Merseyrail: Tickets, Timetables and Facilities

A subsidiary of the consortium between Serco and Abellio, Merseyrail offers train service throughout the Liverpool City Centre area, the suburban area, and the rest of Merseyside. Over 100,000 passengers utilize the network weekly with about 800 trains running daily. Due to increasing overcrowding at stations and on trains, talks of expansion to increase the number of stations in Liverpool Centre and other areas is in progress. Other plans include expanding services above ground with trams and increasing better connections to the John Lennon Airport.

The network currently consists of two lines - the Northern Line and the Wirral Line - and is further associated with the City Line. The Northern Line runs from Hunts Cross in the south of Liverpool through the city center to Southport, Ormskirk, and Kirkby. The Wirral Line connects Liverpool to the Wirral Peninsula via the Mersey Railway Tunnel, with connections to New Brighton, West Kirby, Chester, and Ellesmere Port. Popular destinations include Liverpool Lime Street, New Brighton, Preston, and Hunt’s Cross, with most of the network’s branches having trains departing every fifteen minutes.

Every train operated by Merseyrail is electric. The trains received various characterizations over recent years from themed advertising of the Beatles Story and the John Hope University to receiving names such as Red Rum, Bob Paisley, and Dixie Dean.

Every train has accommodations for wheelchair users, auditory and visual information and travel updates, boarding ramps, a standard toilet, and priority seating. However, not all of the trains have accessible toilets and customer staff available onboard to assist disabled passengers.

Besides the usual group, season, off peak and other standard tickets, Merseyrail has several special offers. Full or part time students can enjoy the benefits of the GEM pass, which allows unlimited travel within a chosen area. Season tickets have a special trio option which will discount bus, train, and ferry tickets. Finally, Merseyrail will introduce a “Walrus” Smartcard and loyalty system to use all across three modes of transportation.