Finding my way around Manchester Piccadilly railway station?

[PaxUniversalis]

Hi everyone,
I need to change trains at Manchester Piccadilly this week. I have 10 minutes between trains. I've never been to this station.
My friend says there is a lower and an upper level and she tells me when I arrive at Piccadilly I should NOT go to the main concourse? She's used Piccadilly before and it sounds easy enough, but is 10 minutes sufficient and is everything clearly signposted? Just in case my first train is slightly delayed.
I always get a bit nervous about finding my way around large, crowded train stations if it's a race against time.
Thanks.

You should be fine with 10 minutes.

There are two main bits of Manchester Piccadilly - platforms 1-12 for trains that start and stop there (along with some that come from the airport and go back out again), and platforms 13-14 for trains that go through Manchester (usually the east west trains). Platforms 13-14 are up a ramp by platform 12. Where are you travelling to and from?

Sorry, to be precise - the travellator ramp thing up to Platforms 13-14 is by platforms 10-11. There's a sign. If you look online there should be some maps of the station to help you get your bearings if that would make you feel more confident.

Mancunians are v friendly so just grab someone and ask if you're not sure where you're going.

MrsMogginsMinge - York to London, change trains at Manchester Piccadilly.

Ok, that's easy. The Virgin trains to London go from the main concourse - usually platforms 5, 6 or 7. You need to head for there and look at the big central departure board.

Trains from York will arrive either into the main concourse (I think around platform 3-4) or platform 14. The trains that terminate at Piccadilly or the airport usually stop at the main concourse. The trains that are running on to Liverpool will usually stop at platform 14.

If you arrive at the main concourse that's easy - you'll come out by the central departure board and can just look up your platform.

If you arrive at Platform 14 then you'll need to go up the stairs to the separate platform 13/14 waiting area then down the travellator to the main concourse (just follow the signs/everyone else - and have your ticket to hand as they check on the way out to the main concourse) then turn right to get to the platforms.

You should be on 13 if it's a through train but will be main concourse (1-4 usually) if the train starts from Manchester Picc. Leave yourself 5-10 mins to get from main concourse to 13/14 as it can get busy and there's s a bit of a jam sometimes with people leaving / getting onto those platforms because the tickets get checked at the top of the stairs to platforms 13/14 ( you go up the travelator and then down the other side to the platform) Not hard as everything's signposted and anyone will be happy to direct you.

Thank you very much, that's very helpful.

Beaten to it! Safe journey

Sorry, last post - I think what your friend is getting at is that you can go direct from the platform 13/14 waiting area to your connecting train platform, if you know which platform you need. The downside is there is only stair access.

Map here:

www.dudleymall.co.uk/loclrail/piccadilly.gif

Thanks everyone. I don't know if the train terminates in Manchester or not. It a Transpennine Express train form York.
Many thanks for the advice.

And thanks for the map!

You'll know when you get on it! Good luck, you'll be fine.

Thanks everyone. I arrived at Manchester Piccadilly from York last week and I had to change trains to London. Unfortunately my train from York was delayed by 10 minutes and the connecting train to London pulled out of the station just as I was running down to the platform. Never mind, I caught the next train to London.

It was all very easy to find. I was surprised hardly anyone walked to their connecting train via the long walkway on the upper level. Perhaps they didn't need a connecting train.
Thanks again for all your advice!

Just seen this - glad it was all ok! I think the upper walkway is a bit under-advertised (and if you ask someone who lives here they have probably never had to use it...)