Preston is on the West Coast Main Line, with frequent direct Avanti and Northern services from London Euston (2 hours 15 minutes), Glasgow (2 hours), Manchester Piccadilly (45 minutes), and Liverpool Lime Street (1 hour). The station is on the western edge of the city centre — five minutes' walk from Market Square.
The nearest airports are Manchester (45 minutes by car) and Liverpool (an hour). Drivers will find the M6 motorway runs immediately east of the city, with J31 the obvious exit. The bus station — the brutalist landmark — handles all long-distance coaches and most local services.