The 500 bus into Liverpool, the 86A to Liverpool South Parkway, when to choose Manchester instead – and the port that shipped more Africans across the Atlantic than any other in Britain.
Liverpool's airport sits beside the Mersey at Speke, south-east of the city, and was renamed after John Lennon in 2001 – the motto above the terminal is a line from one of his songs, and a yellow submarine sculpture stands outside. It is a small, mostly low-cost airport with European and holiday routes. It is cheap and easy to reach the city from, by bus only.
The 500 leaves from in front of the terminal and runs to Liverpool ONE bus station, close to the Albert Dock and the shopping centre, in about half an hour. Pay by contactless on board. It does not enter Liverpool South Parkway bus station any more.
The 86A runs frequently, day and night, between the airport, Liverpool South Parkway and the city centre; the 80A follows a similar route. Both are slower than the 500 into town but useful for the railway station.
Liverpool South Parkway, about 10–15 minutes from the airport by the 86A or 80A, is the airport's railway interchange. From there, Merseyrail trains run to central Liverpool every 15 minutes, and main-line trains go to Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield and beyond. National Rail sells through "add-on" tickets including the airport bus. Note the 500 now only stops near South Parkway, not in the interchange itself.
Manchester Airport is about an hour from Liverpool and has far more long-haul and international routes, including flights via the Gulf and direct routes to North Africa. Direct trains from Manchester Airport reach Liverpool Lime Street in about an hour. If you are coming from outside Europe, Manchester will usually be the better choice – see our Manchester Airport guide. For European and holiday flights, Liverpool is smaller, quicker and calmer.
Liverpool has seasonal holiday flights to North Africa but no long-haul services. Travellers from West and East Africa usually fly into Manchester or London and continue by train. Check whether you need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorisation before you book: UK visa and entry from Africa. Liquid rules at security vary by airport – check Liverpool's current rule before you pack.
Liverpool was the largest slave-trading port in Britain from the 1740s until abolition in 1807; its ships carried well over a million Africans across the Atlantic. The International Slavery Museum on the Albert Dock, free to enter, tells that story without softening it. Liverpool also has the oldest Black community in Britain, with roots going back centuries – West African seamen, many working for the Elder Dempster line, settled around the docks. Read our pages on Liverpool and the slave trade, Kru seamen and the Elder Dempster line and the 1919 race riots.
Liverpool's tours range from Beatles walks and the Cavern Quarter to waterfront history tours along the Albert Dock and day trips into North Wales.
Entrance fees are included in the tour price; tips are not included but are always welcome.
Every major UK airport compared.
The North's big international airport.
The International Slavery Museum and the docks.
Two hours north – and its own Liverpool slave trader.
Liverpool's slave ships traded along the whole West African coast, from Senegambia to the Bight of Biafra. Our partner sites tell that side: Cape Coast Castle, Gambia Vibes, Explore Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
Britain Adventures is an independent partner website. Our partner sites on Africa and its history are where the stories on this page continue:
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