Cheap Ticket Alerts
Get notified by email when TransPennine Express Advance tickets go on sale
Whether you’re heading to Bolton for work, its famous food festival or to explore the surrounding countryside, you can browse and secure cheap train tickets to Bolton with TransPennine Express.
When you arrive at Bolton there are bus stops at Great Moor Street – a five-minute walk from the station. For more information visit Traveline or call 0871 200 2233. PlusBus is also available for an add-on fare of £4.20. You’ll also find a taxi rank at the station entrance.
Trains to Bolton from Manchester Piccadilly have a journey time of around 20 minutes, whilst those from Liverpool take around an hour. The Bolton to Manchester Airport train runs direct and takes around 35 minutes, and the trip from Leeds takes around an hour and a half with a change at Stalybridge.
There are a range of facilities at Bolton train station including ticket machines and a ticket office. You’ll also find accessible toilets, cycle storage for up to 99 bikes and public Wi-Fi.
You can get cheap train tickets to Bolton by being flexible with your journey and travelling during off-peak times. Buying your tickets in advance will also help save you money, as will a railcard like a 16-25 Railcard. If you regularly travel to and from Bolton, a season ticket will help cut your travel costs too.
Trains to and from Bolton run regularly every day, but there may be fewer services running at the weekend and on bank holidays. During the week, the first trains depart the station from around 06:30 with the last leaving the station at around 21.05.
Bolton is a thriving former mill town whose inhabitants have been described as the friendliest in the UK. It’s a great venue for shopping and hosts one of the best-loved food festivals in the country. It’s also situated on the edge of the stunning West Pennine Moors – 90 square miles of beauty and wonder, moorland and reservoirs. All this and it’s just 25 minutes and a cheap train ticket from Manchester city centre.
Foodies really have it good in Bolton. Top of the list is the Bolton Food & Drink Festival where, in recent years, over 250,000 people have flocked to the town. For inspiration from bricks and mortar, there’s Smithills Hall – a beautiful Grade I listed manor house and museum on the edge of the moors. And for something completely different, there’s Curley’s Trout Fishery where you can go fly fishing in idyllic waters.
A 15-minute cab ride from the town centre will take you to Turton Wines, a wine merchant with a difference. They sell wine from the countries you'd expect, but also Georgia, Morocco, Israel and Slovenia. They also hold very popular tasting sessions. If the weather is fine, an alfresco meal at Retreat Bar and Grill could be just the ticket. Finally, Harvey's is a local favourite, featuring a wide range of dishes and an impressive cocktail menu.
If you’re a keen football fan and want to stay at the heart of the action, Bolton Whites Hotel is fully integrated into Bolton Wanderer’s Macron Stadium and has a leisure club with a pool, gym, spa and salon. The West Pennine Moors are a stunning slice of countryside and a great way to enjoy them is from the pamper centre that is The Last Drop Village Hotel & Spa. The Holiday Inn Bolton Centre is a 15-minute cab ride from the station and right in the heart of the city’s nightlife.
Market Place Shopping Centre has everything you want from a modern retail jaunt. All the high street brands are on show and the site also incorporates the Victorian wrought iron beauty of the Market Hall. In addition to this, a 10-minute stroll across the city will take you to Bolton Market, voted Best Food Market at the 2011 BBC Radio 4 Food and Farming Awards. Our recommendation – after looking around the indoor and outdoor kiosks, try some jerk salmon at Nkono.
For more ideas on what to do in Bolton, see Visit Bolton.
Stay in the loop
Subscribe to our emails to get access to special offers, exclusive competitions, and the best travel tips directly to your inbox.
You’re being redirected to an external website.