Preston is roughly 28 miles (about 45 km) from Manchester in a straight line, and about 35–37 miles (56–59 km) by road depending on the exact route.

Quick facts

  • Straight-line distance (city centre to city centre): about 27–28 miles / 44–45 km.
  • Driving distance via motorway (usually M61/M6): about 34–37 miles / 56–59 km.
  • Typical driving time in normal traffic: around 40–50 minutes; up to about 60–75 minutes in rush hour.

Travel options snapshot

  • By car/taxi : Fastest in light traffic, most people use the M61 linking Manchester’s ring road (M60) to the M6 near Preston.
  • By train : Direct services run between Manchester and Preston and are popular with commuters; journey times are often under an hour depending on the service.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.