Plan your journey to the Blackpool area from the main road and rail network using Omio. It makes travel to the Fylde Coast a breeze! It’s a search and booking platform covering trains, buses and flights.
Omio operates in 36 countries with a full presence in 15, and is available in 18 languages. It’s had a whopping 12 million app downloads. Omio work with over 800+ transport companies across Europe so it will help you to plan your trip.
Getting Here
The Fylde Coast is on England’s North West Coast, on the Irish Sea between the river Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston.
Fleetwood is at the north of the Fylde Coast, against the Wyre estuary. Lytham in the south is against the estuary of the River Ribble estuary. Blackpool, in the centre (marked by the orange pin on the map above), faces straight over the Irish sea.
Travel to the Fylde Coast by Car
The M55 (above) joins the main UK motorway network to the Fylde Coast. From there you can take a straight route into central Blackpool.
Or, veer to the left and head for Lytham and St Annes which are in the borough of Fylde, or to the right and make for the borough of Wyre. There you’ll find Cleveleys, Fleetwood and the market town of Poulton.
Blackpool has a motorway link direct to the centre of the resort – take the M6 to Junction 32 and the M55 will lead you here. Around town a network of Matrix signs show up to date car park and road information. You can also use the AA Roadworks Service for up to date roadworks information. Highways England also provides useful information.
Travel to Blackpool and area by Train:
Blackpool has three train stations. Blackpool North, is the towns main station with electric trains and extended platforms, providing good access to the UK network. Blackpool South and Blackpool Pleasure Beach has an hourly service to Preston where main line services cross the country.
Superfast Virgin ‘Pendolino’ trains bring passengers to Blackpool North. There are direct services to Blackpool North from Manchester International Airport, Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Victoria, Liverpool Lime Street and York.
The main rail operators are:
Northern Rail – @northernassist
Virgin Trains – @VirginTrains
There are also railway stations at Poulton, St Annes and Lytham. Please check the main railway network operator websites for the latest information.
Travel by Coach:
Just sit back and let your coach driver take the stress away. These days coaches are extremely comfortable and very well equipped. It’s a high quality, value for money way of getting to your favourite seaside resort. Check out your local papers, travel agents or coach companies to see what trips are on offer to Blackpool and the area.
National Express Coaches operate to and from the resort throughout the year. They arrive and depart at Blackpool Central Coach Station in the Blackpool Central Car Park. Further details are available from any National Express Agent and the inquiry centre by calling 0121 254 7272.
Other companies also offer services to Blackpool and details of these can be found on the Coach Tourism Council’s website by clicking here.
Getting here by Plane
Blackpool attracts many international visitors. The nearest international airports are Manchester and Liverpool. Manchester has good train links to Blackpool, however for groups of three or four a taxi is often a cost effective option. Contact your accommodation provider for advice on suitable taxi transfer companies. Pre-booking can provide substantial savings against picking a taxi up at the airport.
Getting Around when you’re at the Fylde Coast
Blackpool trams are operated by Blackpool Transport. They run along the seafront from Squires Gate at the southern end of Blackpool, through central Blackpool, Bispham and Anchorsholme into Cleveleys. They terminate at the end of their journey a few miles north at Fleetwood.
There’s a choice of the modern, smooth trams like the one above, or the old style Heritage Trams for getting about. The Heritage Trams operate from separate tram stops.
Buses on the Fylde Coast are also operated by Blackpool Transport. As you’d expect there’s a range of timetables, services and fare options to help you to plan the best route and most cost effective way of travelling.
There are plenty of taxi firms who operate both black cabs and private hire vehicles. There are even fleets of green, electric taxis (which are mostly white!)
Car parking, especially in Blackpool, is often cited as being plentiful. There are plenty of public pay and display car parks at all the towns on the Fylde Coast. There’s also on-street parking, although it’s usually easier to find a space outside the town centres. More about parking on the Fylde Coast here.
Especially in Blackpool, at the height of the holiday season it might be easier to park your car and leave it. Catch the bus or use the tram while you’re here and make the best of the public transport network.
While you’re here…
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