A sell-out crowd is expected for the first league game at Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium this week – and fans lucky enough to have a ticket are being asked to plan their journey ahead of the historic game.
Up to 52,769 fans will descend on the Toffees’ new home as they take on Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League on Sunday 24 August (2pm kick-off). It is the first competitive fixture at the stadium following three test events earlier this year.
Under the co-ordination of a Transport Working Group chaired by Everton Football Club, the Combined Authority is continuing to work closely with local partners including Liverpool City Council, Merseyrail, bus operators and Merseyside Police to help plan transport and ensure journeys to and from the new stadium are as easy, smooth and safe as possible.
Supporters have a variety of travel options for getting to and from the game and are encouraged to plan ahead and think about the best mode of travel for them as they get used to a new matchday routine.
To ensure the most up to date information they should check directly with transport operators, who will share the latest service updates and full timetables on their websites and social media channels.
Alongside scheduled regular bus routes which drop off a short walk to the stadium, four shuttle bus routes will operate ahead of and following the event from Liverpool city centre, Bootle and Kirkby bus stations – with car parking available close by to each of these pick-up points.
Merseyrail will be running a 15-minute service on the Southport, Ormskirk, Hunts Cross, and Headbolt Lane lines before and after the event. Sandhills, Bank Hall and Moorfields are all within walking distance of the stadium on arrival.
For those traveling across the River Mersey, there are special direct sailings between the Gerry Marsden Ferry Terminal at Liverpool’s Pier Head and Seacombe – a service which could become a regular matchday feature if passenger numbers are high enough.
If you can, cycling and walking from the Liverpool city centre is also an option, with safe walking routes and cycle parking available at the stadium.
A full run-down of the travel advice can be found on the EFC page on the Merseytravel website.
Cllr Steve Foulkes, Chair of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Transport Committee said:
“We were delighted with the response of supporters to our travel advice for the final test event at the Hill Dickinson Stadium earlier this month and we hope that they will continue to make sure they plan their journeys when travelling to the magnificent new ground.
“The new stadium is a massive moment – not just for the club, but for the regeneration of North Liverpool – an area which is only going to go from strength to strength in the coming years.
“We want to make sure fans can get to and from matches easily, safely, and sustainably, while keeping disruption to local residents to a minimum. We are continuing to work closely with Everton, transport operators, the council, and, most importantly, supporters themselves to ensure we get the best matchday experience possible.”
More information specific to the Brighton fixture, including details on travel, parking restrictions and the matchday experience, will be communicated to ticketholders directly by Everton in the week leading up to the game.
In the video below, lifelong Blues fans Simon O’Brien explains some of the ways you can get to the game…
Travel advice
If you’re using public transport to attend games at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, followed our advice to help you plan your journeys.
- Plan your journey in advance – to ensure you can get where you want to go and back home again.
- Walk or cycle if you can – the stadium is within walking and cycling distance of Liverpool city centre with plenty of cycle parking available for supporters to use.
- Check before you travel – Don’t get caught out by any changes to regular timetables.
- Leave more time for your journeys – services may be busier than usual and you may need to queue so try to allow enough time to catch a later service if you don’t make the one you expect.
- Consider using other stations – Sandhills will be a popular option, but Bank Hall and Moorfields are also within walking distance of the stadium for your journey to the game.
- Buy travel tickets in advance – many tickets can be purchased ahead of time or online, speeding up your journey.
- Be patient – services to and from the stadium may take longer than usual.
- Be kind to staff – staff will be working hard to keep services running and on hand to provide help and travel advice.
Transport Information
A summary of transport information can be found below. For the most detailed and up-to-date guidance, people should regularly check operator websites and social media channels as these services are subject to last minute changes.
Please be aware transport services can be subject to change – check operator and Merseytravel websites before you travel.
