I visited York as a day trip from Manchester, but there are plenty of other cities that if you find yourself in the UK then a York day trip should be right up your bucket list. Since I travel to Manchester for short trips quite a lot and there are not a lot of things to do and see after a while and so I turn to spend one of the days by hopping on a train and going to one of the many day trips you can do from Manchester.
Finally it was time for York, I had already planned to visit in the past but due to train strikes and hence unreliable service I decided against it and caught a bus to a nearby park instead. This time, trains were running smoothly and I headed to York. Recently train prices shot up in price in the UK and what once was a £20-30 train ride this has doubled in price. Luckily there is still a method to get to do a day trip to York and stick to the £25 budget for the day.
In this post I will take you on my trip, how I spent my day what to do and what is worth spending your money. To be completely honest, I was quite knackered going into this day trip but I was determined to make the most out of it. Without further ado, here is your ultimate guide on how to get here and what to do in your York Day Trip
Table Of Contents
How to Get to York from Manchester
First things first, how to get to this medieval city? York is well connected by train having its station relatively in the town center. Manchester is the biggest city nearest to York and it is possible to arrive in York by train or by bus.
Flixbus offers an early bus ride from Manchester’s Shudehill Exchange Bus terminal. It leaves at 06:50 in the morning and takes just over 2 hours arriving in York at 9am. If you want to return by bus as well then you have to wait for a 21:10 departure from York arriving at Manchester’s Shudehill Interchange a little after 11pm
Alternatively getting to York via train is a little more expensive. Trains cost around £40, which is almost 4 times as more the cost of a bus. You can find the latest schedules and prices from OMIO.
Bus from Manchester to York Details
- Duration: 2 hours
- Only 1 viable departure time for a day trip – 06:50am
- Departs from Shudehill Interchange
- Returns at 9pm from York
- Price – Around £10
Train from Manchester to York Details
- Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Plenty of Departure and Return times
- Departures from both Manchester Victoria and from Manchester Piccadilly
- Price – Around £50 round trip
Other Possible Cities to do a York Day Trip
While I visited York from Manchester, like I said before York train station is well connected and can be visited from plenty of other cities all across the UK. Here is a list of possible options:
- London
- Newcastle
- Liverpool
- Birmingham
- Sheffield
- Leeds
All of these cities are possible day trips to York with travel times averaging between 1.5 – 2.5 hours by train. Keep an eye on prices as trains in the UK are notoriously famous for getting more and more expensive.
Things to do in York – My Itinerary
Now you arrived in York, you are outside of the train station, where next? There are plenty of things to do in York and while the main ones are free, you need to pay for some of the attractions. Here I am going to walk you through what to do in one day in York and what is worth spending your cash on.
City Walls Walk
As I arrived outside the train station of York I did not know what to visit first on my route but in the end I decided to first have a leisurely stroll around the outside walls of York. This is the one thing that everyone must do on their York day trip. They’re the oldest and longest medieval walls still standing in England, and all in all, it was a pretty relaxing way to get a feel for the city.
You do not need to walk the entire perimeter of the city walls as the walls stretch more than 2km long. There are plenty of gates and entrances to the walls that enable you to hop on and off whenever you like. The walk gives you another perspective of York including great views of the York Minster Cathedral and in fact that’s where I headed next.
York Minster
I took the opportunity to hop off the city walls when I saw the famous York Minster as I couldn’t resist not to go and visit it once I saw it in my eyesight. It’s absolutely massive, and the Gothic architecture is seriously impressive, even if you’re just admiring it from the outside. The true marvel of this cathedral is from the outside and if you’re sticking to a budget, I would honestly do not recommend visiting the interior.
It costs £16 to enter and in my opinion it is not as beautiful as the outside. I still enjoyed and admired the York Minster without spending a penny. However if you love history or architecture, going inside (and even up the tower) might be worth spending your money, after all it is not every day you are in York.
The Shambles
After visiting the York Minster, I made my way over to The Shambles, which is just a few minutes’ walk away. Once I found myself walking in York’s most famous street, The Shambles is the opposite of its name (excuse the pun) It’s one of those places that actually looks like the photos – narrow, cobbled, and full of character. The crooked buildings leaning over the street make it feel like you’ve stepped back a few centuries.
