Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England, has a public rail network of 130 route miles (209 km) and 92 National Rail stations.[1][a] Transport for Greater Manchester is responsible for specifying fares and service levels of train services operating in the county.[2] The Northern train operating company provides most of these services.[3] The four main railway stations in Manchester city centre are Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Victoria, Manchester Oxford Road and Manchester Deansgate which all form part of the Manchester station group.
Most services run to or through one of Manchester city centre's major stations, Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadilly. The network is effectively divided into two operating halves based on these stations,[2] although the opening of a connecting line in 1988 improved operational flexibility by joining the north and south halves.[4] This was further improved by the Ordsall Chord (opened to traffic on 10 December 2017), creating a direct link between Piccadilly and Victoria.
Services radiate northwards from Manchester Victoria, providing stopping services to West Yorkshire and Liverpool as well as local suburban services to Rochdale and Wigan.[2] The south side's services radiate from Manchester Piccadilly and run to Manchester Airport, south Manchester, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Leeds, North East England, London and other major destinations.[2]
The region's rail network started to develop during the Industrial Revolution, when it was at the centre of a textile manufacturing boom.[5] Manchester was at the forefront of the railway building revolution during the Victorian era. The world's first passenger railway, the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, opened on 15 September 1830.[2] Its original terminus, Liverpool Road railway station, was closed to passengers in 1844, but still exists and is the oldest surviving passenger station in the world.[6] Since the Beeching cuts many of Greater Manchester's stations have closed and many station facilities have been removed. Others, however, have been converted to the Manchester Metrolink, Greater Manchester's light-rail network, or preserved as part of the East Lancashire Railway heritage route.[b] The expansion of the Metrolink is set to continue at least through 2020, with the planned opening of the Trafford Park Line.[7][8] In October 2009, nine stations on the former Oldham Loop Line closed for conversion,[9] and future plans include the use of tram-trains to allow Metrolink to serve existing National Rail stations.[10]
In preparation for the 2002 Commonwealth Games Manchester Piccadilly, the principal station for the City of Manchester, was extensively redeveloped and as a consequence has been voted as having the highest customer satisfaction rating of all the main stations in the United Kingdom.[11] As of 2013, Manchester Victoria is under renovation with the construction of a new £20 million roof while Oxford Road will see redevelopment as a result of the Northern Hub plan in 2014. The construction of the Ordsall Chord linked Greater Manchester's three busiest stations for the first time in December 2017.
