Christmas and New Year Transport Update

Here’s a roundup of bus, train and ferry services across the Christmas and New Year period.

Christmas Eve – Thursday 24 December

• Buses will run to their normal Thursday timetables, most services will finish earlier than usual
• Wirral, Northern and City line rail services will finish early
• Mersey Ferries will run to their normal timetable with an early finish. The last ferry will depart from Liverpool Pier Head at 1400

Christmas Day – Friday 25 December
• A special network of free bus services, funded by Merseytravel, will run between approximately 12 noon and 6pm, covering most hospital routes
• No other bus services will run on Christmas Day
• No trains will run
• Mersey Ferries will not operate
• The Queensway (Birkenhead) Tunnel will be closed in both directions from 2100 on Thursday 24 December until 0630 on Saturday 26 December The Kingsway (Wallasey) Tunnel will be open throughout the holiday period

Boxing Day – Saturday 26 December
• A limited network of buses, part funded by Merseytravel, will run
• Soccerbus will run for the Liverpool vs. Leicester City match at Anfield
• A limited rail service will run on Wirral and Northern lines calling at selected stations
• No trains will operate on City Line
• Mersey Ferries will not operate

Sunday 27 December
• Some buses will operate a normal Sunday service, some services will not operate
• City, Northern and Wirral rail lines will run normal Sunday timetables
• Mersey Ferry River Explorer Cruises will run from 1000 until last departure 1600. No commuter services will operate

Monday 28 December:
• Some buses will operate a Sunday service, some services will not operate
• Soccerbus will run for the Everton vs. Stoke City match at Goodison Park
• City line will run normal Monday timetables
• Northern line will run to Saturday timetables
• Wirral line trains will run to Saturday timetables
• Mersey Ferry River Explorer Cruises will run from 1000 until last departure 1600. No commuter services will operate

Tuesday 29 December
• Some buses will operate a normal or Saturday service, some services will not operate
• City line will run normal Tuesday timetables
• Merseyrail Northern Line trains will run to Saturday timetables
• Northern trains between Southport – Manchester and Preston – Ormskirk will run to normal Tuesday timetables
• Wirral Line trains will run to Saturday timetables
• Arriva Trains Wales trains will run to a normal Tuesday timetable
• Mersey Ferry River Explorer Cruises will run from 1000 until last departure 1600. No commuter services will operate

Wednesday 30 December
• Some buses will operate a normal or Saturday service, some services will not operate
• City line will run normal Wednesday timetables
• Merseyrail Northern Line trains will run to Saturday timetables
• Northern trains between Southport – Manchester, Kirkby – Manchester and Preston – Ormskirk will run to normal Wednesday timetables
• Wirral Line trains will run to Saturday timetables
• Arriva Trains Wales trains will run to a normal Wednesday timetable
• Mersey Ferry River Explorer Cruises will run from 1000 until last departure 1600. No commuter services will operate

New Year’s Eve – Thursday 31 December
• Buses will operate a normal or Saturday service, most services will finish earlier than usual –  check Merseytravel Christmas & New Year Transport Guide, www.merseytravel.gov.uk or Traveline for details
• City line will run normal Thursday timetables with an early finish. check Merseytravel Christmas & New Year Transport Guide, www.merseytravel.gov.ukor Traveline for detail
• Merseyrail Northern Line trains will run to Saturday timetables with an early finish- check Merseytravel Christmas & New Year Transport Guide, www.merseytravel.gov.uk or Traveline for details.
• Northern trains between Southport – Manchester, Kirkby – Manchester and Preston – Ormskirk will run to normal Thursday timetables with an early finish- check Merseytravel Christmas & New Year Transport Guide, www.merseytravel.gov.uk or Traveline for details
• Wirral Line trains will run to Saturday timetables with an early finish- check Merseytravel Christmas & New Year Transport Guide, www.merseytravel.gov.uk or Traveline for details
• Arriva Trains Wales trains will run to a normal Thursday timetable with an early finish- check Merseytravel Christmas & New Year Transport Guide, www.merseytravel.gov.uk or Traveline for details.
• Mersey Ferry River Explorer Cruises will run from 1000 until last departure 1600. No commuter services will operate.

New Year’s Day – Friday 1 January
• A limited network of buses will run
• City line will run to normal Friday timetables except the 0338 train from Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Airport and 0434 train from Manchester Airport to Liverpool Lime Street won’t run
• Merseyrail Northern Line trains will run to Sunday timetables
• Northern trains between Southport and Manchester, Kirkby and Manchester and Preston and Ormskirk will run to normal Friday timetables
• Wirral Line trains will run to Sunday timetables
• Arriva Trains Wales trains will run to a normal Friday timetable
• Mersey Ferries will not operate

Saturday 2 January 
• Some buses will operate a normal Saturday service, some services will not operate
• City, Northern and Wirral lines will resume normal timetables
• Mersey Ferry River Explorer Cruises will run from 1000 until last departure 1600. No commuter services will operate

Traveline – 0151 236 7676
Traveline will be open normally between 0700 to 2000 on Mondays to Fridays and 0800 to 2000 on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays except for the following days: 24 December 0700 –1800, 25 December – closed all day, 31 December 0700 –1800.

For more information about public transport over the Christmas and New Year holiday, pick up a copy of the Christmas Summary booklet available from any Merseytravel Centre or visit www.merseytravel.gov.uk.

For travel disruption information, particularly during any severe weather, please visit the travel alerts section of our website www.merseytravel.gov.uk/travel-updates
By putting the information on the website, it will also be readily available on the Merseytravel app under the disruptions tab.

Please do not use the Merseytravel App or online Journey Planner to plan journeys between 24 December and 2 January. They will not reflect Christmas and New Year services.

Merseytravel website: www.merseytravel.gov.uk
Merseyrail website: www.merseyrail.org
Major engineering work will affect long-distance trains between Liverpool and London over the festive season. Please check by visiting: www.nationalrail.co.uk

Liverpool Waterfront