Manchester Victoria

There are two main stations in Manchester and this is one of them. Seems it was old building but they convert it in such nice station. Glass roof making it nicely light up. Its good open station which making access easy to go to all the platforms. Staff on gates were friendly and helpful as i was looking for something. Couple of cafes and pubs at station making it good for waiting rooms as i was there early so i can have some drinks 😉 btw no complaint.

Never any issues here present helpful staff and central location modern facilities and number of entrances

1 star - Extremely uncomfortable journey, broken facilities on Northern rail I am extremely disappointed with my recent journey on the Northern Rail 14:27 service from Chester to Leeds on 21 June 25. The temperature inside the train car was unbearable, around 35°C, due to a complete failure of the air conditioning system. This made for a very unpleasant and potentially unsafe trip. In addition, none of the AC power outlets were working, which is unacceptable in this day and age. It's frustrating to pay for a service that is so poorly maintained. I expect better from Northern Rail.

Very busy but efficient railway station with different train services. Hardworking and friendly staff. Trams also available.

Manchester Victoria Station is a bustling hub that perfectly combines historic charm with modern convenience. The architecture is impressive, showcasing classic features alongside updated facilities. Navigation through the station is generally straightforward, with clear signage for trains, buses, and trams, though it can feel crowded during peak times. The staff are friendly and helpful, providing guidance and assistance when needed. There are a variety of shops, cafes, and amenities, making waiting times more comfortable, and cleanliness is well-maintained throughout. Overall, it serves as an essential gateway for both local commuters and visitors, offering efficiency while retaining a distinctive character that reflects Manchester’s vibrant energy.

I prefer using this station to Piccadilly when I can. It isn't as busy, so it doesn't have as many connections, but when I can stop here, I choose it. It's easy to get out of, and you are still in the city centre. The trams are also right next to the platforms, not much walking required.

Manchester Victoria is indeed a transport hub for trains. One can easily find information through the different displays and from the ticketing offices. The staff are always available to help and give directions. There is also a self service machine for personnel off duty periods. The environment, buses and trains are very neat and tidy. There are cafeterias for light meals, snacks, and coffee. A lovely place.

Trains in UK are honestly disappointing and filthy, stuffy, and often reeking, especially for the prices you pay which are sky-high for the quality. You’d expect at least basic cleanliness. At least the staff make up for it — on my four trips, every ticket inspector I met was kind, professional, and genuinely helpful. Credit to the crew.

I like Manchester Victoria Railway Station, considering this is a small Category B station which plays second-fiddle to Manchester Piccadilly, it's a nice station which feels spacious and modern in the main areas. The station is mainly served by Northern who also manage the station, although TPExpress also have multiple services from here, including trains into Leeds, Newcastle and Liverpool Lime Street, some routes including the latter work out much faster than going via Manchester Piccadilly. The location is great within the city centre, it is so easy to continue your journey with Metrolink services next to the main platforms (I love arriving in Victoria on the tram due to the views of the city), and taxis stopping right outside. As you leave the station, you can get into Exchange Square in just a couple of minutes, so you have the Corn Exchange, Printworks and Arndale Centre right on your doorstep, including the Hotel Indigo. The facilities inside the station are minimal, but average for a category B station, there are three coffee-shops including Starbucks and Costa, a small WHSmith store (with very intermittent opening hours), as well as "The Men's Room", which is a barbers shop by Joseph Lazante. Some parts of the station are still showing their age, such as the bridge level and platforms, but the main concourse remains pretty modern and easy on the eye. The staff at the station seem pretty friendly. I remember when travelling into Victoria used to be a chore, when it was Piccadilly's ugly sister, while Piccadilly remains vastly superior, this isn't a bad alternative. 4*

Manchester Victoria is greatly improved there is no doubt, however we recently travelled through and had to change at the station before 8am on a freezing cold morning. Our Northern service was cancelled to Leeds and the next one was 45 minutes late so we were on the platform for more than one hour. Where are the waiting rooms? The café was closed and all we could find were glass pig pens on the platform and the roof was leaking rain on to the seats in one. Come on Network Rail... After spending millions on an upgrade, please give us one of the un-used rooms in the main building to get out of the wind and rain on a cold morning

Love the new look Victoria Station Manchester. Very Spacious and well light..As a women i will feel a lot safer if I was travelling alone at night, before the renovation it was dark and cold looking. Also love the little java bar where you can relax with a drink ( lovely Procecco ) whilst waiting for your train.