Station (and code) | Borough | Managed by | Lines served |
Year opened |
DfT
Category[12] |
Platforms | Station users 2015/16[13] |
Station users 2016/17[13] |
Station users 2017/18[13] |
Station users 2018/19[13] |
Station users 2019/20[13] |
Station users 2020/21[13] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Altrincham (ALT) | Trafford | Northern | Mid-Cheshire Line | 1881[14] | C2 | 2 + 2 Metrolink[c] | 507,592 | 568,734 | 458,230 | 396,832 | 372,682 | 69,168 |
Ardwick (ADK) | Manchester | Northern | Glossop Line Hope Valley Line | 1842[14] | F2 | 2 | 896 | 860 | 882 | 1,238 | 1,520 | 238 |
Ashburys (ABY) | Manchester | Northern | Glossop Line Hope Valley Line | 1846[14] | F2 | 2 | 87,136 | 98,472 | 90,950 | 112,846 | 128,958 | 35,190 |
Ashton-under-Lyne (AHN) | Tameside | Northern | Huddersfield Line | 1846[15] | E | 2 | 361,946 | 386,720 | 324,674 | 326,674 | 362,246 | 70,596 |
Atherton (ATN) | Wigan | Northern | Manchester to Southport Line | 1888[15] | E | 2 | 436,000 | 338,164 | 295,810 | 288,906 | 329,668 | 65,272 |
Belle Vue (BLV) | Manchester | Northern | Hope Valley Line | 1875[14] | F2 | 2 | 10,340 | 11,456 | 9,990 | 6,820 | 8,624 | 2,602 |
Blackrod (BLK) | Bolton | Northern | Manchester to Preston Line | 1841[15] | F1 | 2 | 555,594 | 609,150 | 549,876 | 563,764 | 606,246 | 51,754 |
Bolton (BON) | Bolton | Northern | Manchester to Southport Line Ribble Valley Line Manchester to Preston Line TransPennine North West West Coast Main Line | 1838[15] | C1 | 5 | 2,866,316 | 3,240,136 | 2,950,294 | 3,074,022 | 3,262,460 | 865,704 |
Bramhall (BML) | Stockport | Northern | Stafford to Manchester Line | 1845[15] | E | 2 | 289,976 | 302,912 | 297,848 | 326,008 | 311,620 | 38,604 |
Bredbury (BDY) | Stockport | Northern | Hope Valley Line | 1875[14] | E | 2 | 211,006 | 214,500 | 215,798 | 232,302 | 239,204 | 48,242 |
Brinnington (BNT) | Stockport | Northern | Hope Valley Line | 1977[16] | E | 2 | 78,548 | 79,512 | 83,442 | 98,004 | 109,278 | 32,852 |
Broadbottom (BDB) | Tameside | Northern | Glossop Line | 1842[14] | E | 2 | 143,514 | 158,652 | 163,904 | 197,316 | 202,140 | 35,400 |
Bromley Cross (BMC) | Bolton | Northern | Ribble Valley Line | 1848[15] | E | 2 | 291,754 | 360,602 | 311,434 | 328,540 | 412,582 | 73,988 |
Bryn (BYN) | Wigan | Northern | Liverpool to Wigan Line | 1869[15] | F1 | 2 | 150,632 | 154,298 | 153,272 | 160,748 | 172,300 | 33,044 |
Burnage (BNA) | Manchester | Northern | South TransPennine Styal Line | 1910[14] | E | 2 | 204,120 | 223,780 | 220,096 | 211,880 | 212,504 | 37,962 |
Castleton (CAS) | Rochdale | Northern | Caldervale Line | 1875[14] | F1 | 2 | 148,262 | 170,024 | 167,114 | 178,582 | 172,682 | 35,900 |
Chassen Road (CSR) | Trafford | Northern | Manchester to Liverpool Line | 1934[15] | E | 2 | 48,020 | 50,430 | 49,210 | 53,530 | 57,780 | 6,216 |
Cheadle Hulme (CHU) | Stockport | Northern | Crewe to Manchester Line Stafford to Manchester Line | 1845*[17] | D | 4 | 785,174 | 861,360 | 870,058 | 963,034 | 908,988 | 139,174 |
