Help train advice Southport

[Androidannie]

i have looked at train line but I don’t know this area very well so hoping a seasoned regular traveller might know.
i am going to a wedding in Southport on my own . I am stopping over night before the wedding but have to travel back in the evening of the wedding back to the midlands.
in my naivety I thought there was a direct train from Southport to Birmingham but there isn’t.
i have to either change at Liverpool or Wigan - both have 2 stations and both I need to get to the other one.
Has anyone any advice about Liverpool or Wigan or what’s the best route - many thanks.

You need to get the Southport train from Central station - it's on the Northern line. That's a short walk from Lime Street Station.

So if you are coming into Liverpool Lime Street it is around a minute walk to Liverpool Central Station. This is where the northern line runs through to Southport. You can buy a ticket at the station, there is a staffed ticket office. You will go down onto the northern line platform and there are trains direct to Southport every 15mins. The website is www.merseyrail.org. the staff are really helpful. Central station and Southport are no steps onto the train from the platform

The stations at Wigan are right next to each other, we did the journey a few weeks ago and changed there and it was fine. Lovely train from Wigan to Southport too, very scenic!

Thank you - train line is throwing up words like Sandhills parkway - I didn’t see central .. I will have another look x

Thank you - it looks easier than I first thought - I just needed reassurance.

@Androidannie

national rail is clearer

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/live-trains/departures/southport/liverpool-central/

Train from Central station in Liverpool is a few minutes walk from Lime Street. Goes direct to Southport in about 35 minutes.

If you arrive at Wigan you have to cross over the road to other station to get train to Southport.

They're both similar journeys, but I'd choose the Liverpool route, faster and more frequent trains.

Sandhills is a station where you can change onto multiple lines so Kirkby line ormskirk line and southport line.

You can use the underground at Lime Street to get to Central station. But honestly you can just walk it, it's not far

You are right - train line was more confusing.
So Liverpool seems perfectly doable -
my husband used to drive everywhere as I hated driving but after he died I got out of the habit of doing things but a really old school friend is getting married and I need to get a grip.
Everyone has been really helpful - thank you.

Go via Liverpool, the southport to Wigan route used to be awful for cancellations. (Few years ago it may have improved)