Travelling to Anfield

[royalstilton]

Haven't you had enough of being embarrassed by me every time you come on here, you bogtrotting Paddy gloryhunter?
-=-
i don't think he's a gloryhunter.

honest. :)

plus he couldn't spell yer name right. says worlds.

[Matt Clark]

Well, he is Irish. I'm surprised they have the Internet in his village already. Must be near Dublin.

[aussie11]

i live in Kent and went to Anfield a few times last season by car, took about 3.5 hours parked the car in a school about 0.5 mile from the ground for £5.

[Matt Clark]

Had a request for a thread in which advice is given, shared and updated for people wanting to come to Liverpool for the pilgrimage to the Kop - particularly in light of the impending new stadium.

Locals can dump knowledge here, potential visitors their questions. It'll be a sticky.

Perhaps we should start with questions?

[Twenty26Six]

How did everyone fly into England? [especially those coming from America]
- NYC to London? to Manchester?

[Matt Clark]

There are direct flights from JFK to Manchester with American Airlines. I've done the reverse trip on several occasions. You then get a train from the airport railstation into Lime Street. There are bogtrotter and express versions of the train.

[liverbird]

There are direct flights from JFK to Manchester with American Airlines. I've done the reverse trip on several occasions. You then get a train from the airport railstation into Lime Street. There are bogtrotter and express versions of the train.


Depends on the trip -- I've done British Midlands and American into Manchester. Right now the only Midlands flight is through Chicago. I've taken the train from the aorport to Lime Street as well. Easy and convienent.

Now I've also included London in my trip -- lots of easy flights to London from the USA. Virgin Trains from Euston station to Lime Street are first class and not terribly expensive if you book well in advance. One can also fly to John Lennon. I've done both.

[liverbird]

How did everyone fly into England? [especially those coming from America]
- NYC to London? to Manchester?

See my other answer -- I've gone direct from DC, through Chicago, through NYC and direct DC to London and then up.

[liverbird]

Any recommendations on lodging?

I have always stayed at Feathers on Mount Pleasant near the RC cathedral. Matt thinks it sucks for food. But they've always been good to me. It's a bit off the Centre City but only about 6 uphill blocks from Lime Street Station.

Any other recommendations?

[usscouse]

I fly in from the west coast about once a year. Usually to London occasionally to Manchester, it's about a 9 hr flight. Not overly long, a good book, movie and a meal then a nap and it's done...!
Last time I took a flight into Manchester was because it was cheaper than going into London. Even though I had to take the same London flight and change to Manchester at Heathrow. Go figure!
I'm lucky with not having to look for accommodation and I usually hire a car, I wouldn't recommend the car if you're just up for a match though. LB has the other ways wired, follow him.
I did hear from a trusted friend that the Crowne Plaza for about the same price was a far superior hotel. Check hotels and reviews on line.

[Matt Clark]

Any recommendations on lodging?

I have always stayed at Feathers on Mount Pleasant near the RC cathedral. Matt thinks it sucks for food. But they've always been good to me. It's a bit off the Centre City but only about 6 uphill blocks from Lime Street Station.

Any other recommendations?
In the centre, the hotels on Mt Pleasant are probs about the best you'll get in the budget range ... and you don't have to eat there. ;)

That said, it's always, always worth checking through things like expedia and tripadvisor for special rates. Our travel coordinator at work is a genius for deals like that, I've stayed in some of the finest hotels in Europe on my business travels for absolute peanuts (including the Madrid hotel where all new signings stay when they join Real, but that's another thread). The same logic of course applies to Liverpool where we have a Marriott just round the corner from Lime Street, a Crowne Plaza out by the docks, a Hilton and a couple of Holiday Inns.

If you want real budget, there's a Formule 1 and a Campanile on the dock road. Handy for going out on the lash and makes no real difference in terms of getting up to the ground on match day.

A little further out (but nearer to John Lennon airport if that's where you're coming from) are the hotels around Sefton Park. They're decent and cheap (about £80 a night), in a good location and have the added advantage of being round the corner from my house, so you can come and buy me a pint whilst you're there. :D

[liverbird]

I fly in from the west coast about once a year. Usually to London occasionally to Manchester, it's about a 9 hr flight. Not overly long, a good book, movie and a meal then a nap and it's done...!
Last time I took a flight into Manchester was because it was cheaper than going into London. Even though I had to take the same London flight and change to Manchester at Heathrow. Go figure!
I'm lucky with not having to look for accommodation and I usually hire a car, I wouldn't recommend the car if you're just up for a match though. LB has the other ways wired, follow him.
I did hear from a trusted friend that the Crowne Plaza for about the same price was a far superior hotel. Check hotels and reviews on line.

