England Travel Forum

Is East Midlands Airport well connected to surrounding cities and towns ?

I can get a direct flight from Cork to East Midlands and was wondering about possible connections, and how long it would take, to travel to Halifax in West Yorkshire and Manchester.

This is in connection with upcoming VT meets in September and October.

If anyone has any information to share with me I would be very grateful.
Thanks in advance.

There is a regular shuttle bus to Derby ( about 30 - 40 minutes). From there you can take a direct train to Manchester Picadilly. From Manchester Victoria ( a short tram ride on a Bury bound tram) you can take a train direct to Halifax.
If you want to do it the other way round you would take a direct Derby to Leeds train and change at Leeds for a Halifax train.
The trains are fast and frequent north from Derby but the route from Leeds or Manchester to Halifax is slow simply because of the steep gradients and a line that seems to curve around every town in West Yorkshire.
Have a look at www.thetrainline.co.uk.for times.
Not sure how you would do the ticket purchase for best value - what are you actual travel plans. If I know I can advise.

Thanks Colin. I don't have any specific plans right now but the flights from Cork to East Midlands are really cheap right now and I was looking at this connection as being a potential way to get to the Halifax meet in September and the Manchester meet in November.

I'll check the website you gave me for prices and times.

Well thats fairly easy - Derby to Leeds and then change for Halifax and later Derby direct to Manchester.
Have a look at www.northernrail.org - they often have special offers such as their duo tickets. For trains north from Derby to Leeds have a look at www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk - they too have offers and it amy be cheaper to buy Derby - Leeds and Leeds - Halifax.
For Derby - Manchester you do have to change - there are no direct trains so you would take a Cross County train to Sheffield and then a Transpennine Express train to Mnachester. There would be no offers there so just buy one return ticket.
I am not sure if you can but tickets in advance for Uk trains in ROI but if not you can just buy them here.

Actualy,that TransAppenine train, stopping at every little town and village sounds most attractive. Only problem is I'd be tempted to get off in the middle of nowhere and start walking or taking photographs.

Yes! Sheffield to Manchester is a very scenic ride.

If you get yourself into Leeds, I will pick you up from there.

Thamks Ricky.With the cost of trains, it might work out as expensive as the direct flight with Aer Arann. So, I have to do my sums and work out which is better value.