Clifton (CLI) | Salford | Northern | Manchester to Preston Line | 1847[15] | F2 | 2 | 116 | 352 | 280 | 282 | 282 | 128 |
Daisy Hill (DSY) | Bolton | Northern | Manchester to Southport Line | 1888[15] | E | 2 | 336,540 | 298,322 | 285,998 | 285,946 | 309,608 | 50,132 |
Davenport (DVN) | Stockport | Northern | Buxton Line Hope Valley Line | 1858[14] | E | 2 | 285,066 | 296,366 | 297,996 | 338,124 | 349,314 | 68,610 |
Deansgate (DGT) | Manchester | Northern | Liverpool to Manchester Lines Manchester to Preston Line Stafford to Manchester Line TransPennine North West | 1849[14] | D | 2 + 3 Metrolink | 390,445 | 420,938 | 419,696 | 456,140 | 1,323,150 | 213,194 |
Denton (DTN) | Tameside | Northern | Stockport to Stalybridge Line | 1851[15] | F2 | 2 | 74 | 144 | 70 | 46 | 92 | 12 |
East Didsbury (EDY) | Manchester | Northern | South TransPennine Styal Line | 1909[14] | E | 2 | 267,548 | 279,966 | 264,000 | 282,102 | 295,542 | 46,424 |
Eccles (ECC) | Salford | Northern | Liverpool to Manchester Lines | 1830[15] | E | 2 | 161,298 | 190,518 | 162,820 | 158,616 | 197,418 | 51,670 |
Fairfield (FRF) | Tameside | Northern | Hope Valley Line | 1841[14] | F2 | 2 | 24,554 | 33,968 | 37,860 | 41,296 | 43,316 | 3,906 |
Farnworth (FNW) | Bolton | Northern | Manchester to Preston Line | 1838[15] | E | 2 | 13,166 | 38,408 | 36,922 | 46,380 | 59,228 | 17,610 |
Flixton (FLI) | Trafford | Northern | Liverpool to Manchester Lines | 1873[15] | E | 2 | 103,654 | 130,442 | 132,528 | 144,338 | 146,174 | 25,754 |
Flowery Field (FLF) | Tameside | Northern | Glossop Line | 1985[16] | F2 | 2 | 197,330 | 222,152 | 223,832 | 274,162 | 253,172 | 66,500 |
Gathurst (GST) | Wigan | Northern | Manchester to Southport Line | 1855[15] | F1 | 2 | 86,976 | 97,870 | 92,888 | 94,320 | 106,722 | 14,426 |
Gatley (GTY) | Stockport | Northern | South TransPennine Styal Line | 1909[14] | E | 2 | 320,370 | 356,506 | 346,242 | 349,700 | 338,626 | 66,656 |
Godley (GDL) | Tameside | Northern | Glossop Line | 1986[18] | F2 | 2 | 73,182 | 82,954 | 90,164 | 107,450 | 107,788 | 23,142 |
Gorton (GTO) | Manchester | Northern | Glossop Line Hope Valley Line | 1842[14] | E | 2 | 100,864 | 113,322 | 115,774 | 122,648 | 126,092 | 24,368 |
Greenfield (GNF) | Oldham | Northern | Huddersfield Line | 1849[15] | E | 2 | 338,694 | 369,826 | 332,332 | 398,628 | 432,830 | 84,746 |
Guide Bridge (GUI) | Tameside | Northern | Glossop Line Hope Valley Line Stockport to Stalybridge Line | 1846[14] | E | 2 | 297,324 | 337,902 | 335,774 | 382,542 | 386,422 | 75,418 |
Hag Fold (HGF) | Wigan | Northern | Manchester-Southport Line | 1987[16] | E | 2 | 51,582 | 50,212 | 44,708 | 44,888 | 48,138 | 15,112 |
Hale (HAL) | Trafford | Northern | Mid-Cheshire Line | 1862[14] | E | 2 | 179,812 | 178,392 | 157,688 | 144,486 | 141,202 | 29,880 |
Hall i' th' Wood (HID) | Bolton | Northern | Ribble Valley Line | 1986[16] | F2 | 2 | 116,428 | 157,280 | 142,832 | 177,182 | 214,064 | 53,150 |
Hattersley (HTY) | Tameside | Northern | Glossop Line | 1978[18] | E | 2 | 64,320 | 78,956 | 88,926 | 111,354 | 110,646 | 25,572 |
