Getting around · York · United Kingdom
Getting around York
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: webbedduck, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
York's centre is compact and largely pedestrianised inside the walls, so walking covers almost everything: York station to the Minster takes about 15 minutes. Buses serve the outskirts and Park and Ride sites, and cycling is popular on flat riverside paths. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- LBA, MAN
- Need a car?
- No
Ways to get around
Walking
Most sights inside the walls are within 10 minutes of each other, and the walls themselves are a walking route around the city.
Bus
Local buses run from the station and the centre to the suburbs, the university and the Park and Ride sites on the ring road.
Cycling
York is flat and has many cycle routes, including traffic-free paths along the Ouse; bike hire is available near the station.
Train
York station is a major hub on the East Coast Main Line, with direct trains to London King's Cross in about 2 hours, Edinburgh in about 2 hours 30 minutes, and Leeds, Manchester, Harrogate and Scarborough.
Boat
Sightseeing boats run on the Ouse from King's Staith and Lendal Bridge, mainly in the warmer months.
From the airport
Leeds Bradford Airport is about 50 km south-west; there is no rail link, so take a bus to Leeds and a train to York, or a taxi, allowing about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. Manchester Airport has direct trains to York in about 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours and far more international flights.
Do you need a car?
No. Driving inside the walls is restricted and parking is expensive; use Park and Ride if you arrive by car. A car helps for the North York Moors, the Dales and Castle Howard, though buses, trains and tours reach the main day trips.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Castle Howard | About 40 minutes by car or bus | Bus from York in season, or car |
| Whitby | About 1 hour 30 minutes–2 hours by car or coach | Coach from York, car, or train via Middlesbrough |
| Harrogate | About 35 minutes by train | Train from York |
| Knaresborough | About 30 minutes by train | Train from York |
| Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal | About 50 minutes by car | Car, or bus via Ripon |
| Scarborough | About 50 minutes by train | Train from York |
| North York Moors Railway | About 1 hour by car or bus to Pickering | Bus or car to Pickering, then the heritage railway |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in York?
No. Driving inside the walls is restricted and parking is expensive; use Park and Ride if you arrive by car. A car helps for the North York Moors, the Dales and Castle Howard, though buses, trains and tours reach the main day trips.
+How do you get from the airport to York?
Leeds Bradford Airport is about 50 km south-west; there is no rail link, so take a bus to Leeds and a train to York, or a taxi, allowing about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. Manchester Airport has direct trains to York in about 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours and far more international flights.
+What is the best way to get around York?
Walking: Most sights inside the walls are within 10 minutes of each other, and the walls themselves are a walking route around the city.