I appreciated this street more as a massive Harry Potter fan, this street is said to be the inspiration to Diagon Alley and as such you will find many a themed shop here.
Harry Potter Shops
The Potions Cauldron, the Shop who must not be named are all shops that you will find across this narrow street. It is the perfect place to do some window shopping as all the Harry Potter memorabilia tend to be quite expensive. One of the shops even make butter beer which peaked my curiosity but then decided to skip as I did not see the value in forking out a tenner for some what is essentially is butterscotch. But, if you are not being strict with your budget and a bit stingy like me, then definitely go for it!
Clifford’s Tower
After playing wizard at The Shambles, I made my way to Clifford’s Tower, one of York’s most iconic landmarks perched on a grassy mound overlooking the city. It’s all that remains of York Castle, and while it’s not huge, you get 360° panoramic views from the top, making the short climb worthwhile. Entry costs around £9.50, and I would argue that this is the only attraction which is worth paying as it is a great way to see York from above.
York Castle Museum
Next to Clifford’s Tower is the York Castle Museum. I decided to skip this as the price was too high for my liking at £17. But if you are looking to escape the rain or into museums, then this museum does an amazing job of recreating what life in York was like through the centuries. You actually walk down a full-scale Victorian street with cobbled paths and old-fashioned shopfronts.
JORVIK Viking Centre
The JORVIK Viking Centre is a great place to visit for families and young children. It steps you back in time all the way back to the 10th century. It’s not your typical museum; instead, you hop on a slow-moving ride through a reconstructed Viking village, complete with sounds, smells, and animatronic (and real) Viking figures. Tickets are not cheap, costing around £17.50 for adults and £12 for children. A family of 4 costs £49
York’s Chocolate Story
After all the walking, I decided to treat myself (literally) with a stop at York’s Chocolate Story. This museum explains York’s surprisingly rich history when it comes to chocolate. It is a chocolate story as it takes you through how it all began, from the famous Terry’s and Rowntree’s brands to how chocolate is made today. It’s a guided tour with plenty of tastings along the way which my sweet tooth definitely did not complain about.
Tickets here are also around £17 (almost as if they are in cahoots!) but the ticket feels a bit more worth it as you get to taste some sweet chocolate in the process. If you’re a chocoholic like me or are traveling with kids, this place is a solid option to spend some of your time in.
National Railway Museum
Before heading out of York, I squeezed in a visit to the National Railway Museum. While I am not a huge train enthusiast, I am a bit fascinated by them. I only visited this because of the free entry and honestly, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. You can see everything from old royal carriages to a Japanese bullet train and the legendary Mallard, the world’s fastest steam locomotive. It’s huge, so if you’re short on time, you can just do a quick loop, but if trains are your thing, you could easily spend a couple of hours here.
Go Shopping at a Designer Outlet
One of the biggest shopping outlets in Britain is found in York at the Mcarthur Glen designer outlet. After visiting all I had to see in York it was time for a bit of shopping. This was the perfect time to stock up and shop some designer brands for cheap. For you poor husbands out there, I am afraid you have to suck it up and enjoy (or not) some quality shopping with your partner as this is truly a shopper’s paradise.
To get here, there are 2 buses from York city center, I caught the bus from next to Clifford’s tower as it was where I ended my day. I got the 42 bus from York to Selby. For all up to date information check out the shopping outlet official website from which I linked above.
All of the major brands are found here including but not limited to Adidas, Nike, Ralph Lauren, Levis and many many more. For a full shopping directory, visit the official website. There are over 100 stores to choose from, have a look!
Museum Gardens (Alternative)
If shopping is not your thing, you can visit the Museum Gardens to dwindle down on your sightseeing and sit back and relax a bit. It is free to visit and you’ll find ruins of St.Mary’s Abbey in between flower beds and stone walls. It is one of the best spots in York if the sun is out.
Evening and Night in York
If you are catching the late bus back or spending a night in York there are a couple of eerie things to do around here.