Hazel Grove (HAZ) | Stockport | Northern | Buxton Line Hope Valley Line | 1857[15] | D | 2 | 650,952 | 707,426 | 717,048 | 801,594 | 729,850 | 107,026 |
Heald Green (HDG) | Stockport | Northern | South TransPennine Styal Line TransPennine North West | 1909[14] | E | 2 | 474,766 | 507,318 | 489,672 | 513,342 | 481,562 | 84,318 |
Heaton Chapel (HTC) | Stockport | Northern | Buxton Line Crewe to Manchester Line Stafford to Manchester Line | 1852[15] | E | 2 | 757,190 | 837,228 | 835,032 | 849,320 | 827,926 | 123,484 |
Hindley (HIN) | Wigan | Northern | Manchester to Southport Line | 1848[15] | E | 2 | 333,462 | 346,424 | 310,344 | 294,844 | 340,104 | 71,492 |
Horwich Parkway (HWI) | Bolton | Northern | Manchester to Preston Line | 1999[14] | F1 | 2 | 599,916 | 639,192 | 580,308 | 579,980 | 673,470 | 103,876 |
Humphrey Park (HUP) | Trafford | Northern | Liverpool to Manchester Lines | 1984[19] | F2 | 2 | 35,070 | 35,614 | 34,866 | 30,960 | 29,778 | 4,422 |
Hyde Central (HYC) | Tameside | Northern | Hope Valley Line | 1858[14] | F1 | 2 | 81,512 | 97,422 | 101,984 | 108,708 | 116,178 | 12,552 |
Hyde North (HYT) | Tameside | Northern | Hope Valley Line | 1862[14] | F2 | 2 | 43,992 | 48,644 | 48,680 | 48,836 | 53,358 | 7,608 |
Ince (INC) | Wigan | Northern | Manchester to Southport Line | 1863[15] | F2 | 2 | 21,150 | 24,536 | 23,132 | 20,856 | 27,928 | 9,618 |
Irlam (IRL) | Salford | Northern | Liverpool to Manchester Lines | 1893[15] | F1 | 2 | 305,590 | 362,358 | 343,886 | 358,312 | 359,522 | 81,978 |
Kearsley (KSL) | Bolton | Northern | Manchester to Preston Line | 1838[15] | F2 | 2 | 15,512 | 34,908 | 36,752 | 40,152 | 51,448 | 12,940 |
Levenshulme (LVM) | Manchester | Northern | Buxton Line Crewe to Manchester Line Stafford to Manchester Line | 1843[14] | E | 2 | 512,654 | 592,638 | 576,854 | 530,462 | 541,642 | 140,462 |
Littleborough (LTL) | Rochdale | Northern | Caldervale Line | 1839[14] | F2 | 2 | 391,896 | 411,078 | 420,880 | 466,526 | 483,066 | 84,514 |
Lostock (LOT) | Bolton | Northern | Manchester to Preston Line | 1988[16] | E | 2 | 232,442 | 276,514 | 242,986 | 237,272 | 279,570 | 47,064 |
Manchester Airport (MIA) | Manchester | TransPennine Express | North TransPennine South TransPennine Styal Line TransPennine North West | 1993[16] | B | 4 + 2 Metrolink | 3,632,308 | 4,241,292 | 4,644,526 | 5,707,542 | 5,747,042 | 545,790 |
Manchester Oxford Road (MCO) | Manchester | Northern | Chester to Manchester Line Liverpool to Manchester Lines Manchester to Preston Line North TransPennine Stafford to Manchester Line TransPennine North West | 1849[14] | C1 | 5 | 7,961,843 | 8,583,649 | 8,558,308 | 9,301,496 | 6,366,296 | 1,025,778 |
Manchester United (MUF) | Trafford | Northern | Liverpool to Manchester Lines | 1935[14] | F2 | 1 | Matchdays only | Matchdays only | Matchdays only | Matchdays only | - | - |
Manchester Piccadilly (MAN) | Manchester | Network Rail | Buxton Line Chester to Manchester Line Crewe to Manchester Line CrossCountry Glossop Line Hope Valley Line Liverpool to Manchester Lines Manchester to Preston Line Mid-Cheshire Line North TransPennine Stafford to Manchester Line Styal Line TransPennine North West Welsh Marches Line West Coast Main Line | 1842[14] | A | 14 + 2 Metrolink | 25,792,700 | 27,807,063 | 27,724,962 | 30,132,552 | 32,198,704 | 5,188,066 |
