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Car Hire at Manchester Piccadilly Train Station - Gateway to Northern England

Manchester’s main transport hub is Piccadilly Station, which is prominently situated in the south-eastern corner of the city centre. Originally called London Road Station, it was built in 1842 for the Manchester & Birmingham and Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne & Manchester railway lines. One of three busy railway stations in Manchester, Piccadilly handles over 55,000 passengers and 1,000 train movements each day.

Besides being the northern terminus of Virgin’s flagship route to London, it also offers direct services to and from many other major cities in the United Kingdom, including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Cardiff and Norwich. In addition to Virgin Rail services, Manchester Piccadilly Train Station also caters for Arriva Trains Wales, CrossCountry, East Midlands Trains, First TransPennine Express and Northern Rail.

The station is now the terminus for the Metrolink tram system with routes out into the suburbs with connections to Manchester Victoria Station. Manchester International Airport is located just 10 miles away with several trains an hour during the day and a limited service throughout the night.

Manchester is a fast-growing tourist destination which much to see and do, most notably The Lowry, a modern leisure district incorporating the Imperial War Museum North and the famous Old Trafford Football Stadium, home to Manchester United. Other must-see attractions in Manchester include the Museum of Science and Industry and Chinatown, the largest Oriental quarter of any European city. Pick up your car hire at Manchester Piccadilly Train Station and explore one of England’s most vibrant places before heading up to the famous Lake District just an hour’s drive north of the city. For more info on driving in Manchester and other parts of the country, please consult our Driving in the UK for advice on the local age restrictions, driving distances, road rules, motorway tolls, etc.

With over 65 years of international car hire experience, Auto Europe is the best company to get you the cheapest car hire deal at Manchester Piccadilly Train Station and many other key destinations in the north of England. We work with the world’s leading car hire suppliers, including Hertz and Europcar, enabling us to offer you the widest selection of cars and other types of vehicle in Manchester and elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Consult our car hire reviews in Manchester section to find out what previous customers have thought about our great car rental service.

Station Information

Manchester Piccadilly was at the heart of the industrial revolution when the railway came to the city in 1830. The potential to link the city with other industrial towns and cities made Manchester an important centre for railway investment and its role as a hub continues to this day. Situated in the heart of the city, Manchester Piccadilly Train Station’s main entrance is up the approach road from the corner of Ducie Street and London Road. Platforms 1-12 are very conveniently located adjacent to the main concourse, enabling passengers in transit to remain on one level. Please note that platforms 13 and 14 are located in a different part of the station a few minutes’ walk away from the main concourse, so passengers will need to factor that in when catching connecting trains.

Where to pick up my car hire at Manchester Piccadilly Train Station

There are several good options for drivers planning to rent a car at Manchester Piccadilly Train Station, including some of the most pretigious suppliers of international renown. To pick up or drop off your car, head for the long-stay car park located just off Boad Street. From the statin concourse, follow the signs for Long-Stay Car Park and at the far end turn left through the exit doors where the car hire desks are located.

	Europcar at Manchester Piccadilly Train Station Boad Street, Long Stay Car Park, Level 3 Manchester Piccadilly, England M1 2RP +44 (0) 3713840128	Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-6pm and Sat & Sun 8am-1pm
	Hertz at Manchester Piccadilly Train Station Boad Street, Long Stay Car Park, Level 3 Manchester Piccadilly, England M1 2RP +44 (0) 161 8501933	Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-4pm and Sat 9am-noon (closed Sun)

Station facilities

As one of the busiest railways stations in the United Kingdom, Manchester Piccadilly has an extensive range of on-site passenger facilities and amenities, including baby-changing areas, toilets (free of charge), pay-as-you go Wi-Fi Internet, a lost-property office, left-luggage services, wheelchair accessibility and several shops and catering outlets, most notably Boots, WH Smith, Starbucks and Burger King.

How to get to and from Manchester Piccadilly Train Station

For visitors booking a car rental at Machester Piccadilly Train Station, getting to and from the station is stress-free thanks to the fleet of buses, trams and trains available. The city's Metrolink tram stop is conveniently located at ground level underneath the railway tracks, making it quick and easy for passengers to travel to and from the station by public transport. The station is also well linked to the three main bus routes operating in and around Manchester city centre. There are also good rail links to Manchester Airport and several surrounding towns such as Ashton-under-Lyne, Bolton, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and Wigan.

Parking tips

Besides the on-site short- and long-stay car parks in the station complex, visitors picking up or dropping off their car hire at Manchester Piccadilly Train Station have plenty of nearby options for parking up and visiting some of the city's tourist attractions. In the city centre, NCP has over 13,000 spaces across 43 sites with a pre-booking service available to guarantee a space before arrival. APCOA Parking also has an established presence in Manchester with six large car parks in the city centre, including Manchester Piccadilly Station Car Park. CitiPark, likewise, has five car parks in Manchester city centre, all in close proximity to Manchester Piccadilly Train Station.

Useful links

Manchester Tourist Info