Manchester to Liverpool

[Hopeitsallok]

Hello 👋

Staying a couple of nights in Manchester in the Premier Inn beside the Trafford Centre. Wanting to spend a day in Liverpool and was thinking of going by train to avoid the hassle of taking the car and get parking space. Could someone please advise which train station would be the nearest to us and it is a fairly inexpensive or expensive way to travel- would we be better just taking the car. It would be for 2 adults and 2 kids. Thanks 😊

There isn’t a train station near The Trafford Centre.
I would probably drive and park at Albert Docks

Thanks Hoppinggreen. Do you know what would be the nearest train station to Trafford Centre?

For a real (expensive) treat you could park in the underground Liverpool One car park, and view the original dock that is preserved in there.

Get the metro from Trafford Centre to piccalilli (thats around 35min)

Picadilli to liverpool lime Street train thats 1 hour

To drive to Liverpool fron Trafford Centre is 40min when its clear without traffic and can take an hour if its busier times.

I work near Trafford centre and have a few colleagues who commute to liverpool daily they say its usually 40-50 mins car time

I cannot think of a train station near to the Trafford Centre but you could get the Metrolink tram from there back to Manchester Piccadilly or Victoria (you'd need to change at Cornbrook), and then catch a train from Piccadilly/Victoria to Liverpool.

Just checked. Nearest train station (which is unmanned and I doubt has parking but dunno) on a line to Liverpool is Patricroft.

Or Eccles. Same line as Patricroft.

@Hopeitsallok

Thanks Hoppinggreen. Do you know what would be the nearest train station to Trafford Centre?

I think you could get the tram to Piccadilly but to be honest I’m not a big train fan. Driving would really be so much quicker

Honestly it will be easier to drive from there

The trams in Manchester are really good/regular and you can get from the Trafford Centre to the main stations quite easily.

It's either a 30 min walk or 5 min car/taxi ride to Urmston Station which is on the Liverpool-Manchester line. Don't waste time going into Manchester to come back out again.

All the people saying it will be 'easier to drive' - the OP said they want to get the train

Definitely drive. Join the m60 ring road clockwise for a couple of junctions, then head along the M62 straight into the city.

I always park at Liverpool one, it’s underground and really easy.

Has no idea there was a preserved dock?? Where is it?

(The train is really slow and they are nowhere near a train station in the first place).

To be honest for 2 adults and 2 kids, I reckon it'd be cheaper to drive and park. I'd only take the train if alcohol were a possibility.

It’s a piece of the original dock wall, it’s behind some glass. Not sure which floor, sorry.

Oxford Rd is the best central station for Liverpool departures with regular fast and stopping trains ( ever half hour at least). From where you are you could get on at Urmston station, joining the stopping train, for a very cheap taxi ride ( google New Moon taxi). Departures from there are every half hour.
It’s much easier on the train and a lovely day out.

@MustDust
Crosspost!

I would drive too. Liverpool one car park is expensive, and the Albert Dock isn't cheap either, but you would probably be best parking where you are central

Don't park in a q park. Not Liverpool one anyway they are so expensive!

@Hopeitsallok

Thanks Hoppinggreen. Do you know what would be the nearest train station to Trafford Centre?

Urmston probably. Don't know what the parking is like though.

Maybe you could get a taxi from your hotel to Urmston.

Actually op I just googled the q park right in the centre it's not that bad.

It quoted me £16 for 10 till four.

@Blackberrycream you'll know better if you know the taxi companies, were they the ones based at Streford Met? It was Beaumont and Phoenix when I lived there!
Anyway, for speed (providing the M62 behaves) you want to drive, for a glass of wine or 2 at lunch, get a taxi to Urmston.

@MustDust
That is New Moon now at the Stretford met. They probably changed names. I think I remember Phoenix They were Abacus too for a bit.
New Moon are great. They’re cheap, reliable and really nice drivers and operators.

Trafford centre isn’t really Manchester. Much less hassle to park than faff about with trams and trains.

If you decide to drive, avoid Liverpool One and Albert Dock unless you want to be bankrupt by the time you go home. I can't believe anyone actually parks there! My favourite cheapy is the Mount Pleasant car park where it's about £1.50/hour or £5 for over 3 hours. It's central, covered and busy albeit a concrete eyesore. Only faff is it shuts at 8pm.
Can't advise on trains, sorry, but if I wanted hassle-free travel for that journey I'd drive.