Merseyrail - impressed

[WolvertonWorks]

Used Merseyrail for the first time yesterday and was impressed. Lovely clean, spacious carriages, good onboard information of where we were along the journey, frequent trains - looked like how a joined up transport system for a discrete area should work.

We were in Liverpool for a few days and the weather forecast wasn't brilliant but it wasn't bad, so we decided to do a bit of an "adventure" and try Merseyrail.

We went from Central out to New Brighton, had a walk along the prom and a wander into the centre, then found a bus going to Birkenhead bus station, which we took as we fancied seeing the views from the bus as well as the train and wanted to go under the river on a bus. Easy to find the bus back into Liverpool.

We then decided to go to Southport so bought returns this time and enjoyed the ride out, a wander and a cup of tea, and the train ride back.

Bus rides were free using our bus passes and price of the rail journeys very reasonable using out senior railcards. With hindsight should probably have bought a day ticket - will know for another time.

One thing that did surprise me was how many level crossings there are between Liverpool Central and Southport - I counted them on the way back and got up to eleven.

 

[Djgr]

GL

Used Merseyrail for the first time yesterday and was impressed. Lovely clean, spacious carriages, good onboard information of where we were along the journey, frequent trains - looked like how a joined up transport system for a discrete area should work.

We were in Liverpool for a few days and the weather forecast wasn't brilliant but it wasn't bad, so we decided to do a bit of an "adventure" and try Merseyrail.

We went from Central out to New Brighton, had a walk along the prom and a wander into the centre, then found a bus going to Birkenhead bus station, which we took as we fancied seeing the views from the bus as well as the train and wanted to go under the river on a bus. Easy to find the bus back into Liverpool.

We then decided to go to Southport so bought returns this time and enjoyed the ride out, a wander and a cup of tea, and the train ride back.

Bus rides were free using our bus passes and price of the rail journeys very reasonable using out senior railcards. With hindsight should probably have bought a day ticket - will know for another time.

One thing that did surprise me was how many level crossings there are between Liverpool Central and Southport - I counted them on the way back and got up to eleven.

 

[Djgr]

Glad you enjoyed it. Merseyrail is much better than often portrayed within these forums.

Next time why not catch the ferry across the Mersey? If you get a Saveaway (and not the apparently similar but vastly inferior Day Saver) then this includes a one way trip on them as well as all the trains (and all the buses, which I know you don't need).

 

[LYradial]

They should be good at it, they have been doing it for 121 years

battery stations introduced in 1906 to reduce peak demand, 3car and 6 car stop signs, you name it they made it work

 

[childwallblues]

And of course Merseyrail extends beyond the Merseyside boundaries (but not the Liverpool City Region part of Halton) to Chester, Ellesmere Port, Hough Green and Ormskirk.