Bus route 85 in Manchester: Piccadilly Gardens ↔ Chorlton Bus Station

Bus route 85 in Manchester runs between “Piccadilly Gardens” and “Chorlton Bus Station”.

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Where bus 85 goes

Towards “Chorlton Bus Station”: 29 stops. After “Piccadilly Gardens”, the bus calls at “Charlotte Street”, “Hart Street”, “Palace Theatre”, “Oxford Road Station”, “Oxford House”, “Aquatics Centre”, “Royal Northern College of Music”, “Cambridge Street”, “Trinity High School”, “Boundary Lane”. Then “Princess Road”, “Hulme High Street Retail Park”, “Old Birley Street”, “Loreto College”, “Moss Lane West”, “Selworthy Road”, “Yarburgh Street”, “Wellington Road”, “Demesne Road”, “Brantingham Road”. Before “Chorlton Bus Station”: “Alexandra Road South”, “Withington Road”, “Wyverne Road”, “St Werburgh’s”, “Buckingham Road”, “Chorlton Post Office”, “Groby Road”.

On the way back the bus takes a different route, from “Chorlton Bus Station” to “Piccadilly Gardens” (28 stops). Only in this direction does it call at “Chorlton Metrolink Stop”, “Wilbraham Road”, “Hartley Hall”, “Range Road”, “Manchester Metropolitan University”, “Chester Street” and “Dickinson Street”. Only in the direction of “Chorlton Bus Station” does it call at, among others, “Hart Street”, “Palace Theatre”, “Oxford Road Station”, “Oxford House”, “Aquatics Centre” and “Wellington Road”. For the way back, board nearby: “Hart Street” → “Dickinson Street” (150 m), “Palace Theatre” → “Dickinson Street” (250 m), “Oxford Road Station” → “Chester Street” (100 m) and “Oxford House” → “Manchester Metropolitan University” (100 m). Towards “Chorlton Bus Station”, board nearby: “Chorlton Metrolink Stop” → “Chorlton Post Office” (150 m), “Wilbraham Road” → “Alexandra Road South” (50 m), “Hartley Hall” → “Brantingham Road” (150 m) and “Range Road” → “Wellington Road” (150 m).

Where to change

On part of the route, between “Piccadilly Gardens” and “Chorlton Bus Station” it shares the road with route 85A; between “Piccadilly Gardens” and “Cambridge Street” it shares the road with route 86; between “Alexandra Road South” and “Chorlton Post Office” it shares the road with route 150.

Connections by stop, in route order:

• “Piccadilly Gardens”: buses 18, 33, 41, 42, 42A, 42B, 43, 50, 59, 76, 76A, 76B, 81, 83, 84, 87, 111, 112, 114, 117, 118, 119, 135, 142, 143, 182, 191, 192, 197, 203, 205, 231 and 256
• “Charlotte Street”: buses 18, 33, 41, 42, 42A, 42B, 43, 50, 76, 76A, 76B, 81, 83, 84, 87, 111, 112, 114, 117, 118, 119, 135, 142, 143, 147, 191, 192, 197, 203, 205, 231 and 256
• “Hart Street” (only towards “Chorlton Bus Station”): buses 18, 33, 41, 42, 42A, 42B, 43, 50, 87, 111, 114, 142, 143, 147, 191, 197 and 256
• “Palace Theatre” (only towards “Chorlton Bus Station”): buses 18, 33, 41, 42, 42A, 42B, 43, 50, 87, 111, 114, 142, 143, 147, 191, 197 and 256
• “Oxford Road Station” (only towards “Chorlton Bus Station”): buses 18, 33, 41, 42, 42A, 42B, 43, 50, 87, 111, 142, 143, 147, 191, 197 and 256
• “Oxford House” (only towards “Chorlton Bus Station”): buses 18, 41, 42, 42A, 42B, 43, 50, 87, 111, 142, 143, 147, 191 and 197
• “Aquatics Centre” (only towards “Chorlton Bus Station”): buses 18, 41, 42, 42A, 42B, 43, 50, 53, 87, 111, 142, 143, 147, 191 and 197
• “Royal Northern College of Music”: buses 18, 41, 42, 42A, 42B, 43, 50, 53, 87, 111, 142, 143, 147, 191 and 197
• “Cambridge Street”: buses 18, 41, 42, 42A, 42B, 43, 53, 87, 111, 142, 143, 147, 191 and 197
• “Trinity High School”: bus 53
• “Buckingham Road”: buses 23, 25 and 87
• “Chorlton Post Office” (only towards “Chorlton Bus Station”): buses 23, 25 and 87
• “Groby Road”: buses 23, 25 and 87
• “Chorlton Bus Station”: buses 23, 25, 87 and 172
• “Chorlton Metrolink Stop” (only towards “Piccadilly Gardens”): buses 23, 25 and 87
• “Manchester Metropolitan University” (only towards “Piccadilly Gardens”): buses 18, 41, 42, 42A, 42B, 43, 50, 53, 87, 111, 142, 143, 147, 191 and 197
• “Chester Street” (only towards “Piccadilly Gardens”): buses 18, 41, 42, 42A, 42B, 43, 50, 87, 111, 142, 143, 147, 191 and 197
• “Dickinson Street” (only towards “Piccadilly Gardens”): buses 18, 33, 41, 42, 42A, 42B, 43, 50, 87, 111, 114, 142, 143, 191, 197 and 256

Pages for these routes: bus 18, bus 23, bus 25, bus 33, bus 41, bus 42, bus 42A, bus 42B, bus 43, bus 50, bus 53, bus 59, bus 76, bus 76A, bus 76B, bus 81, bus 83, bus 84, bus 85A, bus 86, bus 87, bus 111, bus 112, bus 114, bus 117, bus 118, bus 119, bus 135, bus 142, bus 143, bus 147, bus 150, bus 172, bus 182, bus 191, bus 192, bus 197, bus 203, bus 205, bus 231, bus 256.

Passes and concessions

Our page “How to pay for public transport in Manchester” describes tickets, passes and concessions, including any differences between modes of transport.

Questions about bus 85

Does bus 85 go to “Royal Northern College of Music”?

Yes, in both directions.

Where can I change from bus 85 to another bus route?

Most routes stop at “Piccadilly Gardens” (18, 33, 41, 42, 42A, 42B, 43, 50, 59, 76, 76A, 76B, 81, 83, 84, 87, 111, 112, 114, 117, 118, 119, 135, 142, 143, 182, 191, 192, 197, 203, 205, 231 and 256) and “Charlotte Street” (18, 33, 41, 42, 42A, 42B, 43, 50, 76, 76A, 76B, 81, 83, 84, 87, 111, 112, 114, 117, 118, 119, 135, 142, 143, 147, 191, 192, 197, 203, 205, 231 and 256). All other stops with connections are listed above.

Checked on 3 October 2026. Source of the route and stops: Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).