Liverpool to Manchester : Is it worth trying out East Midlands Railway

[Willie Bee]

My wife and I are having a couple of days in Liverpool, followed by a couple in Manchester early in 2025.

I've already booked the main journeys, but forgot all about the short one between the two cities.

It's only £4.70 on the fast TransPennine Express train, which seems good but there's another option (actually 10p cheaper) on East Midlands Railway. We have never been on this .. is it worth trying out ?

 

[Grumpy Git]

My wife and I are having a couple of days in Liverpool, followed by a couple in Manchester early in 2025.

I've already booked the main journeys, but forgot all about the short one between the two cities.

It's only £4.70 on the fast TransPennine Express train, which seems good but there's another option (actually 10p cheaper) on East Midlands Railway. We have never been on this .. is it worth trying out ?

Not much difference apart from the traction.

TPE will be either a 3 or 6 car 185
EMR will be either a 2 or or car 158 (or maybe a 170).

Personally, I prefer the comfort of a 158.

 

[TheSmiths82]

Not used it for a while, but I tend to avoid them as they are usually expensive (when ever I need to get to Liverpool) and are often crowded class 158's although they are nicely refurbished. If it is a quiet time and you like older trains then it might be worth travelling on.

 

[jfollows]

They’re OK when they’re 2x158 but a single unit can get very crowded. Last time I did one it was 1x158 Lime Street-Stockport and although I got a seat, getting off at Stockport was difficult. Trains themselves are OK as stated.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

My wife and I are having a couple of days in Liverpool, followed by a couple in Manchester early in 2025.
I've already booked the main journeys, but forgot all about the short one between the two cities.
It's only £4.70 on the fast TransPennine Express train, which seems good but there's another option (actually 10p cheaper) on East Midlands Railway. We have never been on this .. is it worth trying out ?

On a normal day you get 4 fast-ish trains per hour now from Lime St to Manchester, 3 of them TPE and one EMR (ignore the Northern stoppers).
Two of these run via the Chat Moss line into Victoria, and the other two via Liverpool South Parkway and Warrington Central into Oxford Road and Piccadilly.
It largely depends where you want to get to in Manchester, but the Metrolink tram runs between Victoria and Piccadilly.

xx19 runs via Warrington to Piccadilly, eventually to Sheffield/Cleethorpes (TPE 185) - 52 minutes
xx24 runs via Chat Moss to Victoria, eventually to Leeds/Newcastle (TPE 802) - 35 minutes (electric)
xx51 runs via Warrington to Piccadilly, eventually to Sheffield/Nottingham/Norwich (EMR 158) - 50 minutes
xx54 runs via Chat Moss to Victoria, eventually to Leeds/Hull (TPE 185) - 36 minutes

The Newcastle 802 is a 5-car train, the EMR is usually 4-car, the other two either 3 or 6.
TPE has first class, EMR (and Northern) don't.

 

[Willie Bee]

it would be the 12:51 EMR train from Liverpool arriving 13:37 in Manchester on a Tuesday.

Oh I see this goes to Manchester Oxford Road station ... think I'll just stick with TPE

 

[TheSmiths82]

it would be the 12:51 EMR train from Liverpool arriving 13:37 in Manchester on a Tuesday.

Oh I see this goes to Manchester Oxford Road station ... think I'll just stick with TPE

If you're going home then TPE Liverpool to Newcastle service is probably you're best bet unless you're stopping in Manchester. Oxford Road is a decent station to get off at as is very central (depending on what you're doing in Manchester) and it is an interesting station.

 

[Willie Bee]

On a normal day you get 4 fast-ish trains per hour now from Lime St to Manchester, 3 of them TPE and one EMR (ignore the Northern stoppers).
Two of these run via the Chat Moss line into Victoria, and the other two via Liverpool South Parkway and Warrington Central into Oxford Road and Piccadilly.

xx24 runs via Chat Moss to Victoria, eventually to Newcastle (TPE 802) - 35 minutes (electric)

That's great .. many thanks .. think we'll have the 802, as we also will be doing, when we return to Newcastle after our stay in Manchester

 

[Willie Bee]

If you're going home then TPE Liverpool to Newcastle service is probably you're best bet unless you're stopping in Manchester. Oxford Road is a decent station to get off at as is very central (depending on what you're doing in Manchester) and it is an interesting station.

Yes, we'll be taking this train home later on.

We are going to Liverpool via Carlisle, as engineering works meant no direct TPE trains from NCL were operating. At least it will give us a chance to try out the new West Coast first class menu with TPE. I opted for TPE all the way to Manchester, then TPE again to Liverpool. I can't remember why, but there were no carlise to Liverpool direct trains on the day of travel (Sunday) and the other option was changing to a Northern rail service at Preston. Two 1st class trips isn't too bad

 

[Discuss223]

My wife and I are having a couple of days in Liverpool, followed by a couple in Manchester early in 2025.

I've already booked the main journeys, but forgot all about the short one between the two cities.

It's only £4.70 on the fast TransPennine Express train, which seems good but there's another option (actually 10p cheaper) on East Midlands Railway. We have never been on this .. is it worth trying out ?

The EMR service tends to actually turn up more reliably than the TPE ones, a number of which have been P coded and cancelled in recent months. Expect delays though with EMR, as these trains cross three different mainlines and have two reverses on route. Luggage space is in high demand, so I'd recommend soft bags that can be stowed in the overhead racks instead of suitcases. For most of the day, EMR operate an at-seat retail service on this route, with a fully licenced bar service and sweet and savoury snacks. The seats are comfortable but not all have charging points for electronic devices. Please remember to purchase your tickets before you board, as EMR is a Penalty Fare operator. Have a great trip.

 

[johnmoly]

My daughter and boyfriend went to Manchester from Liverpool, I think with Northern, and it cost them £18 each way, they didn't prebook them. I thought at the time that's steep but I haven't been personally on the train between those stations for donkey's years.

 

[Starmill]

My daughter and boyfriend went to Manchester from Liverpool, I think with Northern, and it cost them £18 each way, they didn't prebook them. I thought at the time that's steep but I haven't been personally on the train between those stations for donkey's years.

Presumably they bought two flexible singles. If they were coming back the same day the return is £18.10 and for a day within a month the return is £19.60.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

My daughter and boyfriend went to Manchester from Liverpool, I think with Northern, and it cost them £18 each way, they didn't prebook them. I thought at the time that's steep but I haven't been personally on the train between those stations for donkey's years.

£18.00 is the any operator, route "Any Permitted" Off Peak Day Single fare, with no railcard discount applied. If coming back the same day, an Off Peak Day Return is just an extra 10p, or within a month, it's an extra 60p, this for an Off Peak Return. No need to buy multiple singles.

 

[Bevan Price]

For possible future information, the 09:51 (SX) / 10:51 (SO) Liverpool - Norwich (and corresponding inward workings) are often worked by a pair of Class 170s (usually 3+3, but sometimes 3+2).

And for anyone wanting to do several trips in a day, a Cheshire Day Ranger covers both routes between Liverpool & Manchester (plus other routes including Chester, Crewe & Stoke on Trent)