Liverpool Saveaway?

[Buzby]

I’ll be spending a couple of days in Liverpool - I gather the all-area Saveaway at £6.50 for use after 0930 from Mersey Travel is probably the best bet, but I thought I’d check first - are there any worthwhile alternatives worth trying?

 

[TheSel]

I’ll be spending a couple of days in Liverpool - I gather the all-area Saveaway at £6.50 for use after 0930 from Mersey Travel is probably the best bet, but I thought I’d check first - are there any worthwhile alternatives worth trying?

There is a similar - slightly cheaper - day ticket valid on Merseyrail only, but realistically it's worth paying the extra few pence for the all zone Saveaway.

Remember you can use it on the full extent of the Merseyrail electric network, so to/from Chester, Ellesmere Port and Ormskirk (but ONLY by Merseyrail outside the Merseyside County boundary, so not by bus, or via Runcorn and Helsby on the TfW Liverpool Lime Street - Chester service).

It's also valid on the Mersey Ferries, but only for one-way trips Liverpool to Seacombe or Seacombe to Liverpool. If you want to do the whole circle (advertised as 'River Explorer Cruise'), you must alight at 'other side' of the river from where you board, and catch a later ferry to return (they run hourly during the day).

Also remember, there is no time restriction on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Enjoy.

 

[Buzby]

Thanks for that comprehensive précis @TheSel - I’m looking forward to it!

 

[Djgr]

Also don't ask for a Liverpool Saveaway unless you only want that single area (Area C), which is only £5 but covers a much smaller area. Merseytravel produce a very comprehensive leaflet.

 

[Polarbear]

Should you be around early on weekdays, you can also use Saveaways for journeys commencing before 06:30 too.

Also valid on rail services from Lime Street to Newton-Le-Willows, Garswood and Hough Green.

 

[Amos]

From what I remember the saveaways aren’t sold at the ticket machines,but it is easy enough to purchase from the ticket office or pay point stores.

 

[Buzby]

From what I can see (on the website) to use a Saveaway, I’m expected to pay an additional £1 to put it on a Metrocard. Unlike Newcastle, the machines there dispense a card ticket, however at home I use my watch (or phone wallet), and I need more plastic regional travel cards like a hole in the head!

I cannot see anywhere on Merseytravel whether I can load the pass onto a watch/phone without more travel company flag-waving! Does the forum know?

 

[Kite159]

You can buy it on paper from the northern run ticket office at Lime Street without paying the £1 charge to get it onto a smartcard.

The Northern TVMs might even sell it on the day as well

 

[stadler]

You can buy it on paper from the northern run ticket office at Lime Street without paying the £1 charge to get it onto a smartcard.

The Northern TVMs might even sell it on the day as well

Any non Merseyrail ticket office (not just Northern ones) should be able to sell it. You should be able to buy it from guards as well which can be a useful option if you are on a train to Liverpool and want to save time in advance. When i have travelled to Liverpool before i have purchased a Saveaway multiple times from both Southern on board supervisors and Southern run ticket offices on my way there to avoid the smartcard.

 

[Djgr]

From what I can see (on the website) to use a Saveaway, I’m expected to pay an additional £1 to put it on a Metrocard. Unlike Newcastle, the machines there dispense a card ticket, however at home I use my watch (or phone wallet), and I need more plastic regional travel cards like a hole in the head!

I cannot see anywhere on Merseytravel whether I can load the pass onto a watch/phone without more travel company flag-waving! Does the forum know?

You can't. If you buy it from a Merseyrail (Electrics) station they will do the Saveaway and Metrocard issue in one (quick) transaction.

 

[Buzby]

Thought it useful to update the thread - I bought the Saveaway at Lime Street Station, and whilst there were no issues on using trains (although the gateline at St James wouldn’t let me exit, yet was happy for me to re-enter an hour later!), the only issue was with buses - more than one driver looked askance or shrugged their shoulders at what looked like a train ticket - I usually had to say Saveaway whilst waving it.

It then reminded me that this was exactly like when I tried to use a PlusBus ticket - shame the training is so lax.

 

[Polarbear]

Thought it useful to update the thread - I bought the Saveaway at Lime Street Station, and whilst there were no issues on using trains (although the gateline at St James wouldn’t let me exit, yet was happy for me to re-enter an hour later!), the only issue was with buses - more than one driver looked askance or shrugged their shoulders at what looked like a train ticket - I usually had to say Saveaway whilst waving it.

It then reminded me that this was exactly like when I tried to use a PlusBus ticket - shame the training is so lax.

Not entirely surprising given that bus drivers around here don't see that many paper versions these days. Agreed that training could & should be better though.

 

[Djgr]

Thought it useful to update the thread - I bought the Saveaway at Lime Street Station, and whilst there were no issues on using trains (although the gateline at St James wouldn’t let me exit, yet was happy for me to re-enter an hour later!), the only issue was with buses - more than one driver looked askance or shrugged their shoulders at what looked like a train ticket - I usually had to say Saveaway whilst waving it.

It then reminded me that this was exactly like when I tried to use a PlusBus ticket - shame the training is so lax.

I think you mean James Street!

The vast majority of Saveaway users are locals who, at some point, have invested £1 in a Metrocard!