After studying and living in Manchester for seven months, I have gained experience traveling around Europe during university breaks and weekends. Upon my arrival in Manchester, I was surprised by the multitude of travel options available to explore Europe and how well-connected Manchester is.

Manchester is a major city located in the north of England and is conveniently connected to the rest of Europe through various transportation options. One of the most efficient modes of travel is by air. Manchester Airport offers direct flights to numerous European and non-European destinations, including popular cities such as Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid, and Rome, among others. Many low-cost airlines, such as EasyJet and Ryanair, provide direct flights from Manchester to several European destinations. Traveling by plane is convenient as it takes less than three hours to reach many countries. However, it is essential to pay attention to the airport destination, as low-cost airlines often arrive at airports far from the city centre. For instance, when I visited Paris, I purchased a low-cost airline ticket, but the airport was situated outside the city. Therefore, it is crucial to review the airport destination as the expenses incurred in transport from the airport to the city centre could be more than the cost of a pricier ticket which could save time and money.

Hiking in Europe

Apart from air travel, it is possible to travel to the rest of Europe by train. However, this option is less convenient and more expensive. To travel by train, one needs to travel to London and take the Eurostar, which goes to Paris, Lille, Brussels, and Amsterdam. As a comparison, when I travelled to Paris in November, the cost of traveling by train was over £100 more expensive than traveling by plane and took twice as much time.

From my experience, traveling around Europe has been enjoyable. During my break in November, I had the opportunity to visit Paris and Madrid, which was convenient because I found cheap and direct flights that were often more expensive in other major European cities. During weekends, I also travelled to meet family and friends in destinations such as Naples and Dublin, always choosing to travel by airplane as it was a cheaper and quicker option.

Overall, Manchester is very well connected to the rest of Europe, with a wide range of transport options available. Whether means of transportation you prefer, there are many convenient and affordable ways to reach European destinations from Manchester. With so many options available, it’s easy to plan a trip to Europe from Manchester and explore all that the continent has to offer.

Written by Daniela, current postgraduate student at AMBS

Related