FLYER buses from LBA drop you 5–10 minutes’ walk from Leeds city centre at Leeds City Bus Station
Leeds City Bus Station works as the main handoff point between the LBA FLYER routes (A1/A2/A3) and longer-distance coaches like National Express and Megabus, which also use stands here. If you’re chaining an airport run with a coach up to Newcastle or down to London, this is where you swap. The ride from Leeds Bradford Airport into the bus station typically runs around 35–45 minutes depending on traffic on the A660.
Most FLYER services to LBA call at Leeds City Bus Station early morning through late evening, roughly every 20–30 minutes in the daytime on core routes. Single fares from the station to the airport usually sit in the £4–£6 range, with contactless payment accepted on board. Coaches to other Yorkshire towns, such as Harrogate or York, run from adjacent stands, so you’re often just a short walk between bays rather than a fresh ticket hall.
The station itself sits just east of the main shopping area, around a 10–15 minute walk from Leeds rail station along Boar Lane and past Trinity Leeds. That walk is what regulars factor in when choosing between staying near the bus station or closer to the rail-side hotels. If your hotel is by the river or near City Square, plan that extra quarter of an hour on foot or grab a local bus from the stops outside.
Locals on r/Leeds call the bus station “a bit grim” after dark, and they’re not wrong: parts of the concourse feel dated, and by 22:00 some food outlets and smaller shops have their shutters down. Toilets may close earlier than the last buses, and seating can be limited when multiple coaches arrive at once. If you land on a late LBA flight and hit the station around 23:00, keep your transfer tight and avoid hanging around needlessly.
Regulars with light bags often skip local buses entirely and just walk the 10–12 minutes between the bus station and Leeds rail station to catch faster TransPennine or LNER trains. Others time it so they arrive 15–20 minutes before their National Express or Megabus departure, enough to find the right stand without loitering. If you’re connecting off a delayed flight, taxis from the stand outside can bridge the last mile to your hotel in under 10 minutes.
Step-by-step: airport to Leeds City Bus Station via FLYER bus
- 1. After exiting arrivals at LBA, follow signs for the bus stop directly outside the terminal (look for FLYER branding on the stands).
- 2. Check the front of the bus or the digital display for route A1, A2, or A3 showing “Leeds City Bus Station” in the destination.
- 3. Pay the driver using contactless or cash; expect around £4–£6 for a single ticket to Leeds City Bus Station.
- 4. Stay on board for the full airport–city run, which normally takes 35–45 minutes depending on peak-hour traffic.
- 5. Get off at Leeds City Bus Station, then follow stand signs for your onward coach or walk the 10–15 minutes into the city centre or to Leeds rail station.
Tip: If your coach or train is time-critical, aim to be at Leeds City Bus Station at least 30 minutes before departure to buffer for city traffic and stand changes.