket machines, but might take a bit of tracking down on the machines.

This is a relatively little known ticket these days which covers all trains, buses and the Metrolink (trams) within Greater Manchester and in Derbyshire down as far as Hathersage, Matlock and Crich.

In years past it was very well known and used by everyone, but has fallen into an element of obscurity with the arrival of short distance Advance Train Fares- but arriving off a flight Advance Tickets are no use to you.

BUT- Advance Fares on Northern are available until 5 minutes before departure. For anyone willing to split tickets across Manchester Pic and fiddle about with the system there are £10 single Advance Fares widely available today MAN to Buxton, including literally 5 minutes after I type this. But coming tired straight off a flight that is less than ideal to be playing about like that. Just buy the Wayfarer for simplicity.

(For reference there is also a Derbyshire Wayfarer which covers all of Derbyshire and parts of South Yorkshire, but not Greater Manchester).

Thank you very much for all the very useful information about the rail fares. I will have to see when we actually arrived at the Manchester Airport. I appreciate your suggestion to take the bus since it would not require any transfer. I am sure we will have very tired from the long flight to Dublin and waiting several hours to make the connecting plane to Manchester.

I checked on the ticket machines this morning how to get the Wayfarer-

On the home screen there is a Rangers and Rovers Tile. Click on that then on 'Available Areas' then on 'Explore the North West' then scroll through the available fares in alphabetical order until you find 'Greater Manchester Wayfarer' priced at £16.90.

Wow, thanks for the step by step instructions!

Wanted to ask: If taking the 199 bus from Manchester Airport to Buxton, can one pay with credit card for bus fare on the bus or need to buy the ticket before boarding the bus? Do I need to have two pounds coins ready to board the bus?

Hadn't spotted the supplementary question- contactless payment will do fine.