Manchester Victorian station This is one of the main train stations in Manchester and there is a tram stop inside the station. The station has just had a lot of money spent on it and they are making it look good! It is located next door to the MEN arena which is ideal if you are coming to see a concert. The only downside is that the station will be busy with people going to the Arena at certain times

A review for a railway station...I don't think I can go into too much depth here. It's a place where you get the train. I've seen this railway station for a good few years now and it has improved a lot over the years. The unattractive improvements have now been finished and the station looks a whole lot better for it. It's a very opened up location with huge roofs and plenty of stairs. There are a couple of cafes, one small one larger and a bar to get food and drink from so if you have a wait there's always somewhere where you can relax. There's a McDonald's located within the station so if your looking for a cheaper option, you've got one! There's not usually too big of a wait to buy tickets but this station can get extremely busy so bare that in mind. There's two self service ticket stations and also a small space dedicated to the history of victors station for you to gain more knowledge about if wanted. All in all a good station with all the necessary needs.

Originally built in the 1840s, Victoria Train Station still looks a bit of an architectural gem from the outside. The facade of the building is impressively large and there's nice touches like the carved stone signs, red iron railings and glass over-hang. Sadly, the inside is more of a disaster with the traditional signs, beautifully engraved map, glass ceiling and war memorial being overshadowed by cheap signage, tacky take away stands, a bad coffee stall, a run-down cafe-bar and a vending machine that never has any change. To add insult to injury, the platforms are bitterly cold, there's no nice seating anywhere and large, ugly stairwells were added in the mid nineties to bridge the gap between the station and the nearby M.E.N. Arena. There's regular trains to Liverpool, Leeds, Hebden Bridge and other areas in the North West. But sadly, Victoria Station itself is no longer a must-see destination. Let's hope the regeneration rumours are true and the building gets some much needed TLC.

This is perhaps the worst of the three central train stations in Manchester. It cannot be excused due to size as the station is huge. When I am passing through Victoria I try to make my visit as short as possible due to the following three points: A) I don't spending my spare time with misfits, drunks and young trouble makers. B) I don't enjoy staff being rude to my family when they ask the times of a train. C) If I have to wait in a station I ideally want a decent coffee shop and a good shop. Oh I sound pinickity but I speak the truth my friends ...I speak the truth.

Ohhh! Harsh, Emma-Lou, harsh! What the heck was I thinking giving poor Vicky Station two stars. I think a) that rude member of staff has been wiped from my memory, b) the proposed monies might have improved things a wee bit at this station and c) last time I was here it wasn't raining or snowing, which made for a comfortable experience. Also, I do believe that I wasn't a caffeine fiend (caffiend?) last time I reviewed Victoria. I wholly appreciate their little Java hut. I really do. There's nothing nicer than hopping off a train, grabbing a hot lava Java to go and scooting onto the green Metroshuttle. I love the architecture of this station, and while not quite the central hub that Piccadilly is, it's definitely got the most character. Plus when you have Manchester's oldest independent coffee institution offering up your beans, gah, crappy railway coffee what-now? Pumpkin? Don't even. Also, another plus point is that while I haven't used the WCs here, I have it on good authority that Chris M's rubbish everything-going-wrong morning was made far easier by the pleasant toilets here. They were surprisingly nice for station toilets. And remember that you can get to plentiful places and back from here. Swinton even, if you're that way inclined. (Just don't go to the Council Tax office. UGH.) Let's nudge that star rating up. Victoria ain't so bad!

