Understanding the city's layout
Stoke-on-Trent is unusual among British cities in that it is polycentric, formed from the federation of six towns: Burslem, Fenton, Hanley, Longton, Stoke-upon-Trent and Tunstall. Each retains its own identity, so asking a local for directions to the "city centre" may be met with bemusement. In practice, Hanley is the commercial heart of the city and the place road signs point to when they say "City Centre". Stoke-upon-Trent, usually just called Stoke, is where the principal railway station is located. Keep this distinction in mind, because it shapes almost every journey you will make here.
Getting around by bus
Buses are the workhorse of local transport in Stoke-on-Trent. The network is intricate and services are usually easy to come by, though many stops are open to the rain and wind, and printed information is relatively limited. Apps such as Traveline or Google Maps are useful for planning.
Hanley Bus Station is the main hub: virtually all areas of the city can be reached from here, and there is a tourist information office on site where route maps are published and easy to find. The main operator is Potteries – First Bus, which runs services across North Staffordshire and South Cheshire, with D&G Bus as another major operator in the area.
- For most visitors, a single ticket bought on the bus is the cheapest option if you are making just one journey.
- If you plan several trips, the "buy on bus" Smart Ticket is valid on most operators.
- If you are arriving by train, a PlusBus add-on bought with your rail ticket gives you bus travel across the city and the Newcastle-under-Lyme district.
- Be aware that funding cuts mean many services stop running between around 6pm and 8pm. The #25 route linking Hanley, Newcastle and Keele University runs later.
Rail
Stoke-on-Trent railway station is a small but busy mainline station with frequent inter-city services to destinations across the United Kingdom. There are regular services from Manchester Piccadilly, which also offer a connection onward to Manchester Airport, and a direct fast service to Birmingham International, handy for Birmingham Airport and the NEC. London Euston is served by trains running frequently at peak times, with the fastest journeys taking roughly an hour and a half.
One practical warning: the station displays and staff are not always helpful at distinguishing between express and stopping trains heading to the same destination, and trains frequently run out of timetable order. There are often two London Euston departures around the same time, for instance, one of which takes much longer than the other, and the same applies to Manchester Piccadilly, which is served by three different operators. Tickets are marked accordingly — Avanti tickets read "AVANTI ONLY" and CrossCountry tickets read "XC Only" — so it pays to know which company you are travelling with.
To reach Hanley, catch a bus from outside the station on the same side of the road; walking it is just over a mile. Destinations such as Newcastle-under-Lyme are served from the bus stop on the opposite side of the road.
Coach
Long-distance coach services, including National Express and FlixBus, serve Stoke-on-Trent from most cities in the United Kingdom. The majority of coach routes into the city arrive at Hanley Bus Station in the city centre. Some services also call at Newcastle-under-Lyme, which is a fifteen-minute bus ride from Hanley.
Taxis and ride-hailing
Taxis are widely available around the city, and there is a large taxi rank at the railway station — a convenient option if you arrive by train with luggage and want to reach Hanley or another of the six towns directly.
Walking and cycling
Because the city is spread across several distinct towns rather than clustered around a single centre, walking works best within a town rather than between them; the walk from the railway station to Hanley, for example, is just over a mile. Cycling is a genuinely appealing option here. The city has a large network of off-road bicycle paths following old railway and mineral lines and canal towpaths, and it sits on National Cycle Route No. 5, which runs through the city on off-road paths. A free map is available from the Tourist Office, which can also advise on cycle hire.
Arriving by air
Stoke-on-Trent has no airport of its own, so most visitors fly into Manchester Airport and continue by rail. Regular trains run from Manchester Piccadilly, which offers a connection to Manchester Airport, so the usual route is to take a train from the airport into Manchester and change for a service to Stoke-on-Trent. Birmingham Airport is the other practical option: Stoke-on-Trent has a direct fast rail service to Birmingham International station, which sits next to the airport and the NEC.
Arriving by canal
For a slower arrival, the Trent and Mersey and Caldon Canals bring visitors into the city by narrowboat. Free moorings are available at Trentham, Barlaston, Etruria/Lock 38, Longport, Westport Lake and at the Harecastle Tunnel.