The House of the Trembling Madness
Don’t let the name mislead you. The House of the Trembling Madness is nothing else then a good old fashioned traditional British pub. It is a great place to finish off your trip and wait for your bus back to Manchester. Their menu features all kinds of local Yorkshire food with generous platters and savory pies all crafted with local ingredients. But it would not be a pub without beer of course. Their selection is vast and impressive with 19 beers on tap and a rotation of seasonal brews.
Ghost Walks
I left York before getting the chance to experience this but it was one of the things that I wished I done. York’s famous ghost walks are both creepy and entertaining in the best way. York claims to be the most haunted city in Europe, and after walking its dimly lit alleyways and hearing the chilling stories, you get to believe it. Tours usually start around 7:30–8:00 PM and cost about £6–£10, depending on which guide you go with. There are no jump scares or gimmicks here but just dramatic storytelling, eerie history, and a cool way to see the city at night.
It might be a little tight with your bus departure, so make sure you won’t miss the bus back home otherwise you have to spend the night in the city where you just spent the past hour hearing ghost stories about!
What is the York Pass and is it worth it?
The Visit York Pass is a sightseeing card which allows access to over 50 attraction in and around York for a bundled price. In my experience it is not worth it as you need to cram in a lot of attractions in one day which becomes hectic real fast.
How much does the York Pass Cost?
Passes are valid for calendar days and activate upon first use. The 3-Day Pass allows any three days of use within six consecutive days.
- 1-Day Adult: £64
- 1-Day Child (5–16): £35
- 2-Day Adult: £80
- 2-Day Child: £45
- 3-Day Adult: £95
- 3-Day Child: £55
As you can see it is not cheap, and for you to have to pay £64 you need to at least visit 4 attractions to get your money back. In my opinion it is not value for money and as I showed you there is no need to visit paid attractions to make the most out of your York day trip.
More over some attractions like York Dungeon and Jorvik Viking Center require pre booking. For a complete list of attractions check out the York Pass official website for details.
Practical Tips for Your York Day Trip
- Start early – Trains or Buses from Manchester (or wherever you’re coming from) can get you in by 9–10 AM. You’ll want the full day to explore.
- Book transport in advance – Especially if you want to travel by train. Advance tickets can be as low as £7–£12 one way if you are lucky, compared to £30+ on the day.
- Get a York Pass- This is only if you plan on visiting multiple paid attractions mentioned above. Otherwise, most spots are walkable and free. You can look into the York Pass here
- Wear comfy shoes – York is filled with cobbled streets and after walking 10,000 steps, it takes its toll.
- Eat on the go – Grab lunch from a local bakery or food market to save both time and money. The Shambles Market has great cheap eats.
- Avoid weekends if you can – York gets packed on Saturdays, especially during summer and school holidays.
- Check opening times – Some attractions like York Minster or the museums have last entries earlier than expected (around 4 PM).
- Bring a power bank – As usual, you would not want to be lost for battery and do not have anything to take photos!
Final Thoughts and Where to Visit Next!
York is definitely on the top of the list of the day trips I enjoyed the most. If you are looking on where to go next and want a similar vibe then you should definitely consider Chester. Here is how you can do a day trip to Chester from Manchester or Liverpool (Coming Soon). Additionally, if you are looking for some other inspiration, also coming soon is our list on top 10 day trips to do from Manchester.
Additionally, if you are visiting England, then this guide on London’s best airports might interest you where I compare London Heathrow and London Gatwick.
Hope you enjoyed my guide on York, Contact Us if you have any questions via the contact form before or any of our socials!
FAQs About Visiting York
Is York Worth Visiting for just One Day?
Yes, York is a compact city and you can easily experience its major attractions like the York Minster, the City Walls and the Shambles in one day
Is the York Pass worth it for a day trip?
No. You need to visit multiple paid attractions for it to be worth it. That combined with all the free stuff to do, it becomes too hectic. Individual tickets for a couple of attractions is more suitable for a day trip.
What’s the best time of year to visit York?
It is great to visit year round but it does get busier during summer.
Is York suitable for families with children?
Yes, definitely. Especially if kids are a bit older and are into Harry Potter. Also, attractions like the Viking Center are engaging for all children.
