Edinburgh to Liverpool by train

How to travel by direct trains from Edinburgh to Liverpool

Prior to the timetable reductions in response to the pandemic, train operator TransPennine Express (TPE) had been operating an hourly service of direct trains from Edinburgh to Liverpool, but they have been suspended until at least December 11th.
As a result when looking up this journey for travel before that date, only indirect journeys will be available.

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Routes

From Edinburgh Waverley to Liverpool Lime Street

Travel Information

Final Destination: Liverpool Lime Street

All trains also call at: Manchester Victoria

These currently suspended direct trains from Edinburgh to Liverpool don't travel along on what would be the fastest route between the two cities.

When they are operating; on Mondays to Saturdays you can get to Liverpool around an hour faster if you take trains operated by Avanti West Coast to Preston, and then connect there for a train on to Liverpool.
Though those trains to Preston from Edinburgh are less frequent than these direct trains, as they only depart every other hour (in even hours).

On Sundays you can save around 45 minutes in comparison to taking these direct services by taking a train, also operated by TransPennine Express, to Preston and making the connection there on to Liverpool.
Though those trains to Preston also depart every other hour.

On all days of the week, those connections in Preston will involve waiting less than 20 minutes for the train on to Liverpool.
If the train from Edinburgh is delayed, tickets will be available on the next onward departure.

1 x train per hour

Tickets

Book Early and Save: Yes

Online Bookings Usually Open: from  up to 24 weeks ahead of the travel date (usually) - TransPennnine Express (TPE) places its ticket on sale sooner than other UK train operating companies.

Saving money:

If you want to travel at the cheapest possible price, look for the 'Advance tickets', though the three key things worth knowing about booking and using 'Advance' tickets on this route are:
(1) The ticket(s) will be valid for the specific departure you select when making a booking.
(2) The ticket(s) cannot either be refunded, if you subsequently change your plans or miss the train due to any circumstances not attributable to the train operator.
(3) They can be exchanged to another departure](https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/help/change-my-ticket) on this route prior to the departure you have booked - but the price difference with the new ticket (the price will likely have risen since your original booking will need to be paid.

Reservations:

All types of ticket booked at least 15 minutes ahead of travel for TPE trains have complimentary seat reservation.

If you book and Advance ticket(s) you have to travel on the train shown on the reservation - which will be the specific departure you selected when making a booking.
Though on boarding, you won't have to occupy the seat(s) you have been assigned for your ticket to be valid.

If you book Anytime or Off-Peak tickets you will be provided with a reservation(s) on the departure you selected when making a booking, but are able to transfer the reservation to any other valid departure on your travel date.
You can do this by contacting the TPE social media team, or at a station ticket desk.

What is unusual about travelling with TPE is that these reservations can be arranged up to around 15 minutes prior to departure - which is a much shorter time limit than the norm.

Travelling on Saturday-Sunday

Tickets are usually available 12 weeks ahead of the travel date, but maintenance work on the route is periodically undertaken at weekends and if it is scheduled on your travel date, it can affect when tickets will be released for sale.

If you're looking up a journey less than 12 weeks ahead and Advance tickets aren't available, it can be a good indication that works will be impacting on your travel date.
It can be worth checking this on [the National Rail website]

Booking at the station

If you will be booking at the station less than a couple of hours prior to departure, you will have to purchase non-discounted Off-Peak or Anytime tickets - with Anytime tickets being the most expensive of all.

Deals and offers:

TPE offers a group deal for when groups of 3 - 9 adults are travelling together and Advance tickets are booked online; make sure you see the 'G' symbol which indicates that the discount has been applied.
You can save 33% of the total costs of the tickets and no Railcard is required.

Where to book
Ticket Provider Approximate Cost
TPE *

TPE Guide

TPE offers three unconventional means of booking and using tickets for travel by the trains it operates:

  • Advance tickets can be booked online up to 15 mins before departure
  • Seats are assigned on TPE trains when booking up to an hour prior to departure
  • There is no charge for transferring Advance tickets to an alternative departure, on the route originally booked.

On this journey

Journey Features

Scenic - YesCoastal views

Good to Know

If when you board, you discover that your assigned seat(s) are on the right-hand side of the train, when facing the direction of travel, see if you can find available seats on the left of the train.
If you move to a different seat(s) it won't affect the validity of your ticket.

The sea views on this journey are on the left.
If your ticket(s) don't include reserved seats, then try to choose seats on the left - when facing the direction of travel.

Sadly there is  no guarantee of rainbows as the train leaves Edinburgh behind Sadly there is no guarantee of rainbows as the train leaves Edinburgh behind
Look out on the left for the view of the Bass Rock Look out on the left for the view of the Bass Rock
By the coast to the south of Dunbar By the coast to the south of Dunbar
An attempt to capture the ride across the clifftops north of Berwick An attempt to capture the ride across the clifftops north of Berwick
Looking east from the Royal Border Bridge on a greyer day Looking east from the Royal Border Bridge on a greyer day
Arriving in Newcastle Arriving in Newcastle
Looking down on the River Tyne as the train departs Newcastle Looking down on the River Tyne as the train departs Newcastle
The stunning view over the city of Durham The stunning view over the city of Durham
Looking towards the Pennines as the train nears Manchester Looking towards the Pennines as the train nears Manchester
Passing one of the many former cotton mills which can be seen passed Huddersfield Passing one of the many former cotton mills which can be seen passed Huddersfield

This is a journey with six distinct phases - most of which have multiple highlights.

(1) Most of the journey between Edinburgh and Alnmouth is beside the coast

The sea views kick in before the train has even left Edinburgh behind -  and they initially continue until south of Dunbar.

To the north of Berwick-upon-Tweed the train will travel across the clifftops as it crosses the border into England - these are the most dramatic coastal views on the journey (though they are tricky to photograph).

Minutes after the train has passed through Berwick-upon-Tweed, the next highlight is the view from the majestic Royal Border Bridge.
Between there and Alnmouth there are views on the left over the dramatic Northumberland coast.

(2) Between Alnmouth and Darlington the railway snakes its way through the towns and cities of north-east England, and just before Newcastle station  on the left there are views of the city's iconic Tyne Bridge

The next highlight of the journey is the passage over the River Tyne, as the train departs from Newcastle Central station and heads over the King Edward VII Bridge.
Looking to the left, five other bridges that span the river can be seen.

Around 15 mins after leaving Newcastle comes the final highlight of the journey - the stunning views over the city of Durham.
Over on the left before and after the station, the town's stunning castle and cathedral can be clearly seen in all their glory.

(3) The train will attain the highest speeds of the journey as it races across the flat landscape between Darlington and York.

(4) From York to Huddersfield the train will pass through a series of towns as well as the city of Leeds.

(5) West of Huddersfield the railway travels through the Pennine hills and there are some occasional views over the dramatic landscape from both sides of the train.

(6) Between Manchester and Liverpool the train will train will travel over the world's oldest city to city railway.

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