I agree with US on the car ---that is if you are simply going to do some sightseeing and go to a game. Now if you planned on going farther afield, say Chester and the Wirral or up to the lake country then a car would be ok. It will probably cost you to park it in Liverpool so I wouldn't get it until I was doing the sightseeing. Don't be put off by the change in driver position -- it really isn't hard to master. Simply remember the driver is always in the middle of the road in either system. If you've never driven in the UK the biggest surprise is shifting with your left hand. Pedal positions are the same in both systems. Also for the Yanks most regular rental cars are manual transmissions. You'll pay quite a bit more for automatic and with the price of fuel and the size of city streets you are really much better off with a compact manual car.

On most of my trips to the UK I have not gotten a car. The train system is very good (perhaps not by European standards but by US standards). I've been all around London, to Leeds, Birmingham, Bolton, Wigan, and both Manchester stadia without ever using a car and with no real hassle. In Scotland and Ireland I have always gotten a car. Trains aren't as good and what you really want to see is in the country side. The same probably holds true for the UK but I'm usually only there for the football.

[stanaccrington]

When I go back I tend to travel around a lot and if I need accomadation I stay at the little thiefs (little CHEF) its the equvilent of a nice motel the USA and is cheap.
http://www.travelodge.co.uk/
They have one in the city and a couple in the wirral.
If you drive they have a great carpark in the city one, well secure.

[T308]

As mentioned above, AA runs a great service to Manchester and if you've got frequent flyer status, I've found the Chicago/Man segment one that's pretty easy to get upgraded on (it's two class, so you pay for Econo and get bumped to Business).

I stay near Hoylake or Lytham (as I usually bring my clubs no matter the weather) so a car's required for the drive in. Hertz rapes you, but they have Neverlost which really takes the pressure off the drive when you're travling alone and trying to juggle a map while driving on the "wrong" side. I park at the home of the Blueshite and walk across the park which makes it really easy.

It's well worth the journey...

T308

[Twenty26Six]

I know some people have mentioned different airlines as having good prices.

Are there better times of the year to travel across the Altlantic? What kinds of prices should I expect to see in a round-trip fare?

I have trouble making sense of the massive difference in price I often see quoted on online travel bureaus.

[liverbird]

I know some people have mentioned different airlines as having good prices.

Are there better times of the year to travel across the Altlantic? What kinds of prices should I expect to see in a round-trip fare?

I have trouble making sense of the massive difference in price I often see quoted on online travel bureaus.

Beat prices to the UK are September 1 to March 31 excluding the Holiday season. February and March are the cheapest.

[freemo]

OK, planning my first trip to Anfield for the Wigan game. Waited to book because needed to make sure tickets and passports were sorted out. Flying into London and spending a few days there before heading to Liverpool. Planning on arriving in Liverpool on Friday the 20th and leaving Sunday the 22nd. Having trouble finding a hotel right now...seems like the recommended hotels are booked (Feathers, Travelodge). Have done some searches on travelocity and expedia and am getting very few available results in the city itself.

There is room at the Brittania Adelphi Hotel at $209/US, but the reviews seem really bad. More than I wanted to pay, but there doesn't seem to many other options. Waited too long, I'm sure.

Any other ideas on how to find room? Not being familiar with the city I want to be sure that we can get around (don't want to be stuck outside the city with no way to get around because I don't think we're going to rent a car).

[stanaccrington]

http://www.bedandbreakfasts.co.uk/propertysearch.asp?townCity=Liverpool
Try these.

[liverbird]

http://www.bedandbreakfasts.co.uk/propertysearch.asp?townCity=Liverpool
Try these.

The Aachen is right by Feathers and is easy walking distance from Lime Street Station. How are you getting to Liverpool from London? Virgin Trains or plane? The campanile one says its by the Albert Dock which would put you an easy walk to the City Centre as well. In either case you'd nedd to cab it to Anfield.

[liverbird]

The Aachen is right by Feathers and is easy walking distance from Lime Street Station. How are you getting to Liverpool from London? Virgin Trains or plane? The campanile one says its by the Albert Dock which would put you an easy walk to the City Centre as well. In either case you'd nedd to cab it to Anfield.

I wouldn't stay in the Dingle if I were you.