No stress traveling into Manchester by train and no worries about parking and the cost of it

Plenty of construction work going on here so I'll likely update my review once it's completed, but even now it's an above average station. Victoria provides a connection to the city center from pretty much every outside town and with the new addition of a coffee shop and a trendy pub and kitchen, it makes for a comfortable waiting spot also.

This is a review for the Victoria station pre modernisation completion so bare with me ! I've chosen to do this now and then update it in about 6 months as I want to tell you if a few additions to the old station you may now come across ! Firstly from the actual railway part of the station there is now an electronic ticket barrier line which will happily suck your ticket in and spit it out to allow you access to the best city in the world ( Manchester , obviously) Also look out for the large brick murals depicting a rail age that has gone by ! National rail services go from here out too Liverpool , Southport , Leeds, Newcastle, Todmorden , Huddersfield , Clitheroe , Wigan , Blackpool - so really you can get where you could want to go The metrolink light rail service goes to Bury, Eccles , media city , altrincham , Rochdale and eventually the airport Station is kept nice and clean with friendly staff and a good presence had British transport police officers with the occasional spaniel !

Manchester Victoria is my local station. I mean, I live 5 minutes away and you can give my apartment building a wave if you're heading in a certain direction. Currently undergoing a facelift, Victoria is sure to return to its former glory soon enough - unfortunately, until then, it's a bit of a nightmare. Saying that, it's fine if you're not in a rush! However, turning up this morning with around 5 minutes to spare, I was disheartened to see both ticket machines out of order. Can I buy one on the train? You can buy one from the ticket booth. Said ticket booth had one person working - on a Wednesday - during the morning commuting rush. I stood in the queue for about a nanosecond before walking back over to the gatekeeper and pleading my case. I ended up buying a ticket from a just-that-moment set up temporary ticket booth (why couldn't he have told me about it two minutes ago?) where noone had any sense of urgency. I just about made my train but left my favourite station, the one that usually takes me to very happy places, feeling bitter. Oh, and I could have bought my ticket on the train.

Ok, so there are train stations that are warm and well looked after with a Starbucks and some which smell and have tramps hanging around. This is one of those that smell and have tramps hanging around. I mean come on! This is like the worst station in the world nevertheless Manchester. It stinks of wee, has draughts everywhere, lots and lots of stairs and nothing else. Another thing, make sure you have your ticket ready when you come or go as they will hound you like dogs and make you queue up for what seems like a century. And then you will miss your train. To be all honest it is pants.

On my first encounter with Victoria Station, it was... well it wasn't very impressive (still isn't really) and I thought I didn't want to be making this journey very often. I didn't realize that the station was undergoing renovations to make it "posh" (that's what the posters say) so I am going to give it the benefit of the doubt. Currently there are just staff manning the entrances and exits from the platforms, inspecting tickets. And for those of you coming from stations where there is no ticket office or kiosk, there are staff to sell you a ticket at the exit (sometimes there is a train manager who sells tickets on the train, but he only ever seems to make it to the fifth or sixth row before he goes back into his little cubby hole). Some of the staff are friendly and helpful, but some of the staff aren't very helpful... and also don't really move with a sense of urgency. On my most recent visit, there were about six staff standing at the exit, two checking tickets, two standing at the makeshift ticket desks, and two just standing there. There were a line of us that needed to purchase tickets, but only one of the people behind the desk seemed to be assisting customers. The other one... well she stood there looking around, didn't acknowledge customers and when one of the customers did go up, she just ignored them. So I guess in reality there were three staff just standing about and one staff at the makeshift ticket desk. From what I can tell, there are only two ticket kiosks, located under the departures/arrivals board, but that's it. With the renovations, everything is boarded up so if you have never been here before, there is really no clue as to what the station previously looked like. However, as I was walking back to my train on the most recent visit, I did notice the old-style ticket desks. They are really lovely and I wonder if they will keep them or if they will modernize everything. Would be a shame to lose them. The one thing I can say is that with the construction, you are really just funneled through to a couple of different exits so in that respect, it isn't a difficult train station to navigate. There are a couple of places to get coffee or a snack (Pumpkin, a cafe near one of the exits) and there is a McDonald's upstairs, but that is about it. I usually stop at the Co-op to get a drink or a snack if I want one before I make my way to the station. Hopefully the renovations will make the station a little more pleasant to be in and much more efficient!

