Bus 85 in Manchester links Piccadilly Gardens and Chorlton Bus Station. The route is 0.0 km long with 29 stops, and the official schedule from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) puts the full trip at about 31 minutes. On a weekday it runs 61 trips in one direction.
Route at a glance
| Mode | Bus |
|---|---|
| Route number | 85 |
| City | Manchester |
| Operator | Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) |
| Start → end | Piccadilly Gardens → Chorlton Bus Station |
| End → start | Chorlton Bus Station → Piccadilly Gardens |
| Route length | 0.0 km / 0.0 km in the opposite direction |
| Number of stops | 29 / 29 in the opposite direction |
| Travel time | about 31 minutes |
| Trips per day | 61 on weekdays one way (56 on weekdays → Piccadilly Gardens) |
| Frequency | peak 11–24 · midday 12–24 |
| First / last trip from «Piccadilly Gardens» | 00:12 / 23:42 |
| First / last trip from «Chorlton Bus Station» | 05:39 / 22:08 |
| Fare | 2.00 £ (fare in effect since 5 January 2025) |
| Updated | August 22, 2026 |
Route of Bus 85
Outbound: Piccadilly Gardens → Chorlton Bus Station
This direction has 29 stops. The route passes Charlotte Street, Royal Northern College of Music, Old Birley Street, Demesne Road. The full list of stops in order is below.
| No. | Stop | From start | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Piccadilly Gardens | 0.0 km | Terminus |
| 2 | Charlotte Street | 0.0 km | |
| 3 | Hart Street | 0.0 km | |
| 4 | Palace Theatre | 0.0 km | |
| 5 | Oxford Road Station | 0.0 km | |
| 6 | Oxford House | 0.0 km | |
| 7 | Aquatics Centre | 0.0 km | |
| 8 | Royal Northern College of Music | 0.0 km | |
| 9 | Cambridge Street | 0.0 km | |
| 10 | Trinity High School | 0.0 km | |
| 11 | Boundary Lane | 0.0 km | |
| 12 | Princess Road | 0.0 km | |
| 13 | Hulme High Street Retail Park | 0.0 km | |
| 14 | Old Birley Street | 0.0 km | |
| 15 | Loreto College | 0.0 km | |
| 16 | Moss Lane West | 0.0 km | |
| 17 | Selworthy Road | 0.0 km | |
| 18 | Yarburgh Street | 0.0 km | |
| 19 | Wellington Road | 0.0 km | |
| 20 | Demesne Road | 0.0 km | |
| 21 | Brantingham Road | 0.0 km | |
| 22 | Alexandra Road South | 0.0 km | |
| 23 | Withington Road | 0.0 km | |
| 24 | Wyverne Road | 0.0 km | |
| 25 | St Werburgh’s | 0.0 km | |
| 26 | Buckingham Road | 0.0 km | |
| 27 | Chorlton Post Office | 0.0 km | |
| 28 | Groby Road | 0.0 km | |
| 29 | Chorlton Bus Station | 0.0 km | Terminus |
Inbound: Chorlton Bus Station → Piccadilly Gardens
This direction has 29 stops. The route passes Groby Road, Wilbraham Road, Selworthy Road, Boundary Lane. The full list of stops in order is below.
| No. | Stop | From start | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chorlton Bus Station | 0.0 km | Terminus |
| 2 | Groby Road | 0.0 km | |
| 3 | Chorlton Metrolink Stop | 0.0 km | |
| 4 | Buckingham Road | 0.0 km | |
| 5 | St Werburgh’s | 0.0 km | |
| 6 | Wyverne Road | 0.0 km | |
| 7 | Withington Road | 0.0 km | |
| 8 | Wilbraham Road | 0.0 km | |
| 9 | Hartley Hall | 0.0 km | |
| 10 | Brantingham Road | 0.0 km | |
| 11 | Demesne Road | 0.0 km | |
| 12 | Range Road | 0.0 km | |
| 13 | Yarburgh Street | 0.0 km | |
| 14 | Selworthy Road | 0.0 km | |
| 15 | Moss Lane West | 0.0 km | |
| 16 | Loreto College | 0.0 km | |
| 17 | Old Birley Street | 0.0 km | |
| 18 | Hulme High Street Retail Park | 0.0 km | |
| 19 | Princess Road | 0.0 km | |
| 20 | Boundary Lane | 0.0 km | |
| 21 | Trinity High School | 0.0 km | |
| 22 | Cambridge Street | 0.0 km | |
| 23 | Royal Northern College of Music | 0.0 km | |
| 24 | Manchester Metropolitan University | 0.0 km | |
| 25 | Chester Street | 0.0 km | |
| 26 | Dickinson Street | 0.0 km | |
| 27 | Dickinson Street | 0.0 km | |
| 28 | Charlotte Street | 0.0 km | |
| 29 | Piccadilly Gardens | 0.0 km | Terminus |
Schedule and frequency
According to the official schedule from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the route runs 61 trips in one direction on a weekday.
| Direction | Weekdays | Weekends and holidays |
|---|---|---|
| From «Piccadilly Gardens» | 00:12 — 23:42 | — — — |
| From «Chorlton Bus Station» | 05:39 — 22:08 | — — — |
Frequency calculated from the departure table: in the morning peak buses run every 11–24 minutes, most often every 12; midday every 12–24 minutes; in the afternoon peak every 12–24.
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 85 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 00:12 and the last at 23:42. From Chorlton Bus Station they are 05:39 and 22:08.
How long does the trip from Piccadilly Gardens to Chorlton Bus Station take?
About 31 minutes end to end — the median of full trips in the official schedule.
How many stops does the route have?
29 outbound and 29 inbound according to the official GTFS feed. The two lists do not match exactly.
Does bus 85 run on weekends?
Yes, the route runs every day, with a separate weekend schedule.
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)).