BlaakLane.com arranges a Manchester Piccadilly chauffeur at a fixed fare you approve before booking. Enter your Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, TransPennine Express or Northern train number and destination. The chauffeur is timed to your real arrival and meets you curbside at the station's designated pick-up area, then drives to Manchester Airport, Spinningfields, MediaCityUK, Old Trafford, the Etihad or out to Cheshire and the Lakes.
How do I book a Piccadilly pickup?
Enter Manchester Piccadilly as the pickup in the reservation engine, add your train number and destination, and choose one of the nine vehicle classes. The total is shown before you confirm and stays fixed, whatever the Mancunian Way is doing. Add names, a mobile number and child seats if needed; they are free on request.
On a Piccadilly booking, the BlaakLane.com desk in Toronto takes bookings 24/7. In Greater Manchester, a vetted affiliate from the LimousineWorldwide.Directory network drives the trip under local private-hire licensing and our written standard, and your confirmation names the operator, the chauffeur and the vehicle.
Trains and operators
Manchester Piccadilly is the city's main station and one of the busiest in England outside London.
- Avanti West Coast from London Euston, the fastest trains taking a little over two hours.
- CrossCountry from Birmingham, Bristol and the south coast.
- TransPennine Express from Leeds, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow, plus through trains to Manchester Airport.
- Northern local and regional services across the north.
- Transport for Wales trains from North and South Wales.
- Metrolink trams from the undercroft stop below the station.
Platforms 13 and 14, the through platforms on the south side, are a longer walk from the main concourse; allow a few extra minutes if your train uses them.
Where cars pick up at Piccadilly
The station stands above the city on the approach from London Road. Pre-booked cars use the designated drop-off and pick-up area on the station approach and in the short-stay car park, separate from the taxi rank. The Fairfield Street side also has road access. Rebuilding and planning for future rail links mean layouts around the station can change, so the exact meeting point is confirmed by message before your train arrives.
How the meeting works
Curbside at the designated area is standard. The chauffeur waits with the car and does not go to the platforms by default. A concourse meet with a name board is an add-on, and add-ons are only available in selected locations; the reservation engine shows whether it applies. See meet and greet.
The booking is tied to your train. If the Avanti from Euston is delayed at Stockport, the chauffeur's time moves with it. On a Piccadilly booking, included waiting is 15 minutes from the real arrival, then billed in 15-minute blocks.
Arriving from London or the airport line
Most Avanti trains from Euston arrive on the main terminal platforms, close to the concourse and the London Road approach. TransPennine trains that run through to the airport use the through platforms 13 and 14, so if you are coming from Leeds or York, allow a few extra minutes for the walk back along the footbridge. Trains that stop at Oxford Road or Deansgate first may put you closer to Spinningfields; if so, tell us and the pickup can move to that station instead.
Luggage and moving through the station
The main concourse is on one level with lifts and escalators to the platforms and down to Metrolink. Luggage trolleys are not always available, so wheeled cases are easiest. Two people with large cases fit a Luxury Executive Sedan; a group of four or more with suitcases fits a Standard Black SUV (six passengers, six bags), and a Sprinter Van takes 12 passengers with 12 small bags.
Drive times from Piccadilly
| Destination | Typical drive |
|---|---|
| Manchester Airport (MAN), all terminals | 20-35 minutes |
| Spinningfields and Deansgate | 10-15 minutes |
| Manchester Central convention complex | 10-15 minutes |
| MediaCityUK, Salford Quays | 20-30 minutes |
| Old Trafford | 15-25 minutes |
| Etihad Stadium and Co-op Live | 10-15 minutes |
| Alderley Edge and Wilmslow | 30-45 minutes |
See our Manchester Airport page for terminal drop-offs at T1, T2 and T3.
Hotels, venues and business districts
Most city-centre hotels are within 15 minutes: the Deansgate and Spinningfields area, St Peter's Square and the Northern Quarter. The Lowry Hotel and the Salford side of the river are a little farther. Manchester Central hosts party conferences and large congresses, the Etihad Campus includes the Co-op Live arena, and Old Trafford and the cricket ground are to the south-west. Match days and arena nights bring heavy traffic, so allow time. For crews and touring productions see entertainment and touring.
Intercity alternatives by car
Manchester is well placed for road trips. Liverpool is about 55 km and an hour, Leeds about an hour over the M62, Chester about an hour, and the Peak District around 45 minutes. The Lake District is about 1 h 45 to Windermere, York about 1 h 30, and Birmingham around 1 h 45. North Wales and Snowdonia are 2 h to 2 h 30. For fixed-fare long trips see intercity transfers; for days with stops, book an hourly chauffeur.
Matching the class to the trip
| Trip | Class |
|---|---|
| Solo traveller to the airport | Standard Sedan |
| Client lunch in Spinningfields | Luxury Executive Sedan |
| Visiting chairman | Executive First Class Sedan (Maybach) |
| Family with cases to Cheshire | Standard Black SUV |
| Six directors to a board meeting | Executive Black SUV |
| Film crew of 12 to MediaCityUK | Sprinter Van |
| Seven executives, carry-on only, Lakes day | Sprinter Luxury Jet Van |
| Night out for 8 or 14 | Luxury Stretch Limo or Party Bus |
Capacities are on the fleet page and fares on rates. Hourly bookings need 3 hours minimum.
Accounts for Manchester firms
Companies with staff moving between London and Manchester use corporate accounts for monthly invoicing, cost centres and duty-of-care data. On a Piccadilly booking, all services and industries are on their hub pages.
Cancellation
Cancelling a Piccadilly pickup more than 72 hours ahead costs nothing. With a Piccadilly arrival, inside 72 hours the charge is 10 %, inside 48 hours it is 50 %, and inside 24 hours, or if nobody shows, it is the full fare.
More on the city is on our Manchester chauffeur service page. Official sources: Network Rail, Transport for Greater Manchester, Manchester Airport and Visit Manchester.