Victoria train station really has seen better days. From the outside it looks like a building site and its not much better when you get inside and under its roof. That's because some of the roof isn't there. Which is a bit of a blow if it's raining in Manchester, which it often is (it's Manchester). I actually quite like the old school ticket booths, it's like something out of the 1920s. Unfortunately, this charm is undermined by the lack of staff behind manning the booths and there being only two self-service ticket machines. It makes being late for a train ten times more stressful than it should be and you're far more likely to miss you train. If you're looking for a cash point, just head straight up the stairs over the platforms and use the Co-Op one outside the MEN Arena entrance, its better than wasting your time in the WHSmith shack that doesn't do cashback. At least you can get hot dogs here, I don't know anywhere else in Manchester that does hot dogs. An extra point for that, I think.

Come on guys, it's not *that* bad. Haven't any of ever been to Birmingham New Street?! Living in South Manchester and having family and friends further South, Victoria Station isn't a station I have to use that often. When I have used it I have never had a problem. OK, so it's a bit annoying that there are no Fast Ticket Machines, but I've never had to queue for more than a couple of minutes to buy a ticket from a friendly lady behind an old fashioned wooden ticket booth. I hope they don't get rid of that huge old-fashioned map in the central entrance with the £50 million restoration money.

Manchester's Victoria Station is currently half way through a huge transformation, which means that it is something of a building site. However the signs are promising that when this is all completed in 2015 it will once again be a world class station that the city can be proud of.

This week Manchester Victoria was voted as the worst train station in the UK. Wow. That's a bit of a slap in the face for it. But it is bad. Really bad. I'm so glad it's finally been recognised because it's now going to get part of £50 million that has been set assigned to upgrade the 10 worst stations. It really needs this money, everything about this station is awful. From buying tickets (one person on the counter, no fast machines) to the shops (pretty much portacabins in the shape of WH Smith and Java Coffee) to the fact that it might as well be outdoor (leaky roof), it's not a fun place to be. The worst part has to be the Pumpkin cafe, what a nasty little place. Plastic cutlery and plates (not even throwaway plastic, washable stuff...!), awful microwave food and the rudest staff you could possibly imagine. I suppose there is one good thing about it, I'm always always on time for my train when I'm travelling from Victoria, I never want to miss it and end up stuck there waiting for the next one!

So busy station for North Manchester, both the metro link and northern rail go from here. It also houses the arena where many shows are held.

If we were to compare Manchester's main train stations Piccadilly and Victoria to teachers, Piccadilly would be the new younger model that's all familiar with iPods and social networking and such, and Victoria would be the one that you love, have fond memories of, but know isn't as capable as it once was, you don't want to say anything negative about it, but deep in your heart you know it's past it's sell by date. Ok my analogy is a little off, but the gist of what i'm trying to say is that as much as I love the old school vibe of Victoria, it does need a little regeneration. It's old and clunky and absolutely bloody freezing in any month after September and before May, when it rains outside, in various spots it rains inside, if your train is delayed you have one coffee cart to warm yourself up from, if it's open that is, and a vending machine. There's the trusty WH Smith to take your cash should you wish to part with your pennies during a cancellation, but beyond that, there isn't much in the way of comfort. There are positives to Victoria station, that is, obviously, it's a train station, journeys and all that, again chances are you won't be getting the swish trains like over at Piccadilly, but there are excellent connections to the Metrolink service, which is literally inside the station, and you can purchase your tickets at the machines on the platforms. No Met hopping anymore folks, those glory days are over, the boys in black are there to check all tickets, and if you're caught out, £20 fine. Remember when they used to be super slow? Good times. Also, if you're coming into Manchester to see a gig at the MEN Arena via the Metrolink, or the train, stop off at Victoria and you're already in situ, just walk up the steps between platforms 4 and 6 and there you are; venue ready!! It's convenient, and there's a lot of history in the place, original features and such that with a little restoration could be lovely.

