Getting around Liverpool – Public transport and other methods

The Merseyrail train network is pretty extensive. It stretches from Chester down to Southport and has 92 stations throughout Merseyside. It also operates the underground network within the city. You can get just about anywhere in the region and further afield by train. And, as a student, you can get a discount railcard that reduces those sometimes expensive fares to something much more manageable.

The two main train stations are Liverpool Central and Lime Street. Both have rail and underground so you’ll find them very convenient for getting around.

The two main lines you’ll need to know are the Wirral Line and the Northern Line. Both cover most of the region. Merseyrail offer travel cards, Day Saver tickets and other discounts. You can buy online and have the ticket emailed, or use the Merseyrail app.

You can also use the MetroCard which is good for rail, bus and ferry so can be useful if you plan to use a lot of public transport in Liverpool.

Merseytravel runs the local buses and does a pretty good job. They are clean, reliable and usually on time so it’s definitely a viable method of public transport in Liverpool. Buses get busy at peak times and some routes will be standing room only. They are frequent so if one is full, another will be along soon enough.

Buses are run by Arriva and Stagecoach and cover the city centre, Wavertree and out into the regions. Bus routes change quite a lot so we won’t list routes and numbers here. Suffice to say, there are routes that cover all your needs throughout the city centre, down Smithdown Road into Wavertree and all the way to John Lennon Airport.

Prices are mixed but there are some student discounts like the Academic Pass that gives big discounts on bus travel. The pass is available from the Guild. Student Singles are also available if you don’t plan to travel by bus that often. They provide a discount on occasional fares rather than passes.

If you need to travel further, there’s National Express and Megabus. Both run into Liverpool on a daily basis.

Public transport in Liverpool also includes a ferry. There aren’t many cities that can say that! Immortalised in the song ‘Ferry across the Mersey’, the ferry is also run by Merseytravel and goes from Gerry Marsden Ferry Terminal in the city centre across the river to Birkenhead.

Not many students live in Birkenhead, but the ferry is a great way to see the city from another perspective.

Plus, nobody should spend any time in the city without taking the ‘Ferry across the Mersey’! A ferry across the river costs around £3 one way or £4 return. The ferry tour takes 50 minutes and costs £10 for NUS card holders.

Other ways of getting around Liverpool. Public transport in Liverpool is good, but that’s not your only option.

Liverpool is a busy city with lots of traffic but it’s also cycling-aware. While you won’t get special treatment, most drivers are aware of cyclists and will drive accordingly.

You’ll also see the green CityBike everywhere. They cost just £1 to hire and have parking everywhere in the city. If you don’t want or have your own bike, these are a cheap way to get around and are plentiful.

E-scooters are also available to hire for over 18s. They cost £1 plus 20p per minute to hire but they aren’t quite as popular with locals as the CityBike!

Liverpool is a very walkable city. The city centre itself is quite compact and you can walk everywhere you need to walk.

Pavements are wide, roads are busy but not so busy you can never cross the road.  Both the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University are in the city centre. Liverpool Hope University isn’t quite walkable but you can get a bus from the city centre down Smithdown Road and walk from there to class.

Overall, if you’re staying in the Baltic, the Knowledge Quarter or the city centre, walking is probably the easiest way to get around.

It’s cheaper and much less hassle too!

Taxis are everywhere in the city. There are taxi ranks across town with the largest being outside Liverpool Lime Street Station.

Black cabs can be hailed anywhere in the city while standard cabs can be called or called via their app.

Uber and other rideshare operations will have a presence in Liverpool too, depending on where you plan to go.

Your last option is to drive. Not many students bother with this as student parking is very limited and cars are expensive.

There’s plenty of public transport in Liverpool and walking is a breeze so there’s no need to drive.

You can get around on foot, by bike, bus or train. You can get home by coach or train too, so you have options.

If you do decide to drive, your main challenge will be parking. There’s limited space on campus and not many student digs include parking spaces. Otherwise, you’re free to drive, or not, as you like!