I have searched the forums for specific information concerning this topic but I have not found the answer I need.
Exactly how do you take the train from London Heathrow Airport to Manchester? What is the best train route? What train stations are involved? What is the process of changing trains? Thanks so much for any help you can provide.
I first want to ask why you don't fly. Since you are already at Heathrow, there are numerous flights per day from there to Manchester airport. It's very easy to get from Manchester airport into Manchester itself.
If you are willing to go with a combination of coach and train, I would suggest taking the Railair coach from Heathrow to Reading and then switch to a train to Manchester. There are direct trains from Reading to Manchester with no changes. The Reading bus terminal is next to the Reading train station.
You can get train schedules at National Rail.
There are probably other options that someone else will post.
There is no direct train route. Train would mean getting into London and getting to Euston Station. By public transport, it can be done by Underground, with a change at Leicester Square. At Euston, there are direct trains by Avanti West Coast.
You could also take a bus to Reading and catch a train there.
Bus might be an option, Flixbus or National Express, buses are clean and comfortable, but for that distance, train might be quicker and more comfortable.
Flying straight to Manchester rather than to an airport 200 miles away would have been the best plan.
OP, look at traveling from LHR to London Euston Station then taking a train from Euston to Manchester Piccadilly on Avanti West Coast service direct in about 2:06 to about 2:12.
https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
Bus is not a sensible option. Anyone who lives there uses their own airport, so there is no demand for buses. You have to change at least once.
Reading is not a sensible rail option. It takes the same time to Reading on the bus as it does by train to Euston.
Reading to Manchester is hourly, on very busy short trains which take 3:15.
Euston to Manchester runs 3x an hour, and takes an hour less, on trains with far more capacity.
Flying is ludicrous, the flights have not been "frequent" for about 30 years. There are 5 a day.
The far better rail service collapsed demand. By the time you have waited for a connection, flown and transferred to train you have arrived by train direct from Euston, probably hours earlier
If you wanted to avoid London you would take the twice an hour rail air bus to Watford Junction, frequent train to Milton Keynes Central, then hourly train to Manchester. But somewhat slower than via Euston, still better than via Reading.
There was a time, when Manchester was a single terminal airport, when flights to Heathrow were almost like a bus service, they were so frequent. There was a hot spare aircraft at either end in case either of breakdown or excess demand for what used to be about hourly flights. So you could turn up on spec with a flexible ticket and have a guaranteed seat.
This is what I would do:
1) Take the Elizabeth line (commuter train with connections to the underground) from Heathrow to Tottenham Court Road
2) At Tottenham Court Road, change to the Northern line (just follow the signs) and take it to Euston
3) At Euston, exit the tube station and follow the signs for the rail station
4) At Euston, buy your ticket (there are machines or you can buy online) and take the train to Manchester Piccadilly
You can check route options from Heathrow to Euston here:
https://tfl.gov.uk/
For Heathrow to Euston, you can pay with a contactless card.
You can use the National Rail site to check train schedules. Some trains are direct and some require a change.
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
A you can see there are lots of different options for this journey, some more practical than others, so just to be helpful I have decided to add another to the mix :-)
Reading your question I’m guessing you aren’t used to trains, public transport etc so a compromise might be a good Idea. The journey isn’t actually that hard but with luggage and after a flight it might feel a bit much.
So I suggest- take either the Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express to Paddington station ( cue on going arguments about which is better…) At Paddington head to the taxi rank and take a black cab straight to Euston Station. Yes it will cost a little bit more but it will drop you right where you need to be without having to struggle with luggage. From Euston you catch an Avanti West Coast train to Manchester. Buy tickets for this train in advance unless you want to be bankrupted. As a risk averse Londoner I would leave a minimum 3 hours from landing to the train from Euston. This might be too much but better to have to hang around than have to rush or miss a train.
