This is the first in a series of blog posts intended to help you get the most out of your visit to Manchester by advising you on ways to managed the costs – and to take advantage of the opportunity to see some parts of the UK we usually hide from tourists, or to avoid the prices we usually charge them!
Getting to Salford from North America
The first rule for getting to Salford from the US or Canada is to avoid going through London. Although there are some affordable flights, you need to add on at least $300-$400 for the transfer unless you are very skilled at navigating UK rail ticket pricing. Manchester International Airport is linked directly to most major East Coast hubs plus Chicago with flights by United, Delta and American. Good options are also available via Dublin and Frankfurt – I am going to Chicago this summer from Manchester via Frankfurt which saves close on $200 on a direct flight for some reason. Other possibilities might be Birmingham or Glasgow: if you have to take a train on from either of these, the fares are much cheaper than starting from London. Once you get to Manchester Airport, you can get to Salford Quays by the new tramline for about $6.00, with one transfer at Cornbrook interchange.