RAIL SERVICES
Merseyrail
A 15-minute service will operate on the Southport, Ormskirk, Hunts Cross, and Headbolt Lane lines for approximately three hours before and two hours after the match, with all available 4 and 8-car trains in operation. There will be some changes to the timetable on the Southport line and rail users are urged to check the Merseyrail website journey planner before travelling.
Coming to the ground, Sandhills, Bank Hall and Moorfields are all within walking distance of the stadium. Post-game, Sandhills is the advised option for the journey home.
At Sandhills and Liverpool City Centre stations, a crowd flow management system will be in place to help make journeys smoother and safer.
@merseyrail – www.merseyrail.org
Mainline Services
Several operators offer services into Lime Street station from Manchester, Wigan, Warrington, Crewe and beyond. Make sure you check with operators for any potential disruptions or engineering works before travelling.
@northernassist – www.northernrailway.co.uk
@TPEassist – www.tpexpress.co.uk
@avantiwestcoast – www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk
@LNRailway – www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk
@tfwrail – www.tfwrail.wales
@eastmidrailway – www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk
BUS SERVICES
Alongside scheduled regular bus routes which drop-off a short walk to the stadium, there are four shuttle bus routes which operate ahead of and following matches from Liverpool city centre, Bootle and Kirkby bus stations – with car parking available close by to each of these pick-up points.
Shuttle buses
There are four commercially operated shuttle bus services for first-team fixtures at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, running from three hours before kick-off, with return services operating from approximately ten minutes after the final whistle. These include:
918 Service from / to Kirkby [Stagecoach] – Timetabled
Kirkby pick up & drop off: Kirkby Bus Station, Stand 1
Stadium drop off – Great Howard Street at Blackstone Street
Stadium pick up – Great Howard Street at Blackstone Street
This service picks-up and drops off at additional locations along route – full details can be found in the timetable.
919 Service from / to Commutation Row (Close to Lime Street) [Stagecoach] – Every 10 mins
City Centre pick up & drop off: Commutation Row
Stadium drop off – Great Howard Street at Blackstone Street
Stadium pick up – Great Howard Street at Bentinck Street
929 Service from / to Liverpool One Bus Station [Arriva] – Every 10 mins
City Centre pick up & drop off: Liverpool One Bus Station (Stand 4/5)
Stadium drop off – Great Howard Street at Blackstone Street
Stadium pick up – Great Howard Street, north of Denbigh Street
939 Service from / to Bootle Strand Bus Station [Arriva and Stagecoach]
Bootle pick up & drop off: Bootle Bus Station, Washington Parade (Strand Shopping Centre)
Stadium drop off – Great Howard Street at Wellington Employment Park, north of Blackstone Street
Stadium pick up – Derby Road, north of Boundary Street
Please note if using these services, we will ensure relevant signage is in place at each pick up location.
Commercial services
There are a number of commercial bus services that serve the area near to the Stadium including 54 / 54A, 56, 58 / 58A, mainly along Vauxhall Road.
Alternative commercial services (based on a Saturday 3pm kick-off):
Stanley Road:
X2 service From/to Preston/Southport – Queen Square Bus Station (Stagecoach) – up to 2 buses an hour. Pick Up/Drop Off Stanley Road/Scotland Road.
47 service From/to Southport – Queen Square Bus Station (Arriva) – up to 2 buses an hour. Pick Up/Drop Off Stanley Road/Scotland Road.
52/52A service From/to Netherton/Old Roan – Liverpool. Sir Thomas Street (Arriva) – up to 5 buses an hour. Pick Up/Drop Off Stanley Road/Scotland Road.
55 service From/to Netherton/Old Roan Train Station – Liverpool. Sir Thomas Street (Arriva) up to 2 buses an hour. Pick Up/Drop Off Stanley Road/Scotland Road.
53 Great Homer Street. Service From/to Crosby – Liverpool. Queen Square (Arriva & Stagecoach) – up to 6 buses an hour. Pick Up/Drop Off Great Homer Street.
