York City Travel Guide
Getting Here & Getting About

We help you get here, and help you get around easily once you're here...

Information about all kinds of travel options for you...

York is an easy city to get to, and it's an easy city to get around...

We'll help you to get there and get about...

How to Get to York

By Air

York is only about 25 miles from Leeds Bradford Airport

My husband, Ian, travels regularly by air, and much prefers travelling via Manchester Airport

Manchester Airport is a much larger airport, and this means there is a much wider range of international destinations, and planes arrive/depart more frequently.

Manchester Airport also has the big advantage of having a direct rail link from the Airport to York station

Travellers from Leeds Bradford Airport can:

• hire a car
• hire a taxi cab
• take a bus or taxi cab into Leeds City Centre (the airport is a few miles outside of Leeds) then take the train into York

For flights to London (Heathrow or Gatwick) you can also take the train to York (rail link to York from London King's Cross rail station with regular trains).

By Ferry

The closest ferry ports to York are Newcastle and Hull.

For ferries to/from Newcastle, click here

Newcastle is approximately 2 hr's drive from York

For ferries to/from Hull, click here

Hull is approximately 1 hr's drive from York

By Rail

York was always a railway town (we do have the National Railway Museum here!) so rail links for York city travel are good

Main Links

To/from:

• London Kings Cross:
  • Fast service (2hrs)
  • Regular trains
• Edinburgh:
  • 2 and a half hour service
  • Regular trains
• Manchester (Airport, Picadilly, Victoria)
  • Approx 1 and a half hour service
  • Regular trains
• Leeds:
  • Half an hour away
  • Regular trains
• Harrogate:
  • Half an hour trip
  • Regular trains

• Yorkshire Coast:
  • Scarborough - journey time: approx 1hr
  • Whitby - journey time: approx 2 and a half to 3 hours (not direct)
  • Filey - journey time: 1 to 1 and a half hours (not direct)
  • Bridlington - journey time: 1 and a half to 2 hours (not direct)

York railway station is within easy walking distance of the City Centre.

If you have luggage, you can take a taxi cab from right outside the station, and many local buses also stop here.

You may also hire a car from inside the station at Europcar

For more about rail travel, timetables and tickets see:

• The Trainline.com
• National Rail Enquiries

By Coach

Regular services between London and York.

Coach travel in the UK tends to be quite slow as the coaches stop off in many towns along the way, but coaches tend to be much cheaper than rail travel.

Coaches from York also link with:

• London
• Hull
• Whitby
• Scarborough
• Filey
• Bridlington
• Newcastle
• Leeds
• Chester
• Manchester
• Liverpool
• Durham

For more info, tickets and timetables check the National Express website

By Bus

In the UK, buses tend to be used for shorter distances than coach travel. So use local buses for York city travel, to get around the city itself, and for shorter trips to nearby towns.

You can catch a bus to:

• The Yorkshire Coast - details from Coastliner buses
• Leeds - details from Coastliner buses
• Beverley, Bridlington, Hull - details from EYMS
• Yorkshire Dales - details from Dales Bus

See more about getting about York in the later section

By Car

York is easily accessible by car, via the A1, M1, M62 and A64, amongst others.

Cars can be hired at all the main airports, and at the train station.

You might like to consider hiring a car if you'd like to make excursions into the countryside further afield during your stay in York, or visit the coast.

You don't really need a car to get about the centre of York.

Approximate Driving times:
To/from:

• London - approx 4 hours
• Edinburgh - approx 4 hours
• Manchester - approx 1 and a half hours
• Scarborough - approx 1 hour
• Whitby - approx 1 and a half hours
• Leeds - approx 40 mins
• Harrogate - approx half an hour

How to Get Around York

York is a great city for getting around without a car, so you can relax and enjoy your York city break...

Weekend breaks in the UK are great when you can leave your car at home, and you can in York...

The main centre of York is pedestrianised, and most of the York tourist attractions are all within easy walking distance around the city centre...

