Manchester Airport railway station
Encyclopedia
Manchester Airport railway station is the railway station that serves Manchester Airport and is built into the airport's terminal buildings. The station was opened together with the second airport terminal in 1993.
The station platforms are connected by escalator, elevator, ramps and an elevated covered walkway (known as the "Sky Link") to the airport terminal buildings in which a manned railway ticket office is situated. Throughout the airport complex, the railway station is known as "The Station" and is signposted as such.
In December 2008 a third rail platform opened after a year of construction and a total cost of £15 million. It will allow for extra rail capacity and increasing passenger demand. Arriva Trains Wales
are planning to extend some of their to Manchester Piccadilly services to here. In 2009 Network Rail
stated that the creation of the third platform has meant that the capacity at Manchester airport will become constrained by the layover of the trains and congestion at the throat. To solve this issue they have recommended building a line underneath the Airport towards Northwich in the 2019 to 2024 period.
Northern Rail
, First TransPennine Express
and Arriva Trains Wales
are the three current franchise holders that serve Manchester Airport. They operate services between the airport and Crewe
(for connections to Southern England
); Manchester Piccadilly; various destinations throughout Northern England
and, since December 2007, to and via .
There is a frequent service from the airport to Manchester Piccadilly. Services also operate during the night to Manchester Piccadilly and beyond including ; ; ; Scotland
and .
There are currently nine trains per hour to Manchester Piccadilly. There are no long distance services to the airport from the south; a service from Manchester Airport to via previously operated but was cut back to due to poor passenger numbers.
There are also 3 trains per day to Chester via (of which one continues to Llandudno, operated by Arriva Trains Wales).
light rail network to Manchester Airport as part of Phase 3 of the Metrolink expansion project. Under current proposals, a branch of the Metrolink South Manchester line would connect the airport station via tram lines through Wythenshawe and Chorlton to Manchester City Centre. A new Metrolink station would be constructed immediately adjacent to the airport station.
Following a period of uncertainty due to funding problems, the plans were finally given the go-ahead in May 2009. The confirmed route will not complete the full airport loop as proposed, but trams will run along the northern route via Wythenshawe
. Completion of the western side of the loop would be subject to further funding in a later project. An opening date of 2016 has been indicated for the Metrolink line.
At present, the Metrolink byelaws prohibit passengers from entering the system with bicycles and luggage.
Description
The station is situated 9+3/4 mi south of at the end of a short branch from the Styal Line. It is accessed via a triangular junction located between and .The station platforms are connected by escalator, elevator, ramps and an elevated covered walkway (known as the "Sky Link") to the airport terminal buildings in which a manned railway ticket office is situated. Throughout the airport complex, the railway station is known as "The Station" and is signposted as such.
In December 2008 a third rail platform opened after a year of construction and a total cost of £15 million. It will allow for extra rail capacity and increasing passenger demand. Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches...
are planning to extend some of their to Manchester Piccadilly services to here. In 2009 Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
stated that the creation of the third platform has meant that the capacity at Manchester airport will become constrained by the layover of the trains and congestion at the throat. To solve this issue they have recommended building a line underneath the Airport towards Northwich in the 2019 to 2024 period.
Services
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
, First TransPennine Express
First TransPennine Express
First TransPennine Express is a British train operating company. It is a joint operation between First Group and Keolis . It operates regular passenger services in northern England, including services linking the west and east coasts across the Pennines...
and Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches...
are the three current franchise holders that serve Manchester Airport. They operate services between the airport and Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
(for connections to Southern England
Southern England
Southern England, the South and the South of England are imprecise terms used to refer to the southern counties of England bordering the English Midlands. It has a number of different interpretations of its geographic extents. The South is considered by many to be a cultural region with a distinct...
); Manchester Piccadilly; various destinations throughout Northern England
Northern England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North or the North Country, is a cultural region of England. It is not an official government region, but rather an informal amalgamation of counties. The southern extent of the region is roughly the River Trent, while the North is bordered...
and, since December 2007, to and via .
There is a frequent service from the airport to Manchester Piccadilly. Services also operate during the night to Manchester Piccadilly and beyond including ; ; ; Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and .
There are currently nine trains per hour to Manchester Piccadilly. There are no long distance services to the airport from the south; a service from Manchester Airport to via previously operated but was cut back to due to poor passenger numbers.
There are also 3 trains per day to Chester via (of which one continues to Llandudno, operated by Arriva Trains Wales).
Future
It is planned to extend the Manchester MetrolinkManchester Metrolink
Metrolink is a light rail system in Greater Manchester, England. It consists of four lines which converge in Manchester city centre and terminate in Bury, Altrincham, Eccles and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. The system is owned by Transport for Greater Manchester and operated under contract by RATP Group...
light rail network to Manchester Airport as part of Phase 3 of the Metrolink expansion project. Under current proposals, a branch of the Metrolink South Manchester line would connect the airport station via tram lines through Wythenshawe and Chorlton to Manchester City Centre. A new Metrolink station would be constructed immediately adjacent to the airport station.
Following a period of uncertainty due to funding problems, the plans were finally given the go-ahead in May 2009. The confirmed route will not complete the full airport loop as proposed, but trams will run along the northern route via Wythenshawe
Wythenshawe
Wythenshawe is a district in the south of the city of Manchester, England.Formerly part of the administrative county of Cheshire, in 1931 Wythenshawe was transferred to the City of Manchester, which had begun building a massive housing estate there in the 1920s to resolve the problem of its inner...
. Completion of the western side of the loop would be subject to further funding in a later project. An opening date of 2016 has been indicated for the Metrolink line.
At present, the Metrolink byelaws prohibit passengers from entering the system with bicycles and luggage.