Walton:
310 service From/to Queen Square Bus Station – Maghull – Skelmersdale (Arriva) – up to 2 buses an hour. Pick Up/Drop Off Kirkdale Road/Stanley Road.
345 Service From/to Queen Square Bus Station – Waddicar (Arriva) – up to 2 buses an hour. Pick Up/Drop Off Great Homer Street.
20 Service From/to Kirkby Bus Station – Queen Square Bus Station (Stagecoach) – up to 3 buses an hour. Pick Up/Drop Off Kirkdale Road/Stanley Road
@arrivanorthwest – www.arrivabus.co.uk
@StagecoachMCSL – www.stagecoachbus.com
MERSEY FERRIES
Mersey Ferries will be operating a special matchday Cross River Shuttle service, stating from 11am at Seacombe, with the final departure at 12:40pm. The stadium is a 30-minute walk from the Pier Head.
For the return journey post-match, the Cross River Shuttle will commence at 4:50pm and operate until 6:50pm, allowing fans time to walk back from the stadium after the game.
If used frequently enough this could be a new service to serve future match events at the new stadium.
Those travelling to the game via the ferry will be able to purchase a special Matchday Ferry Ticket – full details can be found on the Mersey Ferries website.
@MerseyFerries – www.merseyferries.co.uk
MERSEY TUNNELS
The Queensway (Birkenhead) and Kingsway (Wallasey) Tunnels are a cross-river option for those driving to park and ride locations. Make sure you check the Mersey Tunnels website for any potential maintenance closures.
You can sign-up for a T-FLOW account to help speed up travel through the tunnels – and if you’re a Liverpool city region resident, you can make a saving on the regular toll price.
@merseytravel – www.merseytunnels.co.uk
WALKING, CYCLING AND E-SCOOTERS
If you live nearby or are staying local, walking and cycling will be some of the healthiest quickest and easiest ways to get around. Please help us by walking or cycling if you can, to ease some pressure on transport services and keep our air clean.
Road closures are in place on matchdays on the surrounding streets, creating a safe walking route for supporters on approach to the stadium.
Cycle parking stands are available for supporters to use at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. These are located along the dock wall inside the stadium site.
If you are staying in Liverpool City Centre, E-scooters and E-bikes operated by Voi are available for hire throughout Liverpool and can be located and unlocked by downloading the Voi app. E-scooters are available to hire in the city centre and surrounding areas as well as key transport hubs and hospitals.
ACCCESSIBLE TRANSPORT
Accessible Shuttle Service
A free shuttle bus service is operated for supporters with accessible needs, between Sandhills Station (Sandhills Lane) and Boundary Street (around 175 metres from Everton Stadium), before and after matches. This service must be booked in advance by contacting the Accessibility Team at Everton on 0151 556 1878 (option 1, then 2, followed by 3).
The 918, 919, 929 and 939 shuttle buses, outlined above, also stop at stadium bus stops and Boundary St (at Royal Crest Hotel), for those with limited mobility.
More information can be found on the Everton website.
AIRPORTS
Liverpool is connected to the world via John Lennon International Airport, which is less than 20 mins drive from the city centre.
Several regular bus services to Liverpool city centre operate from outside the terminal building, including the Arriva 500 service.
Manchester Airport is less than 1-hour drive from Liverpool City Centre and is served by its own train station, with services operating from here to Manchester Piccadilly and some Liverpool stations.
Up-to-date information about flights and how to travel to the city from either airport can be found on their websites.
@LPL_Airport – www.liverpoolairport.com
@manairport – www.manchesterairport.co.uk
CAR PARKING
Liverpool City Council have made changes to the parking scheme around the Hill Dickinson Stadium, more information can be found on the Liverpool Council website.
Parking is available in Liverpool City Centre, Bootle Strand and Kirkby, with access to the stadium available by shuttle bus. Park and ride is also available at stations across the Merseyrail network – you can find more information on where on the Merseyrail website.