York City Travel - Park and Ride

If you are travelling from outside of York, park at one of the 5 Park and Rides outside of the city, around the Ring Road, and catch the bus in...

We regularly use the Grimston Bar Park and Ride, and, unless we have a particular need to park in York itself, we find the Park and Ride to be much easier, cheaper and more relaxing...

It's also much easier with the parking, and has toilets on site.

More about parking in York City Centre

The buses travel down special bus-lanes, to save time. They run every 10 minutes at a minimum.

Do take note of the last bus times, though, as Park and Ride buses don't run late into the evenings (last bus is usually somewhere between 6pm and 8pm).

• Monks Cross (N.E. of the city) Convenient for A64 from Scarborough
  (Don't use the park and ride car park to access the shopping centre, there is shopping parking at the retail park itself)
• Rawcliffe Bar (N.W. of the city) Convenient for A19 from Thirsk and Northallerton
• Askham Bar (S.W. of the city) Convenient for A1(M) and A64 from Leeds
• Designer Line - at the Designer Outlet (South of the city) Convenient for A19 from Selby and the south. You can stop and shop here.
• Grimston Bar - (East of the City) Convenient for A1079 from Hull and A166 from Bridlington

Parking at the Park and Ride is free, and you pay for the bus-ride into the city centre.

Toilets are available at each site.

Ask at the kiosk at each Park and Ride site, or pick up a 'York Guide' (at the P&R and often on the bus) to see locations for P&R bus-stops.

Get more info online with routes and bus-stop location printable maps, here...

...and information about the P&R sites and locations, here...

York City Travel - Local Buses

There are many local buses servicing the centre of York and outskirts. Many buses depart from in front of the train station or Exhibition Square (opposite the Theatre Royal).

Get info about local buses, here...

...and here...

York City Travel - Sightseeing Buses

Take an open-top, guided tour of the city, and hop-on and hop-off as you wish, when you spot something you'd like to explore further...

Sightseeing buses leave from Exhibition Square (in front of the City Art Gallery) and Clifford's Tower.

More info about Sightseeing Bus Tours in York, here...

York City Travel - Car Parking in York City Centre

Car parking in York is expensive but the car parks can still be very busy...

The Union Terrace Car Park is also a good choice, as it's still quite close to the city centre, and has a manned, clean, but quite expensive, toilet.

Don't forget to Pay and Display before you leave your car. If you don't have change, you can register your car via your mobile phone, and pay for your parking via a debit or credit card on your phone.

Take care if you're tempted to park in York streets. York operates a resident's parking scheme, so do check road signs, to make sure you aren't caught out.

If you're staying in the city, most good guest houses and B&Bs can suply you with a temporary permit, but this still does not guarantee you a space.

Many of the larger York hotels (and some smaller ones) have their own car parks.

Some streets have payable on-street car parking too (Pay and Display).

More about car parks in York, including location map

More about payable on-street parking in York

More about residents' parking in York

Information about parking at the coast

York City Travel - Taxis

Pick a taxi up from the front of the train station, and other locations around the city, or call one to collect you...

Some to try:

• Station Taxis
• Fleetways
• Telecars Taxis

Night time taxi ranks are also available at specific locations, here...

York City Travel - Cycles

York is a popular city to cycle around.

Cycle hire available here...

You can download your York City Cyle Route map here... (pdf format)

...and make sure you visit this very helpful Cycling City York website

York City Travel - Accessibility

For help with accessibility for disabled people visiting York, take a look at this helpful guide to getting around York

Make sure you also download your map of disabled access around York from the above link (right hand side of the page that opens up)

You may also like to use Shopmobility York to hire out mobility equipment to help you enjoy and make the most of your stay in York.

I hope some of the above information will help you with your York city travel plans, and will make your arrival and stay in York smooth and enjoyable...

Now you've got the practicalities sorted, why not find some nice things to do in York...

You can also take a look at Our Guide to Accommodation and Hotels in York

Travelling directly to the coast

Parking at the coast

Return to the main York page

Return from this York City Travel Guide to the Home Page

Top of the Page

New! Comments