Serviced Apartments in Preston

Discover the best activities and attractions Preston has to offer, and find out what makes this city a vibrant and exciting place to live or visit.

Harris Museum & Art Gallery
The Harris is Preston’s principal cultural institution and a major draw for visitors and residents alike, housing fine art, decorative arts, local history collections and a reference library. As a free-to-access civic gallery it supports education (school visits, workshops), cultural tourism and creative industries in the city, helping sustain local cafes, shops and heritage tourism jobs. Its exhibitions and events raise Preston’s cultural profile and provide a focus for community engagement and learning.

Avenham and Miller Parks & the River Ribble
These adjacent Victorian parks beside the River Ribble are Preston’s best-known green spaces, with formal lawns, a Japanese garden, a bandstand and riverside promenades used for walking, picnics and outdoor concerts. They improve local quality of life and public health, host seasonal events that attract visitors from across Lancashire, and boost spending at nearby businesses (cafés, pubs and leisure providers). The parks’ historic landscaping and river setting also make them a valued backdrop for community festivals and weddings.

Preston Guild
Preston Guild is an ancient civic celebration unique to the city — traditionally held every 20 years — combining processions, arts programmes, markets and large-scale public events that celebrate local identity. When it takes place the Guild delivers a major short-term economic boost through visitor spending, hospitality and cultural commissions, while reinforcing civic pride and long-term cultural partnerships that support arts organisations and volunteers across Preston. Its rarity and history make it a distinctive element of the city’s cultural calendar.

Preston Market & Flag Market (City Centre Shopping Quarter)
Preston’s market and surrounding shopping streets (Fishergate, St George’s Shopping Centre and the Flag Market area) form the retail and social heart of the city, mixing independent stalls and traders with national shops and regular street markets. The market supports local producers, small businesses and food entrepreneurs (street-food, delis, butchers and bakers), creating everyday jobs and keeping spending circulating locally. Ongoing regeneration and events in the area also help attract shoppers and tourists, sustaining hospitality outlets and strengthening the city centre economy.

Ribble Steam Railway & Museum (Preston Docks heritage attraction)
The Ribble Steam Railway preserves Preston’s industrial and transport heritage with a volunteer-run railway, museum exhibits and miniature rides — popular with families, enthusiasts and school groups. It contributes to cultural tourism and local leisure provision, offering heritage events, rides and educational activities that draw visitors to the docks area and support nearby cafés and attractions. By celebrating the city’s maritime and rail history it helps diversify Preston’s visitor offer and provides volunteer and training opportunities for residents.

Explore the diverse transport options available in Preston, from efficient public transportation systems to convenient road networks. Whether you're commuting to work or exploring the city, this section will give you an overall look at the available transportation systems.

Public Transit System
- Rail (Preston railway station) - Major station on the West Coast Main Line with frequent long‑distance and regional services connecting Preston to Manchester, Liverpool, Lancaster, Blackpool, Glasgow, London and other cities; provides interchange with local buses and taxis.
- Local and regional buses - Urban and interurban services linking the city centre with suburbs and nearby towns (Leyland, Chorley, Blackpool, Lancaster, South Ribble) operated predominantly by Preston Bus and larger operators such as Stagecoach; services call at Preston Bus Station and multiple city stops.
- Coach services - National Express and other intercity coach operators provide longer‑distance services to cities across the UK with stops at or near the bus station.
- Park & Ride services - Park‑and‑ride car parks and dedicated express buses operate on key routes into the city centre to reduce car traffic and improve access for commuters.
- Taxis and private‑hire - Licensed hackney carriages and numerous private‑hire operators (including app‑based services) operate across the city, with ranks at the rail and bus stations and the city centre.
- Passenger information & ticketing - Real‑time passenger information at major stops/stations and increasing availability of contactless and mobile ticketing on buses and some rail services.

Major Highways
- M6 - Primary north–south motorway serving Preston, providing direct links toward the Midlands and Scotland.
- M55 - Short motorway linking Preston to Blackpool and the Fylde coast.
- A6 - Major historic north–south A‑road running through Preston that connects to Lancaster to the north and Manchester area to the south.
- A59 - Key regional route providing an east–west link across parts of Lancashire toward the Liverpool/Ormskirk corridor and eastwards connections.
- A583 - Important trunk route connecting Preston with routes toward the Fylde coast (Blackpool area) and local towns.
- Other regional A‑roads (e.g., A582 and local trunk links) - A network of A‑roads and link routes that feed the motorways and provide access to business parks and surrounding districts.

Cycling Infrastructure
- Bike lanes and cycle network - Preston has a growing network of on‑road cycle lanes, traffic‑calmed streets and off‑road routes (notably the 21‑mile Guild Wheel orbital route around the city) plus connections to regional National Cycle Network routes; cycle parking is available at transport hubs and ongoing schemes under the city’s active travel/LCWIP plans aim to expand segregated provision and improve junction safety.

Recent and Upcoming Improvements
- Station and passenger facility upgrades - Ongoing accessibility, shelter, signage and passenger information improvements at Preston railway and bus stations to enhance interchange and access for mobility‑impaired users.
- Fleet and ticketing modernisation - Gradual introduction of newer, more reliable intercity and regional trains on mainline services and greater roll‑out of contactless/mobile ticketing and real‑time apps for bus passengers.
- Active travel and cycle scheme investments - Local and county council funding (including DfT programmes and LCWIP measures) delivering new/upgrade cycle lanes, junction improvements, and expanded bike parking to support walking and cycling.
- Road and junction upgrades - Targeted carriageway, junction and safety improvements on approaches to Preston (including M6 junction improvements and local distributor road schemes) designed to reduce congestion and support new housing and employment areas.
- Park & Ride and bus priority measures - Enhancements to park‑and‑ride capacity and bus priority corridors to speed up public transport journeys into the city centre.
- Low‑emission and EV infrastructure - Introduction of lower‑emission buses on some routes, and expansion of electric vehicle charging points across public car parks and key streets to support cleaner local travel.