Travel to the Grand National Festival
Racegoers travelling to and from The 2026 Grand National Festival (9-11 April) are advised to plan ahead, use public transport where possible and leave plenty of time to make sure they can get to this year’s event.
With the festival set to bring a fantastic atmosphere across the region, extra rail and bus services will be in place to help ensure smooth, reliable journeys to and from Aintree. Staff will be positioned at key locations throughout the event to support passengers and help keep crowds moving.
This year will also be the first-time that festival‑goers can use the new Tap & Go smart ticketing system across the Merseyrail network, offering a simple tap‑in, tap‑out option for anyone travelling with a contactless card or device.
As always, the Liverpool City Region looks forward to welcoming racegoers from near and far and helping everyone enjoy one of the most celebrated events in our calendar.
Top travel tips for racegoers
- If you live nearby, walk or cycle to the event if you can
- Use public transport wherever possible – roads leading to and around the course will be busy and parking very limited
- Make sure you check routes and plan ahead
- Consider your options - services will be busy so plan your options
- Check operator websites and social media channels for up-to-date timetables
- Be prepared for last minute changes to services
- Allow extra time for your journeys – services will be much busier than usual
- Buy tickets in advance if possible
- Be kind to transport staff – they will be working hard to get you there and back
What you need to know
Merseyrail
During the Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the Festival, Merseyrail will operate a seven-and-a-half-minute frequency service between Liverpool city centre and Aintree stations on the Merseyrail Northern Line before and after the races.
The seven-and-a-half-minute service will run between Aintree and Liverpool Central/Moorfields stations at the following times:
- From approximately 10am – 1pm (before the races)
- From approximately 4:30pm – 8pm (after the races)
To accommodate the more frequent services between Liverpool city centre and Aintree there will be reduced services to some stations on the Ormskirk branch of the Northern Line and a slightly amended 15-minute timetable on the Southport branch of the Northern Line. On the Headbolt Lane branch of the Northern Line, a reduced 30minute service will operate all-day for all three days of the festival.
The Wirral Line will operate an amended timetable from 7am to 7pm during the festival. Customers travelling to the festival from any Wirral line stations are advised to change at Moorfields for an Aintree-bound train.
To assist anyone using Tap & Go for the first time, additional staff and validators will be available at stations, particularly during peak travel times.
For further information please visit the Merseyrail website.
Before travelling check rail operator websites and Twitter accounts for more information
@merseyrail – www.merseyrail.org
@northernassist - www.northernrailway.co.uk
@TPEassist - www.tpexpress.co.uk
@avantiwestcoast - www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk
@LNRailway - www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk
@eastmidrailway - www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk
@NetworkRailLIV - www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/passengers/our-stations/liverpool-lime-street
Shuttle Bus
Stagecoach will be operating a regular Shuttle Bus Service from Liverpool city centre to Aintree Racecourse on all 3 days of the festival.
- Shuttle buses will depart Elliot Street [Stop GE].
- Return shuttles will depart from Park Lane (opposite Aintree rail station).
- Return and day rider tickets will be available to buy, and all buses will accept contactless and mobile payments.
- Find out more: Stagecoach 922
Regular services
The 300, 310 & 345 services run regularly between Queen Square bus station and the Aintree area. Please be aware that these services will be on diversion throughout the festival and may not drop off or pick up at their usual stops. Find out more: Travel Updates
Check bus operator websites and social media accounts for up-to-date schedule information.
@arrivanorthwest - www.arrivabus.co.uk
@stagecoachMCSL - www.stagecoachbus.com
@nationalexpress – www.nationalexpress.com
If you live nearby or are staying local, walking and cycling will be some of the healthiest, quickest and easiest ways to get around.
Please help us by walking or cycling if you can, to ease some pressure on transport services and keep our air clean.
If you are staying in Liverpool City Centre during the event, E-scooters and E-bikes operated by Bolt are available for hire throughout Liverpool and can be located and unlocked by downloading the Bolt app. E-scooters are available to hire in the city centre and surrounding areas as well as key transport hubs and hospitals.
The iconic Mersey Ferries offer a great option for cross-river travel – with regular commuter services each weekday morning and evening, alongside River Explorer Cruises during the day.
You can find out more details on the Mersey Ferries website.
Liverpool is connected to the world via John Lennon International Airport, which is less than 20 mins drive from the city centre.
Several regular bus services to Liverpool city centre operate from outside the terminal building, including the Arriva 500 service.
Manchester Airport is less than 1-hour drive from Liverpool City Centre and is served by its own train station, with services operating from here to Manchester Piccadilly and some Liverpool stations.
Up-to-date information about flights and how to travel to the city from either airport can be found on their websites.
@LPL_Airport – www.liverpoolairport.com
@manairport – www.manchesterairport.co.uk
The Wallasey (Kingsway) and Birkenhead (Queensway) are cross-river road options to get from Wirral to Liverpool, with the Wallasey Tunnel providing the best link to the racecourse.
Check Merseytravel social media channels for most up-to-date information on both tunnels.