Free Christmas Day transport

MERSEYTRAVEL is offering free bus services on Christmas Day, to help people visit their loved ones in hospital or spend time with their friends and family.  Buses will operate a limited service from around 12 noon until around 5pm on routes serving Alder Hey Hospital, Arrowe Park Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital, Clatterbridge Hospital, Fazakerley Hospital, Liverpool Women's Hospital, Royal Liverpool Hospital, Southport Hospital and Whiston Hospital.  Route numbers to look out for are:- 10X, 12X, 20X, 44X, 62X, 102X, 110x, 118X, 194X, 195X, 201X

Full details of these special free services are available in a Christmas and New Year booklet available from your local Merseytravel Centre website  by calling Traveline on:- 0871 200 22 33 or to order a copy call our 24-hour Brochure Hotline on:- 0151 330 1066.  There will be no other bus services running on Christmas Day.

Additional travel information

Buses - A limited network of bus services on all major corridors, including cross river links, will run throughout the region on Boxing Day and New Year's Day, with most services operating between around 1000 – 1800 on both days. Services will be provided by Arriva, Avon Buses, First and Stagecoach; pick-up a copy of the Christmas booklet for full details.

Ferries - Mersey Ferries will operate every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day. On Christmas Eve there will be a normal service with an early finish - the last ferry will depart Pier Head at 1645 finishing at Seacombe at 1700. On New Year's Eve there will be a normal service with an early finish - the last River Explorer Cruise will depart Pier Head at 1400, finishing back at Pier Head at 1450.

Tunnels - The Kingsway (Wallasey) Tunnel will be open as normal throughout the holiday period and Queensway (Birkenhead) Tunnel will be closed in both directions from 10pm on Christmas Eve until 6.30am on Boxing Day.

Trains - No train services will operate on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. Christmas Eve and New Years Eve services will finish early at around 8pm; check for details on:- merseyrail.org call Traveline on:- 0871 200 22 33 or National Rail Enquiries on:- 08457 48 49 50 or pick-up a copy of the Christmas booklet. You can also use the journey planner on the National Rail website.

Soccerbus As trains will not be running on Boxing Day, the Merseytravel Soccerbus service will not operate for the Everton home tie against Wigan but will operate normally on all other match days throughout the festive period.

Tickets – Travel is free on Christmas Day, but getting around Merseyside throughout the festive period couldn't be easier with a Saveaway ticket; pay once and use the ticket all day to travel on most local bus and rail services in Merseyside, on the Mersey Ferries and beyond the Merseyside boundary (by rail only) to Chester, Ellesmere Port and Ormskirk.

Saveaway tickets can be used Monday to Friday any time except for journeys starting between 06.31am and 09.29am and any time Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays. Terms and conditions apply, check for details.