Map of the M6 Motorway: Where the M6 Runs

Map of Great Britain showing where the M6 runs, from Rugby to Gretna, and the motorways that join it — Where the M6 runs in Great Britain. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Map drawing © Corporate Ace Limited.

The M6 starts near Rugby, where it leaves the M1, and runs north for about 210 miles to Junction 45 near Gretna, where it becomes the A74(M) into Scotland. It is the longest motorway in Great Britain.

On the way it passes Coventry and goes through Birmingham, then runs past Wolverhampton, Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent, across Cheshire to Warrington, through Wigan and Preston, past Lancaster and over Shap in Cumbria to Penrith and Carlisle.

The small map shows where the M6 sits in Great Britain and the motorways that join it: the M1, M69, M42, M5, M54, M56, M62, M58, M65, M61 and M55, plus the M6 Toll around Birmingham. We also run traffic news sites for the M1, M5 and M42.

How This Map Works

The detailed map below shows the M6 with every junction and the towns along it. It is split into eight sections, shown as dashed boxes. Tap a box, or one of the section buttons under the map, to open a closer map of that part of the M6. Tap a junction number to open that junction’s own page with its map and the towns around it.

The road is coloured by the live traffic flow speed from National Highways’ data, checked every five minutes: light green is 60 mph or more, dark green 50 to 59 mph, amber 30 to 49 mph, red 15 to 29 mph, dark red under 15 mph, and red with white crosses where National Highways reports the road closed. Choose northbound or southbound above the map. For the full live picture see the live M6 traffic flow map.

Map of the M6 Motorway

Speeds shown

60 mph +50–5930–4915–29under 15closedno live reading

Every M6 Junction

All the junctions on the M6, south to north. Each one has its own page.

Map of the M6 Motorway: Where the M6 Runs

How This Map Works

Map of the M6 Motorway

Every M6 Junction

Check the M6 Before You Set Off