Planning a Trip

Getting There

Liverpool has its own airport, John Lennon Airport (tel. 0871/5218484; www.liverpoolairport.com), which has frequent daily flights from many parts of the United Kingdom, including London, the Isle of Man, and Ireland.

Frequent express trains depart London's Euston Station for Liverpool, a 3-hour trip. For schedules and information, call tel. 0845/748-4950 or visit www.nationalrail.co.uk. There is also frequent service from Manchester, a 45-minute ride away.

National Express buses depart London's Victoria Coach Station every 3 hours for the 4 1/2-hour trip to Liverpool. Buses also arrive every hour from Manchester, a 1-hour ride away. For schedules and information, call tel. 0870/580-8080 or visit www.nationalexpress.com.

If you're driving from London, head north on the M1, and then northwest on the M6 to the junction with the M62, which heads west to Liverpool.

Visitor Information

The Tourist Information Centre is at 8 Place, Whitechapel (tel. 01512/332008; www.visitliverpool.com), and is open Monday and Wednesday to Saturday 9am to 6pm, Tuesday 10am to 6pm, and Sunday 11am to 4pm.

Special Events

At the end of August and running into the first couple of days of September, the annual International Beatles Week (www.liverpooltour.com) attracts about 100,000 fans to Liverpool for a 7-day celebration highlighted with concerts performed by bands from Argentina to Sweden (with names such as Lenny Pane, Wings Over Liverpool, and the Beats). You can hear the news today at the Sgt. Pepper concert and take in many other Beatles tributes, auctions, and tours.