Merseyrail
Merseyrail runs the Northern and Wirral lines around Liverpool. Buy before boarding or tap MetroCard, contactless or a smart device.
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Official website
- Official website
- Train tickets
- 1
Two electric lines make up the Merseyrail network, meeting in an underground loop beneath Liverpool city centre. Between them they cover the fastest rail route to Southport, Chester, the Wirral coast and Liverpool's outer suburbs.
Where Merseyrail runs
The Northern line runs from Liverpool through Kirkby and Headbolt Lane, Ormskirk and Southport, with a further branch reaching Hunts Cross to the south of the city. The Wirral line crosses under the Mersey through the tunnel and splits toward West Kirby, New Brighton, Ellesmere Port and Chester. In the city centre, trains call at the underground stations Liverpool Central, Moorfields, Lime Street Low Level and James Street before continuing out on either branch, so most journeys across the network pass through one of these central stops rather than needing a separate change of train.
Trains and network
Merseyrail's fleet is the Class 777, a modern electric unit with wide aisles, digital next stop displays and onboard Wi-Fi. The network is one of the most intensively used in the UK, with more than 600 trains running on a typical weekday and around 90,000 passenger journeys made each day.
Buying a ticket
Buy your ticket before travelling, either at a staffed ticket office, from a ticket vending machine, or online. Vending machines are placed at stations across the network and issue Standard Anytime Singles and Returns, Day Saver tickets, weekly Railpass and season ticket renewals, and Long Distance tickets covering onward travel on the rest of the national network; they also accept most Railcard discounts. Staffed ticket offices can advise on the full range of tickets, including long distance journeys beyond Merseyrail's own network.
Merseyrail also runs Tap & Go smart ticketing. Tap a MetroCard, a contactless bank card or a smart device on the platform validator or ticket gate at the start of the journey and again at the end; there is no need to buy a paper ticket in advance for journeys made this way.
Who runs Merseyrail
Merseyrail is operated jointly by Transport UK and Serco. The trains and stations are branded Merseyrail throughout, and the operator employs more than 1,200 staff to run the network.
Where to book
Train tickets
- Check times & prices
Omio
Omio connects you with over 1,000 transport providers - trains, buses, flights, and more - to simplify your travel planning.
Frequently asked questions
Where does Merseyrail run?
Merseyrail's Northern line links Liverpool with Southport, Ormskirk, Kirkby and Hunts Cross, while the Wirral line crosses under the Mersey to West Kirby, New Brighton, Ellesmere Port and Chester. Both lines pass through the underground city centre stations.
Who operates Merseyrail?
Merseyrail is run jointly by Transport UK and Serco, and all trains and stations are branded Merseyrail.
How do I buy a Merseyrail ticket?
Buy before boarding at a staffed ticket office, a ticket vending machine, or online. Vending machines issue Standard, Day Saver, Railpass and Long Distance tickets and accept most Railcard discounts.
Can I use contactless or a smartcard on Merseyrail?
Yes. Merseyrail's Tap & Go system lets you tap a MetroCard, a contactless bank card or a smart device on the platform validator or ticket gate at the start and end of your journey instead of buying a paper ticket.
More operators in United Kingdom
Train service
- Check times & prices
Avanti West Coast runs London Euston to Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh, with Advance, Off-Peak and Anytime fares.
Official website - Check times & prices
c2c runs London Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness, serving 26 East London and South Essex stations, with e-tickets, Smartcard and contactless fares.
Official website - Check times & prices
Caledonian Sleeper runs overnight from London Euston to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William, with cabin and seated fares.
Official website - Check times & prices
Chiltern Railways runs London Marylebone to Birmingham, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon and Aylesbury, with Advance, Off-Peak and Anytime fares.
Official website - Check times & prices
CrossCountry runs long-distance trains linking Scotland, the North, Midlands, Wales and the South West without changing in London.
