Train from Bridgnorth/Telford to Liverpool

To get to Liverpool, you will first need to get to Wolverhampton. If you are staying in Bridgenorth, I think the bus to Wolverhampton will be your best option. If in Telford, then take the train to Wolverhampton & change to another train direct to Liverpool. To find the bus number / times use www.traveline.info

For trains use www.nationalrail.co.uk
If you then click details - it will tell you which trains you can use and the change point. Now Telford (TFC) to Liverpool (LIV) is around a 2 hour trip and if you just show up and pay on the day for a through ticket - including the change at Wolverhampton (WVH), it will cost you £31.90. (It may be a little more as a fare rise comes in January). But, we can do it cheaper than that! If you put in for your journey from WVH to LIV say 8 weeks ahead, you will get fares as low as £9.50 for specific trains. These trains are likely to be operated by London Midland, so I would pre-book on their website. So that leaves Telford to WVH & it looks like this fare will be £6.70 as a one way single - which you can pay on the day as no cheaper advance is offered. Assuming you are going from Telford to Liverpool > you will find that you cannot purchase a cheap advance ticket - hence the reason why I tell you to buy 'split' tickets with the split being Wolverhampton.

Trains in Britain are very busy. Purchasing the WVH > LIV section in advance should give you the option to pre book seats. (Try not to travel during commuting times).http://tickets.londonmidland.com/lm/en/JourneyPlanning/MixingDeck

You will get a booking number - I would print this off. Be sure to bring the same credit/debit card with you in order to get the tickets.

London Midland do not offer seat reservations.

The trains from Wolverhampton to Liverpool originate in Birmingham New Street and at very busy times of the day - the evening rush hour between about 5 and 7 pm - they will be very busy or full on departure from Birmingham. Travel after the morning push - after 9:30 - into the middle of the day and you should have no difficulty getting seats. The trains to Liverpool Lime Street are modern 4 coach electric trains with around 300 seats so the mid day time is easy to find seating. They only have one First Class area (with only 24 seats), in coach "B".

Sharon, I didn't see when you would be making this journey, but if it is in the summer, another route jumps to mind.

If you are ok with the long time, and late start, of this route which will put you into Liverpool quite late,

You could take one of the best preserved steam railways in the world the length of the Severn Valley Railway from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster, connect onto the London Midland train to Birmingham, change at Smethwick Galton Bridge to the train either to Birmingham New Street or Wolverhampton and then the train to Liverpool Lime Street. Or get off the train at Birmingham Snow Hill and walk down the hill to New Street or get off at Moor Street and walk on the level to New Street, or perhaps your train will be one of the few going direct to New Street.

I think that the first train from Bridgnorth to Kiddie is either at 10.30 or 11.00 and the journey in preserved old carriages behind stream is about an hour.

Thanks so much for your replies! We will be there in May so I have plenty of time to purchase tickets in advance. We will have a rental car, so it sounds like we will need to drive to Wolverhampton and catch the train there. I assume we will be able to park our car for the day at the train station. We only have a day to do this so we want to go to Liverpool in the morning (after 9:30 will be fine) and then come back in the evening. We want to see Liverpool and visit some of the museums. We are staying in Bridgnorth, so looks like it's a direct route to Wolverhampton. Your alternate route, Nigel, sounds great, but won't be able to take the time to do on this trip. Thank you!

Wolverhampton has chronic problems with parking. It is a Virgin Trains West Coast Station. There are two long stay car parks, £8 before 11 am, if you can get space, and a short stay.

Granted if you park at Telford Central you have the train to add in, the car parks are operated by Indigo for London Midland, they cost about half what the Wolves ones do, they fill up too.

Both are due for new build extensions - I don't know when that will happen or what it will do to the cost.

Being the stressed person I am, now I'm feeling nervous about getting parking. Given that we don't know the area, I don't know what we would do. We have a rental car but don't want to drive to Liverpool - and it's only for a day. Not sure if there's another town to take the train from where parking is not a problem. Am I over reacting?

Ok, Sharon, deep breaths.

You've said Bridgnorth/Telford. Can you be more specific? Please.....

We are staying in Bridgnorth. We will be in Telford a couple days going through the museums there. But on the day we go to Liverpool we will leave from Bridgnorth.

Well parking wouldn't be much of a problem at either Telford Central or Wolverhampton if you were there early enough. You said you would be after 9:30 so that could be a concern as all the off peak travelers will be fighting for the remaining spaces. Get there at 7 and you'll have no problem. That will get you up to Liverpool in bags of time to have a great fun filled day there and you can turn for home whenever you run out of ooomph.

Are you and hubby early risers?

Under 20 minutes to Telford Central, and you may be able to go a little later; or just over half an hour to Wolverhampton.

If it were me I'd go up to Telford. I'd stick with Telford Central rather than Oakengates. I'm sure you'll be fine.

Lots to see in Liverpool.

OK, so now I know where to go to get a train and that I need to go early to get a parking place. We are not early risers but it will be worth it - we will go early. Thanks!

Nigel, thought I would let you know that we have decided to take the Severn Valley Railway - not to Liverpool but just for one of our days there. It sounds wonderful! Thanks.

Good decision.

Careful on the stairs around the cliffs in Bridgnorth, and perhaps try the funicular between the upper town and lower town. Good antiques there too.

Enjoy the ride.

Try to have time to walk around Highley and Arley, and you might have tea in either Bridgnorth or Bewdley. The (steep) walk down to the river and the town of Bewdley is seriously beautiful, and then cross the bridge into the town.

On quiet days some of the steam engines are replaced by antique diesel engines. It will say in the timetable.