I love trains. They remind me of times when I was little and I was escaping the town that I used to live in. I didn't have a driving license at that point, so I had to go to the mountains with my friends by train. But it was divine. Playing the guitars, eating cheap sandwiches and telling horror stories in the night time during the trip. Back to Victoria Train station. With my job I travel a lot. Everywhere. So sometimes we need to take the train from Victoria. But I really don't like it. Doesn't give me that good feeling. I mean the trains are not the best. They are quite old and dirty. People around ask you for tickets from five to five minutes. Before getting in the train, during the journey and when you finish as well. They should change few things in there. To make it more friendly and welcoming. But in a way or another is quite a good thing, cuz when you get there, you are quite happy to jump in the train and leave it behind. The only thing that I love about this station, is that I met my actual boyfriend in there. So like or not, it was the first place when we saw each other.

Victoria Station is a great place to visit for heritage, though admittedly in the winter months, especially recently it has been very cold.. What best to warm you up if you get there tho, is a Hot Dog and as someone commented earlier there is a Hot Dog Stand, i think they call themselves Victoria Hot Dogs, well thats what the older man told me running the place.. I hear they will be re fitting the roof, which is a good thing as it might stop it raining indoors. lol. There is a barbers in there as well which is quite "Old Skool!" - lol EDIT: Just found out that the hot dog stand has a website - haha - check them out: www.victoriahotdogs.co.uk

I agree about the staff being rude. I asked for details of a train, was given the details, then asked another question (it was something simple like "and could you tell me what time the last train that night is please?"). I got a "for f*** sake" in response before the guy actually answered me. I'm not joking, and I'm not exaggerating. The trains stop early at this station too, so if you're confident getting to your destination from Manchester Piccadilly station, and getting from your starting point to Manchester Piccadilly station, I suggest using that station instead of Manchester Victoria. It's brighter, more secure (the station is patrolled), open later, and the staff are generally helpful. They certainly don't swear at you. There are cash machines and shops and clear information. Manchester Piccadilly is far better than Manchester Victoria - Manchester Victoria needs to be closed down. Perhaps when the staff are about to lose their jobs, they'll consider treating customers with some basic decency.

victoria station has that nostalgic feel to me,remember running down the old subway ramp with mum and dad back in the 70s,getting a train from platform 13-or 14 to blackpool..massive station then with 17 platforms and two through roads for freight and express trains..happy days,victoria even then had grot spots even though it was heavily used,i have seen victoria run down in the 90s to a commuter station,busy at rush hour and dead in the daytime,i am glad that has changed,the station is busy now throughout the whole day,the trains are old and the station is in need of some tlc,but its got a real good feeling about it for me,the staff are very friendly,there arent many shops except to buy a newspaper coffee etc,why do people feel they need a small shopping mall in a rail station?the station is freezing in winter i have to admit,money has been found to provide wind break shelters on platforms 3-6,the roof is a disgrace with mesh hanging from it,again money will be spent on replacing it with a modern one,the toilets are disgusting[dodgy characters,men looking for men,drug use etc,]money will be spent replacing these,the mens toilets will close-the womens which is a female toilet with a waiting room,will be both male and female with baby changing facilities,25 million has been provided by,network rail,northern rail,and manchester city council,work will be starting this april and finish in 2014,now the station buffet,i was employed there in 2005/6,the staff were friendly and helpful,the pastries and sandwiches were made on the premises by our staff, the beans for the coffee were the best[bit strong for me tho],prices expensive?yes,isnt any rail station?manchester victoria is a great station or will be soon,its smack bang in the retail/leasure/tourist area of manchester,printworks outside the station-bars restaraunts with 10 thousand revellers in the complex on any friday saturday night,manchester arndale 5 minutes walk away with everything the shopper could wish for,finally..the urbis,directly opposite the station which will be the home of the national football museum,manchester victoria is the best.