Manchester Bus 42

Bus 42 in Manchester links Piccadilly Gardens and Stockport Interchange. The route is 0.0 km long with 50 stops, and the official schedule from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) puts the full trip at about 55 minutes. On a weekday it runs 40 trips in one direction, and 22 on a weekend day.

Route at a glance

Route of Bus 42

Outbound: Piccadilly Gardens → Stockport Interchange

This direction has 50 stops. The route passes Charlotte Street, Denison Road, Withington Library, Didsbury Cricket Club. The full list of stops in order is below.

Inbound: Stockport Interchange → Piccadilly Gardens

This direction has 53 stops. The route passes Georges Road, Fletcher Moss, Derby Road, Beveridge Street. The full list of stops in order is below.

Schedule and frequency

According to the official schedule from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the route runs 40 trips in one direction on a weekday, and 22 on a weekend day.

Frequency calculated from the departure table: in the morning peak buses run every 10–44 minutes, most often every 30; midday every 30 minutes; in the afternoon peak every 12–34; on weekends every 30–60 minutes.

Fare and payment

A single ride costs 2.00 £ — fare in effect since 5 January 2025. The same fare applies to buses in Greater Manchester.

A single bus journey costs £2.00. It is a hopper fare: unlimited bus journeys across the Bee Network within one hour of the first tap cost nothing extra. A day ticket is £5.00. Transfers within 60 minutes are free. Transfers within the hopper hour are free across all Bee Network buses.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a ride on bus 42 cost?

2.00 £ for a single ride — fare in effect since 5 January 2025.

When do the first and last trips run?

From Piccadilly Gardens the first is at 05:30 and the last at 23:30. From Stockport Interchange they are 04:45 and 23:30.

How long does the trip from Piccadilly Gardens to Stockport Interchange take?

About 55 minutes end to end — the median of full trips in the official schedule.

How many stops does the route have?

50 outbound and 53 inbound according to the official GTFS feed. The two lists do not match exactly.

Does bus 42 run on weekends?

Yes. On weekends and holidays there are 22 trips in one direction, running from Piccadilly Gardens between 07:24 and 23:24.

Every route number with its termini, operating hours and travel time is collected in the Manchester buses overview.

Data current as of August 22, 2026. Schedule and termini — Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). Fares — Transport for Greater Manchester. Stop list, schedule and route geometry come from the official GTFS feed (Bus Open Data Service (BODS)).