Your complete guide to Christmas 2024 travel in Liverpool - buses, train times & Mersey Tunnels

While many of us prefer to stay at home on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, heading out can sometimes be unavoidable with friends and family to be seen and celebrations to be had. The tradition of a festive pub trip on Christmas Eve also remains popular, so you may be trying to plan how to get home after a pint (or three).

Across the Liverpool City Region, there will be public transport options available throughout the festive period, with buses and trains operating on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day, and a special network of free bus services running on Christmas Day. But, the schedules will be different to what you’re used to and services will finish earlier than usual.

We have put together a handy guide to public transport in the Liverpool City Region this Christmas, to ensure you’re fully prepared and don’t need to attempt to book a last minute taxi. Here is everything you need to know.

Christmas 2024 bus services around the Liverpool City Region

Christmas Eve (December 24)

On Stagecoach services, Saturday timetables will operate on Christmas Eve with additional early morning journeys. Christmas Eve services will finish early with last trips from 5.00pm onwards.

Arriva services will operate as normal until approximately 6.30pm, when buses will begin to run in.

Christmas Day (December 25)

A special network of free Stagecoach bus services, funded by Merseytravel, will run on Christmas Day, covering most hospital routes across Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, Knowsley, Wirral and Halton, between around 12.00pm and 6.00pm.

They are: 10A, 12A, 21A, 44, 62A, 102, 201, 410, H1, H2 and H3. More information and route details is available here. The services will run until around 6.00pm, with detailed timings available here.

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Boxing Day (December 26)

Reduced timetables will operate on: 1/X1, 10A, 10B, 13, 14, 14A, 15, 17/17A, 18, 19, 20, 21, 26, 37, 31/32/33, 34, 36, 44, 46, 47, 49, 52A, 53, 55, 56, 58A, 62, 63, 75, 79, 81/82, 86/86A, 89, 102, 159, 159, 166, 188, 201, 204, 320, 410, 423, 432, 437, 464, 471/472 and 500.

All services will operate their normal routes, with most services terminating between 18.00pm and 20.00pm. Detailed timings are are available here.

Christmas 2024 Merseyrail train services around the Liverpool City Region

• Christmas Eve (December 24): Services will run throughout the day, with last trains departing around 8.30pm.
• Christmas Day (December 25): No services will operate.
• Boxing Day (December 26): Merseyrail’s Boxing Day service will run from approximately 9.00am to 6.00pm, with trains calling at selected stations across the network. Additional services will be available between Liverpool and Aintree to support those attending the Boxing Day races.

Mersey Tunnels

Motorists are able to travel across the Mersey for free each Christmas Day, with tunnel tolls paused. Both Mersey Tunnels - Queensway (Birkenhead) and Kingsway (Wallasey) will be toll free from 10.00pm on Christmas Eve (December 24) to 6.00am on Boxing Day (December 26).