It serves the southern part of Manchester city centre, the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, and is on the most-served bus route in Europe. The station consists of a ticket office, waiting rooms, automatic ticket gates, toilets, a buffet and a newsagent. It stands on a line from Manchester Piccadilly westwards towards Liverpool, Preston and Blackpool. Eastbound trains go beyond Piccadilly to Crewe, Leeds, Sheffield and other towns across Northern England.