Getting There
About 21 trains depart London's Euston Station every 2 hours daily for the 2 1/4-hour trip to Chester. Trains also run every hour between Liverpool and Chester, a 45-minute ride. For schedules and information, call tel. 0845/748-4950 or visit www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Four National Express buses run between Birmingham and Chester; the trip takes 2 1/2 hours. The same bus line also offers service between Liverpool and Chester. It's also possible to catch a National Express coach from London's Victoria Coach Station to Chester. 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 take the M6 at the junction near Coventry. Continue northwest to the junction with the A54, which leads west to Chester.
Visitor Information
The Tourist Information Centre is on Vicars Lane (tel. 01244/351609; www.visitchester.com). It offers a hotel-reservation service as well as information. Arrangements can also be made for coach or walking tours of Chester (including a ghost-hunter tour). It's open April to October Monday to Saturday 9:30am to 5:30pm; off-season, Monday to Saturday 9:30am to 5pm.
Special Events
July is an active time in Chester, as the Chester Summer Music Festival (tel. 01244/304618; www.chesterfestivals.co.uk; Mon-Sat 10am-5pm) hosts orchestras and other classical performers from around Britain in lunch concerts, with tickets averaging £6, and small indoor evening concerts, where tickets cost from £6 to £30. Exact dates are subject to change but usually take place from around July 7 to July 22.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
