Getting to York
How to reach York by train, bus, taxi, car, or bicycle.
Train
York station (CRS code YRK) is one of the best-connected stations in the north, on the East Coast Main Line. LNER runs direct trains to London King's Cross in around two hours and north to Newcastle and Edinburgh; TransPennine Express crosses to Leeds, Manchester and Manchester Airport; CrossCountry heads to Birmingham and the south-west; and Northern covers the local Yorkshire network. The station itself, an 1877 curved trainshed, is a sight in its own right, and the city centre is a five-to-ten-minute flat walk through the walls.
- Station Name
- York
- Station Code
- YRK
- Operator
- LNER (station operator), with TransPennine Express, CrossCountry, Northern and Grand Central services
- Getting From Station
- Five to ten minutes' flat walk to the walls and city centre; taxi rank at the front of the station
Tips
- •London King's Cross is around 2 hours direct with LNER; book advance fares for the best prices.
- •The station has step-free access to all platforms, left-facing exits bring you out by the city walls, and the Minster is visible almost the whole walk in.
- •CRS code YRK verified against nationalrail.co.uk (2026-07-24). Live departures on this page's widget go live once the town is promoted; confirm current times at nationalrail.co.uk.
Useful Links
🚆 National Rail from York
Live departures
National Rail service from York. Updates every few minutes.
Bus & Park and Ride
First York runs the city network, and the six Park & Ride sites, Askham Bar, Monks Cross, Rawcliffe Bar, Grimston Bar, Poppleton Bar and York Designer Outlet, are the sane way to arrive by car: park free on the edge, ride the frequent bus in. Coastliner buses run east to Malton, Scarborough and Whitby, repeatedly voted among Britain's most scenic bus routes.
- Operator
- First York (city and Park & Ride); Coastliner for the coast
- Coverage
- City network, six Park & Ride sites, and regional links to Leeds, Malton, Scarborough and Whitby
- Getting From Station
- City buses stop directly outside the railway station
Tips
- •Park & Ride parking is free; you pay for the bus. Confirm current fares and last-bus times at itravelyork.info.
- •The city centre footstreets are pedestrianised during the day, so buses stop on the ring of streets just outside the core.
- •Confirm current routes and timetables with the operator before relying on a specific service; local timetables change periodically.
Useful Links
Taxi
There is a taxi rank directly outside the railway station, and Streamline Taxis York is the long-established local firm with its own app. Taxis are most useful for the racecourse on race days, the hospital, and evening returns from restaurants outside the walls; within the walls, walking is almost always faster than driving.
- Operator
- Streamline Taxis York
- Phone
- 01904 656565
- Based
- City-wide; rank outside the railway station
Tips
- •Book ahead for race days and St Nicholas Fair weekends, when demand spikes sharply.
- •Within the walls, walking usually beats a taxi; the footstreet zone blocks daytime vehicle access to much of the core.
Useful Links
Driving & Parking
York sits just off the A64, which links to the A1(M) for the north and south and to Leeds; the outer ring road (A1237/A64) distributes traffic to the Park & Ride sites. Do not plan to drive into the medieval core: much of it is a pedestrianised footstreet zone during the day, the street plan predates the car by nineteen centuries, and central parking is scarce and expensive. Park on the edge and ride or walk in.
- Main Road
- A64 to the A1(M) and Leeds; A19 north and south; outer ring road A1237
- Parking
- Six free Park & Ride car parks on the ring road; council pay-and-display car parks (Marygate, Castle and others) in the centre, which fill early on busy days
Tips
- •Use Park & Ride unless you have a hotel with parking booked; the six sites ring the city and buses run frequently.
- •Race days, the St Nicholas Fair and school holidays fill every central car park by mid-morning.
- •Confirm current parking tariffs at york.gov.uk before travelling.
Cycling
York is one of England's better cycling cities: flat, compact, with a riverside route network and the traffic-free Solar System cycle path running south along the old East Coast Main Line trackbed toward Selby, scale models of the planets included. National Cycle Route 65 passes through the city, and the riverside paths link the centre to Rowntree Park and beyond, though they flood after prolonged rain.
- Main Route
- National Cycle Route 65 and the Solar System path toward Selby on the old railway alignment
- Town Centre
- Flat riding throughout; the daytime footstreet zone requires dismounting in the core
Tips
- •Riverside paths flood in winter; check conditions after heavy rain.
- •Lock bikes properly in the centre; covered cycle parking is available at the station.
Useful Links
From the Airport
Live options for reaching the village from the nearest airports. Times and fares are a guide and can change with traffic or operator schedules.
Manchester AirportMAN
130 km away- Duration
- Around 1 hour 57 minutes direct
- Cost
- Varies; book in advance for the best fares
Direct trains run between York and Manchester Airport through the day (confirmed on the operator's own route page, 2026-07-24); some services involve a change, so check the specific departure when booking.
Operator: TransPennine Express
Leeds Bradford AirportLBA
45 km away- Duration
- Around 1.5 to 2 hours total, depending on connections
- Cost
- Bus fare plus rail fare; varies
No direct rail link to the airport. The Flyer A1 bus runs to Leeds city centre or Leeds station, then frequent trains reach York in about 25 minutes. Total journey time is a reasoned estimate, not a live route-planner check; re-verify before travelling.
Operator: Flyer (bus) + Northern/TransPennine (rail)
- Duration
- Around 50 minutes to 1 hour by road
- Cost
- Confirm fares when booking; substantially more than the bus-and-train route
Journey time is a reasoned road-distance estimate, not a live traffic check.
Parking
Parking options in and around York. On busy weekends, arriving early or taking the train is recommended.
York Park & Ride (six sites)
Free parking; you pay for the bus. Confirm current fares at itravelyork.info. The strongly recommended way to drive to York. Six sites ring the outer road network: Askham Bar, Monks Cross, Rawcliffe Bar, Grimston Bar, Poppleton Bar and York Designer Outlet, confirmed via City of York Council (2026-07-24). Buses run frequently into the centre. City-centre parking is scarce, expensive, and the medieval street plan was not designed for cars.
City of York Council car parks
Confirm current tariffs at york.gov.uk before travelling. Council pay-and-display car parks including Marygate and Castle serve the centre, but fill early on Saturdays, in school holidays, during race meetings and throughout the St Nicholas Fair. Much of the core is a pedestrianised footstreet zone during the day.
Planning the wider trip?
Our country-level primer covers national rail, intercity buses, airports, the Leap Card, and whether you actually need a hire car for your trip around United Kingdom.
Getting Around United Kingdom →Top Tip
The train is the best way to get to York. You arrive right in the heart of York, there’s no parking hassle, and you can enjoy a meal and a drink without worrying about driving home.