Travel & Getting to the Resort

Bus, train, plane or car, we’ve got the best advice to get to the Magic as quickly as possible…

So, how are you planning on travelling to the resort?

Alton Towers Resort is located in the heart of the Staffordshire countryside, despite the parks name the entrance to the resort is located in the village of Farley (Alton Village is a mile down the road). Getting to the resort can vary in difficulty, but check out our advice based on whatever method is best for you.

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Travelling by Car

Probably one of the most popular and convenient methods of getting there, the only downside being that it can be too popular, particularly during big events, and can result in some delays getting in and out of the car park!

If you’re travelling by car, the Resort is signposted well from both the M6 and M1 motorways.

  • M1 Northbound – Take Junction 23a
  • M1 Southbound – Take Junction 28
  • M6 Northbound – Take Junction 15
  • M6 Southbound – Take Junction 16

Look out for the brown tourist sign posts indicating the Alton Towers junctions, and follow the signposts to bring you the best route. If you’re coming from the M1, then from the junction to the main gate is roughly 45 minutes of driving. And for the M6, its roughly 35 mins from the motorway exit to the main gate.

Got a Sat Nav? Fantastic! The postcode you’ll need for Alton Towers is ST10 4DB. This should bring you to the main entrance, located on Farley Lane. Beware there are two entrances to Alton Towers, one is a staff/deliveries entrance, the other (the guest entrance) is located just before/after a sharp corner on Farley Lane.

Top Tip! If your sat nav attempts to bring you through Stoke and Cheadle (rather than Uttoxeter and Alton), be warned that it will likely attempt to bring you along a treacherous single track road on a steep hill. Although it has now clearly been signposted at the junction to AVOID this route, we strongly recommend you heed the sign’s advice if your sat nav directs you down it. It is likely to do more damage to your car than the five minutes shortcut is worth!

Don’t forget you’ll need to pay for parking at the Resort. This is currently £6.00 and can be purchased from the ticket booths or car park token vending machines at the main entrance. Avoid the queues at the end of the day and buy your token when you arrive! (Note – Premium Alton Towers Pass holders, Premium Merlin Annual Pass holders and hotel guests get free parking!)

The car parks are located at the back of the site and are a 5 minute monorail journey or 15 to 20 minute walk from the entrance. There is an express parking option that allows you to park at the entrance for £18, so if money is not a consideration then you may want to use this service.

Disabled guests follow the signs for express parking; disabled parking is charged at the standard rate of £6.

Plan your car route with Google Maps. Enter your postcode or address to begin:

Travelling by Bus

There are very limited bus services that call directly at the Alton Towers Resort. There is no bus service between Stoke-on-Trent railway station and Alton Towers Resort.

A First PMT service runs between Hanley and Stoke On Trent via the Alton Towers Resort. For latest fare and timetable details, please visit the First PMT website. If your train arrives at Stoke railway station, you will need to catch a bus towards Hanley (City Centre) before then changing to the Alton Towers service.

Travelling by Train

If you want to get to the Resort by train, you’ll need to catch a train to either Stoke-on-Trent rail station, or Uttoxeter rail station. From either of these stations, you will need to either catch a bus (see the bus information above – note that there are only LIMITED bus services that call at Alton Towers, so you will need to plan your train times around them) or hail a taxi to the Resort, which may cost around £20.

To plan your train journey to Stoke-on-Trent (Station Code: SOT) or Uttoxeter (Station Code: UTT), check out National Rail’s website at TheTrainLine

Travelling by Coach

There are a few different options for travelling to the Resort by coach, but usually most people have an independent local coach company who may run trips to the resort at a great price. Alternatively National Express offer various coach shuttles to the Resort from locations around the country, so check out their site for all of the details

Travelling by Plane

So, you’re travelling from abroad or even from Scotland or Ireland? You may want to consider a plane to get you (most) of the way there!

We’d recommend flying to Birmingham International Airport, East Midlands Airport or Manchester International, and you can catch a train connection direct from most of the airports to Stoke-on-Trent or Uttoxeter. Follow the instructions for the train directions!