Travelling to Leeds City Centre
Find out how to plan your journey for a Magical Leeds Christmas.
The work to transform the city centre into a more car free and people first environment has enabled the city to host bigger and better Christmas Markets this year. This also means that it may look a little different when travelling in and around the city.
Whether you’re heading to the Markets, festive shows, shopping, or just visiting the city, find out how to plan ahead when travelling by public transport, using the Park & Ride, cycling or driving.
TRAIN
Leeds Train Station is serviced by LNER, Northern, TransPennine and more from early in the morning to late at night, making it easy to travel by rail all day.
As part of the ongoing transformations to the station’s main entrance and surrounding area, access to and from the station has changed. You can find pedestrian and taxi information for getting to and from Leeds Train Station below, or by visiting this page.
Pedestrian access at Leeds Train Station
Pedestrians can no longer turn left from the station’s main entrance towards the city centre. Instead pedestrians should use the following entrance/ exits:
- Use the station’s northern entrance (past the McDonalds, Sainsburys and Pret a Manger) to reach City Square, Infirmary Street, Park Row and Wellington Street. This is the quickest route to the Christmas Markets on City Square.
- Turn right from the station’s main entrance to reach the main shopping area including Trinity Leeds and Briggate. This is the quickest route to the Christmas Markets on Briggate and outside the Corn Exchange.
- Use the station’s southern entrance (open between 6am and 10pm) to reach the south bank areas of the city including DoubleTree hotel, Granary Wharf and water taxis.
Taxi access at Leeds Train Station
The taxi rank has relocated to the back of the station on Princes Square (next to the Wetherspoon pub). When travelling from the city centre, you can reach the taxi rank by:
- Travelling from the station’s main entrance, walking through the station, and turning left before the Wetherspoon pub to reach the taxi rank.
- Travelling from the station’s northern entrance, walking past the Wetherspoon pub, and turning right to the taxi rank.
If you’re travelling by train, make sure to check before you travel for latest updates on any planned industrial action.
CHRISTMAS UPDATES – Trains will stop running earlier on Christmas Eve (around 5pm) with no services Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
NEW YEARS UPDATES – Engineering works start on the 30th of December so expect delays, cancellations and bus replacements until the 3rd of January. New Years Eve trains will stop running earlier than usual (around 5pm). New Years Day services start later than usual and very limited services in the area. Please check ahead before travelling.
PARK & RIDE
Stourton Park & Ride will have extended hours from 24 November – 22 December, which comes just in time for the Christmas Markets period, making it even easier to drop off the car and hop on the Park & Ride into the city centre.
Stourton will run regular services from 7am to 9pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and from 10am to 4pm on Sunday.
Find full timetables for Stourton Road Park & Ride here.
Travelling from the north and east of Leeds, or south and west of the city centre? You can also use the Elland Road or Temple Green Park & Ride services.
Elland Road and Temple Green will be open Monday to Friday with transfers every 10/15 minutes from 7am and the last bus at 7.50pm (for Elland Road) or 8.08pm (for Temple Green).
Find full timetables for Elland Road Park & Ride.
Find full timetables for Temple Green Park & Ride.
CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR UPDATES – Elland Road and Temple Green from the 24th of December to the 2nd of January 2024.. All three Park & Ride sites are closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day with Stourton being open Sunday services between the 27th and 30th.
BUS
There are plenty of options for getting the bus into Leeds over Christmas. Plan your journey here and check out cheap bus fares and ticket options below.
£4.50 – the MCard Day Saver gives you unlimited travel on any bus, anytime, anywhere in Leeds and the whole of West Yorkshire so you can hop-on and off any bus as many times as you like in one day.
£2 max single fare – you won’t pay more than £2 for single fares in Leeds and West Yorkshire. So a return trip will be just £4 or less.
£1 Leeds City Bus – the Leeds City Bus links Leeds’ rail and bus stations, business and shopping districts. It’s £1 per journey or free for MCard, Park & Ride and operator season ticket holders and Concessionary Pass holders.
Download the MCard Mobile app on Google Play Store or Apple Store to buy and store tickets on your smartphone or get your ticket on the bus.
CHRISTMAS UPDATES – Buses will run Sunday time on Christmas Eve reducing services from 6pm and finish at 8pm with no buses Christmas Day. Limited services are available between 9am and 6pm on Boxing Day.
NEW YEARS UPDATES – Sunday timetables will operate on most bus routes with services until 8pm with most services limited from 6pm.
WALKING AND CYCLING
If you live within walking or cycling distance to the city, why not make your journey into Leeds a greener one by heading into Leeds by foot or on a bike?
There’s over 10km of protected cycle track in the city centre to get around by bike and lots of tools available to help you plan your journey. What’s more, the Leeds City Bikes scheme has introduced 200 e-bikes for hire across the city centre. Simply download the app and find an e-bike to hire.
Use the City Connect journey planner.
DRIVING
If you need to drive into the city centre, please be mindful that access to some destinations has changed. Please plan ahead to avoid being affected by bus gates now in operation on East Parade, King Street, Infirmary Street, City Square and Neville Street.
If you’re using a SatNav device, please make sure to update the mapping (if required) to avoid being routed via restricted routes where bus gates are now in operation.
Access to/from the city centre should be via the Ring Road and then a relevant junction or link. More information and alternative routes can be found here.
BLUE BADGE PARKING
Blue badge parking is available across the city centre. Visit this page for more information on where blue badge holders can and can’t park and an interactive map highlighting 131 available spaces across 26 locations in the city centre.
GENERAL PARKING
Visit this page for information on how to reach key destinations using junctions 4 and 2 of the M621, depending on your destination of travel.
Paid car parks are available across the city centre and can be found on the map here. Make sure to plan ahead and check for updates.
COACHES
If you’re visiting Leeds by coach, please be aware that providers operate using different pick-up and drop-off points, including the Coach Station, Great George Street, Wade Lane, Sovereign Street, Kirkgate and Lower Briggate. Please make sure to check with your provider before travelling.
AIRPORT
Travelling from the Leeds Bradford Airport is as easy as just hopping on the A1 Flyer. Straight from outside to the city centre and regular times – find more information here.