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Cross Mersey Bus Routes

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STEVIEBOY1

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Good evening,

All being well I may be visiting Liverpool in the not too distant future, we hope to take the Ferry from Pier Head to Birkenhead and were going to take the Merseyrail back to Liverpool, but I think it is curtailed at James Street? so we wondered if there are any buses we can take from near the Birkenhead Ferry quay that goes through the Mersey tunnel. I think we are going to get a day rover ticket that is valid on trains and boats and buses in the Liverpool / Birkenhead / Crosby area.

Thank you.
 
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Polarbear

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There aren't any direct services from Woodside, where the ferry arrives, back over to Liverpool. You essentially have two options;
  1. Walk up to Hamilton Square station for a train back to James Street
  2. Catch a bus from Woodside to Birkenhead bus station, then any service from stand 7 to Liverpool.

You're correct in saying that the Merseyrail service is currently curtailed at James Street. Note that there is no step free access at present if that's likely to be an issue?
 

STEVIEBOY1

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There aren't any direct services from Woodside, where the ferry arrives, back over to Liverpool. You essentially have two options;
  1. Walk up to Hamilton Square station for a train back to James Street
  2. Catch a bus from Woodside to Birkenhead bus station, then any service from stand 7 to Liverpool.

You're correct in saying that the Merseyrail service is currently curtailed at James Street. Note that there is no step free access at present if that's likely to be an issue?

Great, many thanks for this info. :)
 

Statto

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Good evening,

All being well I may be visiting Liverpool in the not too distant future, we hope to take the Ferry from Pier Head to Birkenhead and were going to take the Merseyrail back to Liverpool, but I think it is curtailed at James Street? so we wondered if there are any buses we can take from near the Birkenhead Ferry quay that goes through the Mersey tunnel. I think we are going to get a day rover ticket that is valid on trains and boats and buses in the Liverpool / Birkenhead / Crosby area.

Thank you.

No direct buses from Woodside Ferry to Liverpool, but there are buses from Woodside mostly operated by Arriva which include 409/410/411/413/414/418/419, plus some Avon & couple of other companies routes to Birkenhead Bus Station, then you have to change at Birkenhead Bus Station for a bus to Liverpool.

Beware of the current Wirral Line Loop track works, whilst there are trains to/from Liverpool James Street Monday to Friday, it's replacement bus only at Weekends.

Saveaway is the best ticket, however if you get the Ferry using a Saveaway you cannot do the full cruise, like if you get say 12pm from Liverpool you have to get off at Seacombe or Woodside, you could spend an hour at the Wirral terminals then get the next Ferry back to Liverpool.
 
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I had the misfortune of using the rail replacement bus through the Queensway tunnel earlier in the year, while the rail tunnel was closed. It scared me to death seemed to be a real life mario-cart!
 

STEVIEBOY1

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I had the misfortune of using the rail replacement bus through the Queensway tunnel earlier in the year, while the rail tunnel was closed. It scared me to death seemed to be a real life mario-cart!

I was amazed how long the the Queensway Tunnel is and that it has so many curves in it. Having said, it seemed to be a very quick journey from Birkenhead Bus Station to Liverpool City Centre.
 

Green Lane

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I was amazed how long the the Queensway Tunnel is and that it has so many curves in it. Having said, it seemed to be a very quick journey from Birkenhead Bus Station to Liverpool City Centre.

Yes, the Birkenhead (Queensway) tunnel apparently needs the curves (particularly at the Birkenhead side) to help with lowering the height from a little below street level near the entrances to get below the riverbed.

The Wallasey (Kingsway) tunnel approaches have already lost a lot of the height before the tunnel entrances. The Wallasey tunnel effectively uses a curved road, but using the loop outside the tunnel itself on the Liverpool side and the cutting on the Wallasey side.

I've now gone through the Queensway tunnel by bus and back most working days for over 21 years now! It is very quick.

On a good day, I can go from closing my front door in Birkenhead to clocking in at work in Liverpool in 23 minutes, although it often takes more like half an hour if there is a bit more traffic about. Although I do live a few stops away from the tunnel itself.

Years ago when I occasionally stayed over in Wallasey, I remember the journey to work was even quicker.

Last year I had the pleasure of visiting both the U-534 U-boat exhibition at Birkenhead and the Spaceport at Seacombe, both done within my lunch hour whilst working in Liverpool. Easy to do them with plenty of time to spare and back to work after lunch, using cross river buses.
 
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73001

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Liverpool
I had the misfortune of using the rail replacement bus through the Queensway tunnel earlier in the year, while the rail tunnel was closed. It scared me to death seemed to be a real life mario-cart!

You should have ridden through in the old days of Atlantans and Olympians. Some of the PMT Crosville buses were like driving a shopping trolley. Turning the steering wheel occasionally influenced the direction of travel - quite hairy in the narrow, twisty lanes. I have to say though, I don't ever recall any serious accidents involving buses through the tunnel (in the 5 years I worked there).
 

anti-pacer

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I love catching buses through the tunnel. I used to like getting the bus from Liverpool city centre to West Kirby (437?), then catching the train back.
 
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