Despite its winding, ancient streets, York is an easy place to navigate. Being a relatively small city, it’s possible to get around this medieval masterpiece on foot. And with so many attractions to see, that’s undoubtedly your best option if you don’t want to miss any hidden gems. But if you’re heading out of town to see more of the countryside beyond, there's a great transport network to get you there. Our guide to travel has all the best ways of getting around and, if you’re flying into town, we can tell you how to get to your York hotel once you’ve made it through arrivals.
Getting around York
Airport transfers
Flying into York by plane? The nearest international airports are Leeds/Bradford or Manchester.
Leeds/Bradford is the closest airport at just 31 miles away, but it may not be the most convenient if you were taking public transport. There’s no direct service from the airport to the town - you’ll need to catch the 757 bus from the airport to Leeds, and take either the train or bus from there. Your best bet is to drive via the A658 and A59 - the journey takes between one and two hours, depending on traffic.
Manchester Airport is further away at 84 miles, but it has its own train station with regular direct trains straight to York. The journey takes two hours. By road, the car journey using the M62 and the A64 takes about an hour and a half. Got an early flight? Make your travel stress-free by booking into one of three hotels near Manchester Airport.
Airport transfers
Public transport
Train stations
Public transport
You’ve booked into your York hotel, and now it’s time to go exploring. So what are your best public transport options?
York has an extensive bus network that serves the city centre, and out-of-town attractions such as Castle Howard and Ampleforth Abbey. Some bus companies even go as far as the North York Moors, Scarborough and Whitby.
York is also well served by The Megabus and National Express.
York is a cycle-friendly city, and many residents cycle to work. Because much of the city centre is pedestrianised and made up of narrow, cobbled streets, cycling around the city centre isn’t always that fun. But don’t let that put you off bringing your bike as all of our York hotels are bike friendly.
Train stations
As a major station on the east coast mainline, York is well connected to the rest of the country.
Trains run frequently to London, Leeds, York, Liverpool, Newcastle, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen plus local destinations such as Harrogate, Hull and Scarborough.
Arriving by train? You won’t have far to walk, because our hotel near York Station is just a five minute suitcase-trundle away.