Official website - Check times & prices
East Midlands Railway runs Intercity trains to London St Pancras, regional services across the Midlands and North, and Eurostar connections.
Official website - Check times & prices
The Elizabeth line is TfL's cross-London railway linking Heathrow and Reading with the City and Shenfield or Abbey Wood.
Official website - Check times & prices
Eurostar runs high-speed trains from London St Pancras to Paris (2 h 16 min), Brussels (1 h 53 min) and Amsterdam; London departures require border checks.
Official website - Check times & prices
Gatwick Express runs non-stop between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport in about 31 minutes, with some trains also serving Brighton.
Official website - Check times & prices
Grand Central is an open-access operator from London King's Cross to York, Sunderland, Doncaster and Bradford. Bike spaces are limited.
Official website - Check times & prices
Great Northern links London King's Cross and Moorgate with Cambridge, King's Lynn and Peterborough on the southern East Coast Main Line.
Official website - Check times & prices
GWR runs from London Paddington to Bristol, Bath, Cardiff, Devon, Cornwall, Oxford and Reading, with Advance, Off-Peak and Anytime fares.
Official website - Check times & prices
Greater Anglia runs from London Liverpool Street to Norwich, Cambridge, Ipswich, Colchester and East Anglia's coast, Broads and airports.
Official website - Check times & prices
Heathrow Express runs non-stop between London Paddington and Heathrow in 15 to 21 minutes. Fares from £10 in advance, up to £26 on the day.
Official website - Check times & prices
Hull Trains is an open-access operator running direct services from Hull and Beverley to London King's Cross, with Advance fares bookable up to 26 weeks ahead.
Official website - Check times & prices
Island Line runs Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin on the Isle of Wight, operated by South Western Railway.
Official website - Check times & prices
LNER runs East Coast Main Line trains from London King's Cross to Yorkshire, the North East, Edinburgh and Inverness.
Official website - Check times & prices
London Northwestern Railway connects London Euston with Birmingham, Liverpool, Northampton and Crewe. Bikes travel free; e-scooters are banned.
Official website - Check times & prices
London Overground is a TfL rail service with six named lines circling outer London, using Oyster and contactless pay as you go.
Official website - Check times & prices
Lumo runs all-electric trains from London to Edinburgh and Newcastle, plus a newer London to Stirling route via Preston.
Official website - Check times & prices
NI Railways is Translink's rail brand in Northern Ireland, running trains to Bangor and Derry~Londonderry and the Enterprise to Dublin.
Official website - Check times & prices
Northern runs regional and commuter trains to over 500 stations across the North of England, from Advance to Anytime fares.
Official website - Check times & prices
ScotRail runs over 2,000 daily services across more than 340 Scottish stations, publicly owned by the Scottish Government since 2022.
Official website - Check times & prices
South Western Railway runs from London Waterloo to Southampton, Bournemouth, Portsmouth, Exeter and the Isle of Wight's Island Line.
Official website - Check times & prices
Southeastern runs across London, Kent and East Sussex, with High Speed services to St Pancras and 164 stations on its network.
Official website - Check times & prices
Southern runs between central London and the south coast through Sussex, Surrey and parts of Kent and Hampshire, calling at Gatwick Airport.
Official website - Check times & prices
Stansted Express runs Stansted Airport to London Liverpool Street in 48 minutes, every 15 minutes, with fares from £9.90.
Official website - Check times & prices
Thameslink runs a 24 hour core route between Bedford and Brighton through central London, with a direct link to Luton Airport.
Official website - Check times & prices
TransPennine Express runs intercity trains across the North of England and into Scotland, linking Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Official website - Check times & prices
Transport for Wales runs the Wales and Borders rail network, from the Cambrian Coast and Heart of Wales lines to Cardiff, Chester and Manchester Airport.
Official website - Check times & prices
West Midlands Railway runs regional trains around Birmingham to Coventry, Shrewsbury, Stafford and Worcester. Bikes travel free; e-scooters are banned.
Official website