The Lowest-Stress Route to Anfield

The default for most visitors and the one I would tell a friend to use. Take the Northern Line from Liverpool Central or Moorfields to Sandhills, then the Soccerbus or a walk to the ground. Southport, Hunts Cross, Ormskirk and Kirkby trains all serve Sandhills, and services on those lines run every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday and every 30 on Sundays. Coming from Lime Street, walk to Liverpool Central first. This walk between stations takes about 10-15 mins.

Several services run direct. The 917 leaves Commutation Row, near Lime Street, and returns from Walton Lane after the game. The 926 starts three and a half hours before kick-off from Liverpool ONE stand 4. The 927 runs from the Everton Valley stop outside the Valley Sports Bar and operates for up to two and a half hours after the game. Regular routes also go direct: the 26 from Liverpool ONE, the 17 from Queen Square, and the 14 and 19 from Queen Square, a short walk from the ground. From Bootle, the 968 runs from Bootle Bus Station stand 4 to the Everton Valley stop.

Leaving the ground: if you would rather skip the queue for the matchday buses, walk up Oakfield Road and Belmont Road to West Derby Road, which takes about 20 minutes. There are regular buses from there direct into the city centre, and the ride takes about 15 minutes.

The next stop up the line from Sandhills. The club puts both Sandhills and Kirkdale at under a 30-minute walk. Kirkdale beats the crush, which matters most after the game. The trade-off is at night: Sandhills is busier, and there is safety in numbers, so I would take Sandhills for an evening game.

A taxi from the city centre to Anfield usually costs between £8 and £10. Drivers going to the stadium must use the meter and cannot negotiate a fare. Taxi One also runs a shared taxi bus from Commutation Row, near Lime Street, from about three and a half hours before kick-off, with a return service after the final whistle from the Sleeper’s Hill junction, according to the club’s latest access statement.

Uber is a good way to get to the ground. Getting one home is a different story. Prices are driven by supply and demand, so fares after the game are inflated, and you will struggle to get a driver to you unless you walk at least a mile from the ground first. Use Uber on the way in, not the way out.

There is no general paid parking at Stanley Park car park or on Utting Avenue on matchdays. The only exceptions are pre-allocated places for disabled supporters and supporters over 65, which you apply for through the club’s Supporter Services Team. Anfield is in a residential area with a residents parking scheme, and the club warns that illegally parked cars will be fined. Do not park on residential streets.

The realistic options are small and local. There is some public parking at Anfield Sports & Community Centre, off Lower Breck Road, on Belmont Road and on St Domingo Road, at roughly £5 to £10. You can sometimes get street parking if you are lucky, but you need to be down there early, and you must check the signs first because the residents scheme is enforced. If you do not mind a walk, Newsham Park has plenty of free spaces, about 30 minutes from the ground. Prices and spaces change from game to game. The matchday cost calculator has the parking, bus and taxi prices. The other plan is to park well away (a Merseyrail station car park out on the line, or in the city centre) and take the train in. Several Merseyrail stations have car parks.

A taxi direct to Anfield can take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes depending on traffic, and is the simplest option if you are in a group. By bus, the 500 Airport Express is the quickest: it runs direct to Liverpool ONE bus station about every 30 minutes, from 4am to midnight every day, and takes around 30 minutes. It also stops at Great Charlotte Street for Lime Street station. From Liverpool ONE you can pick up the matchday bus 26 to the ground, or walk to Liverpool Central for the Northern Line. The 80A and 86A run roughly every 20 minutes via Liverpool South Parkway to Liverpool ONE. South Parkway is on the Northern Line, so you can change there and go straight to Sandhills without going into the city centre. Check current fares in the Arriva app.

Anfield is roughly two miles from Lime Street. Allow about 50 minutes. It is uphill to the ground, but you get great views of the city on the way. I take the direct route through Everton Valley, which is much shorter than going round.

By bike: the club runs a free Cycle Hub at the top of Stanley Park car park, a few minutes from the Anfield Road end. Staff register and secure your bike, you get a receipt to collect it, and you need to bring your own lock.