Manchester Victoria (MCV) | Manchester | Northern | Caldervale Line Huddersfield Line Manchester to Liverpool Line Manchester to Preston Line Manchester to Southport Line Ribble Valley Line | 1844[14] | B | 6 + 4 Metrolink | 7,630,480 | 8,226,407 | 8,202,118 | 8,914,376 | 9,570,816 | 1,542,112 |
Marple (MPL) | Stockport | Northern | Hope Valley Line | 1862[14] | D | 2 | 454,858 | 470,158 | 480,132 | 511,900 | 498,468 | 82,382 |
Mauldeth Road (MAU) | Manchester | Northern | South TransPennine Styal Line | 1909[14] | D | 2 | 356,798 | 398,882 | 379,964 | 349,738 | 305,762 | 68,552 |
Middlewood (MDL) | Stockport | Northern | Buxton Line | 1879[15] | F2 | 2 | 27,950 | 24,824 | 25,226 | 32,386 | 30,876 | 7,784 |
Mills Hill (MIH) | Rochdale | Northern | Caldervale Line | 1985[16][d] | F1 | 2 | 310,032 | 330,628 | 293,408 | 328,616 | 338,650 | 63,700 |
Moorside (MSD) | Salford | Northern | Manchester to Southport Line | 1888[15] | E | 2 | 40,654 | 47,662 | 45,794 | 31,590 | 35,122 | 7,738 |
Moses Gate (MSS) | Bolton | Northern | Manchester to Preston Line | 1838[15] | F2 | 2 | 10,354 | 21,882 | 19,030 | 24,308 | 33,636 | 13,916 |
Mossley (MSL) | Tameside | Northern | Huddersfield Line | 1849[15] | E | 2 | 306,150 | 322,114 | 301,408 | 336,906 | 327,738 | 76,552 |
Moston (MSO) | Manchester | Northern | Caldervale Line | 1872[14] | F2 | 2 | 71,732 | 68,174 | 55,688 | 70,464 | 88,612 | 27,374 |
Navigation Road (NVR) | Trafford | Northern | Mid-Cheshire Line | 1931[14] | F2 | 1[e] | 107,168 | 106,208 | 95,418 | 100,396 | 105,708 | 21,166 |
Newton for Hyde (NWN) | Tameside | Northern | Glossop Line | 1841[14] | E | 2 | 176,812 | 180,436 | 175,770 | 219,478 | 210,344 | 47,768 |
Orrell (ORR) | Wigan | Northern | Kirkby Branch Line | 1848[15] | F1 | 2 | 84,456 | 90,918 | 90,178 | 92,888 | 96,894 | 20,324 |
Patricroft (PAT) | Salford | Northern | Liverpool to Manchester Lines | 1830[15] | F2 | 2 | 49,468 | 73,596 | 86,744 | 106,996 | 117,362 | 26,236 |
Pemberton (PEM) | Wigan | Northern | Kirkby Branch Line | 1848[15] | F2 | 2 | 60,302 | 64,682 | 69,676 | 72,028 | 68,988 | 14,802 |
Reddish North (RDN) | Stockport | Northern | Hope Valley Line | 1875[14] | E | 2 | 174,334 | 196,906 | 210,024 | 226,612 | 242,326 | 55,858 |
Reddish South (RDS) | Stockport | Northern | Stockport to Stalybridge Line | 1859[15] | F2 | 1 | 38 | 94 | 104 | 60 | 158 | 18 |
Rochdale (RCD) | Rochdale | Northern | Caldervale Line | 1839[14] | C2 | 3 + 2 Metrolink | 1,134,418 | 1,247,330 | 1,236,316 | 1,487,760 | 1,575,222 | 392,114 |
Romiley (RML) | Stockport | Northern | Hope Valley Line | 1862[14] | E | 2 | 301,172 | 328,722 | 338,342 | 382,384 | 394,352 | 70,290 |
Rose Hill Marple (RSH) | Stockport | Northern | Hope Valley Line | 1869[14] | E | 1 | 145,366 | 159,106 | 174,306 | 210,904 | 215,270 | 26,124 |
Ryder Brow (RRB) | Manchester | Northern | Hope Valley Line | 1985[16] | F2 | 2 | 27,078 | 30,266 | 30,182 | 31,368 | 32,794 | 7,638 |
