Crossing the Mersey by Ferry

The Mersey Ferry has carried passengers between Liverpool and the Wirral for over eight hundred years, making it one of the oldest ferry services in Europe. Today it is a commuter route, a tourist attraction and a piece of living history. The crossing takes about ten minutes, linking the Pier Head in Liverpool with Seacombe and Woodside on the opposite bank. For many locals it is still the quickest way across the river, avoiding the Queensway Tunnel or a long detour by road.

Aboard the ferry, the first thing most passengers notice is the view. The Liverpool waterfront opens up behind you, with the Royal Liver Building, the Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building standing shoulder to shoulder. On a clear day you can see as far as the Welsh hills to the south-west. Inside, the vessels are modern and warm, with seating on two decks and a small café serving tea, coffee and snacks. There are also open decks at the stern where you can feel the wind and watch the gulls follow the wake.

The ferry runs a regular timetable, roughly every twenty minutes during the day and less frequently in the evenings and on Sundays. A single adult ticket costs £3.90, while a return is £5.50. Concessions are available for children, students and over-60s, and Merseytravel passes are accepted on most sailings. Bicycles travel free, which makes the ferry popular with cyclists linking the Wirral Way and the Trans Pennine Trail.

Beyond the crossing itself, the ferry has a curious ritual: the recorded safety announcement ends with the line ‘Please do not feed the seagulls.’ It is a small reminder that this is a working route, not just a pleasure cruise. On winter mornings, when the river is grey and the deck is slick with rain, the ferry feels like any other form of public transport. But on a summer evening, with the sun low over the water and the city lights beginning to show, it is easy to understand why people have been making this crossing for centuries.