How much is a taxi from Bristol to Manchester, and how long does it take?

Both take roughly the same time. The train can be cheaper if you book ahead and travel light; the taxi wins on luggage, groups splitting the fare, and going straight from your door to the terminal.

The £289 is a saloon price for up to four passengers, and it is the whole journey, door to door, with any tolls and road charges included. It doesn't change if the M6 is slow or you're setting off at 4am for an early flight. If you're heading to Manchester Airport, we track your flight on the return so a delay doesn't cost you, with 45 minutes of free waiting after you land. Larger vehicles cost more; the full fare table is on our Bristol to Manchester route page.

• Two or more of you sharing, where £289 split beats separate train tickets
• An early flight from Manchester Airport with luggage
• Odd hours the train doesn't cover well
• You'd rather not change trains or drag cases across a station

If you're one person with a backpack and you can book a train in advance, the direct train up to Manchester is often the cheaper call, and we'll say so. The taxi earns its place when there are a few of you, when you've got luggage, or when a flight time makes the certainty of a fixed, door-to-door price worth more than the saving.