Salford Central (SFD) | Salford | Northern | Manchester to Preston Line Manchester to Southport Line Ribble Valley Line | 1838[14] | E | 2 | 411,830 | 483,104 | 627,852 | 772,844 | 1,028,446 | 136,876 |
Salford Crescent (SLD) | Salford | Northern | Manchester to Preston Line Manchester to Southport Line Ribble Valley Line TransPennine North West | 1987[16] | C2 | 2 | 955,878 | 1,148,814 | 1,141,368 | 1,288,058 | 1,441,774 | 319,928 |
Smithy Bridge (SMB) | Rochdale | Northern | Caldervale Line | 1985[16] | F1 | 2 | 149,152 | 167,822 | 166,542 | 197,834 | 205,222 | 50,430 |
Stalybridge (SYB) | Tameside | TransPennine Express | Huddersfield Line North TransPennine Stockport to Stalybridge Line | 1845[14] | D | 5 | 1,128,900 | 1,150,886 | 1,150,310 | 1,244,122 | 1,219,638 | 264,148 |
Stockport (SPT) | Stockport | Avanti West Coast | Buxton Line Crewe to Manchester Line CrossCountry Hope Valley Line Mid-Cheshire Line South TransPennine Stafford to Manchester Line Stockport to Stalybridge Line West Coast Main Line | 1843[14] | B | 6 | 3,586,032 | 3,781,718 | 3,853,208 | 4,437,070 | 4,305,068 | 913,096 |
Strines (SRN) | Stockport | Northern | Hope Valley Line | 1866 | F2 | 2 | 26,074 | 26,332 | 24,052 | 27,710 | 22,186 | 3,720 |
Swinton (SNN) | Salford | Northern | Manchester to Southport Line | 1887[15] | E | 2 | 132,684 | 137,362 | 138,412 | 125,480 | 142,280 | 37,350 |
Trafford Park (TRA) | Trafford | Northern | Liverpool to Manchester Lines | 1904[15] | F1 | 2 | 61,512 | 64,712 | 54,870 | 46,340 | 49,220 | 9,826 |
Urmston (URM) | Trafford | Northern | Liverpool to Manchester Lines | 1873[15] | E | 2 | 324,402 | 380,586 | 375,140 | 409,472 | 413,118 | 81,628 |
Walkden (WKD) | Salford | Northern | Manchester to Southport Line | 1888[14] | E | 2 | 339,942 | 300,710 | 283,572 | 301,570 | 374,288 | 70,630 |
Westhoughton (WHG) | Bolton | Northern | Manchester to Southport Line | 1848[15] | F1 | 2 | 129,344 | 194,752 | 177,092 | 176,386 | 199,434 | 55,874 |
Wigan North Western (WGN) | Wigan | Avanti West Coast | Blackpool to Liverpool Line Liverpool to Wigan Line West Coast Main Line | 1838[14] | B | 6 | 1,380,716 | 1,620,278 | 1,583,812 | 1,683,184 | 1,604,012 | 386,422 |
Wigan Wallgate (WGW) | Wigan | Northern | Kirkby Branch Line Manchester to Southport Line | 1896[14] | D | 3 | 1,576,106 | 1,493,308 | 1,459,698 | 1,551,286 | 1,478,316 | 356,140 |
Woodley (WLY) | Stockport | Northern | Hope Valley Line | 1862[15] | F2 | 2 | 53,856 | 60,882 | 63,556 | 78,852 | 87,502 | 10,082 |
Woodsmoor (WSR) | Stockport | Northern | Buxton Line Hope Valley Line | 1990[16] | E | 2 | 232,954 | 253,746 | 273,890 | 310,608 | 302,204 | 64,220 |
Railway stations in Greater Manchester | |
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Bolton | |
Bury |
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Manchester (Manchester station group in italics) | |
Oldham | |
Rochdale | |
Salford |
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Stockport | |
Tameside | |
Trafford |
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Wigan | |
† stations on the East Lancashire Railway (heritage)
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