Howdy guys. I’m only working a few days this month, so would like to get up to Liverpool for a two, three or four days for a potential training course and visit some friends. I’m not prepared to take the toy or car up there, so am thinking of train or plane.
Just in case there are some of you guys who do such journeys regularly or recently, I’d like to pick your brains.
For flights: 1. Are there best/cheapest days/dates to fly? 2. Could it sometimes be cheaper or more efficient to fly to another local country first, then fly onto Liverpool? If so, is it best to do that on the say out to Liverpool or on the return? 3. Are there any considerations I should be making about which airport to fly from? 4. Best websites for flights?
For trains: 1. Are there best/cheapest time frames/days/dates to travel? 2. What about getting a reservation for a seat? 3. Best websites for train tickets?
For either trains or flights, is there anything else that I have considered that I should?
For the cheapest ever public transport tickets try megabus. Tickets are as little as £2 and, depending on the destination, they also do train tickets. I’ve used them loads to go visiting.
virgin west coast used to have good deals in advance (i’ve not got the train for a while though) but book early to get the cheapest tickets.
Generally, cheapest times were around midday or after 7-8pm or early on saturday morning (when nobody really wants to travel) but it’s pretty easy to check earlier/later trains to compare prices on the virgin website.
Had to take the Euston -Glasgow Virgin train yesterday to Preston for a meeting. I booked the tickets in advance as the later you leave it the more expensive they are. Booked about 4 weeks ago. Go online and choose date, seat wise go for a window seat with table and plug, same price as squashed lap tray seat lol
The worst part of the trip was getting the bus then 2 tubes to Euston each way from home! Lol… the main train journey is good. Refreshments and even alcohol offered on the train home.
I’m not sure if it still is but the main station Liverpool Lime street was recently closed for renovation. I used to get the train euston-liverpool every 6 months or so, it drops you off right in the centre of the city and the express is less than 3 hours. Getting around is dead easy with their tube (even if it does smell like piss). Make sure you get down to the waterfront by the liver building as they refurbished acres of it a few years ago and it’s really nice for wandering at night. Lots of shopping in liverpool too.
Avoid the other side of the river, it’s a dive.
Of course if you DID take your bike then you’re only a short ferry ride from the TT course. Just saying.
My son uses Trainline.com when he travels to and from barracks. this time the ticket was expensive at £70 from Harrogate to Kings Cross but back it was only £19.80 seated. seems they have flash sales and he was lucky this time x
I’d avoid Sundays if traveling by train - as they tend to be shit with risk of engineering works / delays.
If it were me, I’d get on Virgin’s website and book early. Avoid peak times and it shouldn’t be too much. Lime St is right in the middle of it. Also Virgin’s first class upgrades can be as little as an extra tenner each way - which is well worth it if it’s even half busy.
Or I’d fly and hire a car from airport - for maximum convenience when there. Manc airport to Liverpool is only 30 min drive.
As an ex-Liverpool resident who for a while did a long-distance thing with a scouse girl, I’d recommend the train from Euston to Liverpool Lime St. You’ll spend as much time knobbing around in the airport at each end as you would do on the train in any case.
You can also get the National Express from Victoria coach station for about £20 return (or it used to be about 4 years ago). However that’s 5 hours (each way) of your life you won’t get back. That National Express also does a pickup somewhere near Stevenage I think. That would reduce the duration somewhat.
