London Northwestern Railway (LNR) has today (10 September) announced it will introduce a new direct train service linking Birmingham with Manchester Airport from May next year.
This hourly rail service will run between Birmingham New Street and Manchester Airport and call at stations in the Black Country, Staffordshire and Cheshire, giving millions of holidaymakers a direct rail route to the major airport for the first time in decades.
Currently, those travelling to the airport from the West Midlands must change at Crewe, Wilmslow or via Manchester city centre in order to complete their journey.
The route will be rolled out in two phases where phase one will see a new service introduced between Birmingham and Crewe from Sunday 13 December 2026 and phase two will extend this service to Manchester Airport from May 2027.
From December, the new route between Birmingham and Crewe will start serving 12 stations, including Darlaston and Willenhall which first opened in March 2026. In May 2027, LNR will extend the service to Manchester Airport via four stations – Sandbach, Holmes Chapel, Wilmslow and Styal.
Manchester Airport is the third-largest in the country by passenger numbers, with more than 200 destinations in four continents served by over 50 airlines. The airport serves a number of long-haul destinations that are unserved by any other UK airport outside London, with routes to New York, Atlanta, Toronto, Singapore, Shanghai, Beijing, Dubai and Islamabad, as well as major cities across Europe. It has recently completed a decade-long, £1.5bn investment in its award-winning Terminal 2.
Denise Wetton, integrated managing director for GBR West Midlands and LNR managing director, said: “We are excited to launch this new service which will provide direct connectivity to Manchester Airport from the West Midlands for the first time in decades.
“Through close collaboration with Network Rail, Transport for Greater Manchester, Northern and Transport for West Midlands, we are excited to open up greener, simpler travel options for visitors to the airport, making rail the best choice for holidaymakers in the West Midlands.
“Not only that, this new route will deliver extra services for our existing customers across Birmingham, the Black Country and Staffordshire, providing more choice for when you travel. We look forward to inviting passengers on board, starting from December.”
Chris Woodroofe, managing director at Manchester Airport, said: “We’re proud to serve more than 32 million passengers every year, including millions from the West Midlands and Staffordshire in the last 12 months.
“This new service is great news for them, but also for long-haul travellers from the region who might currently fly indirectly from other airports, or face a long journey to the South East.
“This service will create the first direct rail link between the West Midlands and Manchester Airport for decades and open up more options for people to reach us by public transport. In turn, it gives those travellers access to our huge global network of destinations, unrivalled in the UK outside London.”
The Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, said: “This new direct service is a clear example of public ownership delivering for passengers. Whether you’re jetting off on holiday or travelling for work, connectivity like this is exactly what our railways should be providing. A direct, hourly service between Birmingham, the Potteries and Manchester Airport will save passengers time, boost access to opportunities and give passengers an easier way to travel to one of the UK’s biggest airports. This is what Great British Railways will be all about: a simpler, more joined-up network that works for passengers whilst boosting growth, jobs and homes.”
Richard Parker, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “I’m delighted to see new rail connections between the West Midlands region and Greater Manchester, offering more sustainable transport options for those travelling abroad, and improving connectivity across both regions. This new route also delivers additional services for those travelling within the West Midlands, including to our new stations in Willenhall and Darlaston. I look forward to seeing the first new services run soon.”
Simon Elliott, network director for rail at Transport for Greater Manchester, said: “This is a welcome announcement for Greater Manchester, strengthening direct rail links between the North of England and the Midlands and making it easier for more people to travel to and from Manchester Airport.
“Providing better rail connectivity to the airport supports our region’s economy, opening up access to jobs, tourism and international markets, while giving passengers a simpler and more sustainable way to travel.
“We have worked closely with London Northwestern Railway, Northern and Network Rail as these proposals have developed, and we look forward to seeing the benefits of this new service for passengers and Greater Manchester.”
LNR is owned by WM Trains Limited, which was brought into public ownership in February 2026.
For more information, visit: Destination Manchester | LNR | London Northwestern Railway.
