Cardiff to Manchester
£470 to £1,470
190 miles, three and a half to four hours each way. The figure depends entirely on the size of the load, and the table below breaks it down.
What it costs by size of load
Local prices for each size of move, plus the mileage for this route. The same figures apply in the other direction, because the van makes both legs either way.
| Job | What it covers | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|
| Studio or bedsit | A single room of furniture and boxes, one van, one trip. | £470 to £790 |
| One bedroom flat | Bed, sofa, wardrobe, white goods and the boxes that come with them. | £520 to £870 |
| Two bedroom flat or house | Two bedrooms of furniture plus a living room and kitchen, usually a full van. | £600 to £1,000 |
| Three bedroom house | A family house, often a large van or two runs depending on the loft and garage. | £730 to £1,220 |
| Four bedroom house | A big load with a second crew member, and nearly always more than one trip. | £890 to £1,470 |
One day or two
A studio or a one bed is a single long day: early load, drive, unload late afternoon. From a two bed upwards it depends entirely on the access. Stairs at both ends over that distance is what turns a long day into an overnight, and it is better to plan for two than to discover it at six in the evening.
Where a job runs over two days, the load stays in the van overnight. That is normal for this distance and it is safer than unloading into a hallway and reloading in the morning.
The M5 and M6 problem
The route is M4, M5, M6, and the middle of it goes through Birmingham, which is the least predictable stretch of motorway in the country. Leaving Cardiff early enough to be past it before the morning peak is the single most useful thing we do on this route.
Roadworks on the M6 are a permanent feature rather than an event. We check before we set off, and we build slack into the plan rather than promising an arrival time we cannot control.
What the distance actually costs
Nearly 400 miles of driving for one job, most of it with the van empty on the way back. That is what the mileage part of the price covers, and it is why a Manchester move costs what it does against a local one.
It is also why a part load is worth asking about. If you have less than a full van, tell us, because a smaller load over this distance is priced differently to a full one.
What the price includes
- The van, the fuel and the driver
- A driver who carries, loads and stacks rather than watching you do it
- Blankets, straps and trolley to protect what is being moved
- Loading and unloading at both ends, including stairs
- The parking sorted before the day rather than argued about on it
Third-party charges such as clean air zones or parking permits are not included unless we say so in your quote. Ask, and it will be stated either way.
Other routes from Cardiff
Collecting from anywhere in Cardiff
We load from any part of the city, including Cardiff City Centre, Cathays, Roath, Canton, Grangetown, Splott. See how long distance moves work or the local price list.
Moving between Cardiff and Manchester?
Send both postcodes, the access at each end and a rough list of what is moving. We will come back within the hour with one fixed figure for the whole trip.