How to get from Liverpool Airport to Liverpool

The exterior of Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport is located on the south side of the city in a region called Speke, approximately seven miles from the centre.

The airport was constructed in the 1930s on the grounds of Speke Hall, and while it originally operated flights via Barton Aerodrome in Salford and Castle Bromwich Aerodrome in Birmingham to Croydon Airport in London, it soon became an RAF base following the outbreak of the Second World War.

It resumed as a civil airport in 1945, and in 1986 a new terminal building opened which still stands today. In 2001 the airport was renamed from Speke Airport to Liverpool John Lennon Airport after the late member of The Beatles. Today it remains only one of two UK airports to be named after a person - the other being George Best Belfast City Airport in Northern Ireland.

It now serves the North West and North Wales catchment area, and is the best way to get to Liverpool from approximately 70 destinations across Europe and North Africa.

If you’re flying into Liverpool John Lennon Airport, whether that’s for a football game, its culture, The Beatles or the world-class nightlife on offer, here’s how you can get from the terminal to the city centre.

By bus

Regular, direct buses operated by Arriva run from several stands outside the front of the terminal building. Although this is the most cost-effective way to travel, the buses make regular stops, so it is also the most time-consuming.

While almost all of the buses are bound for Liverpool City Centre, the number 500 bus, which terminates at Liverpool One Bus Station runs 24 hours a day, meaning you can get to and from the airport easily, regardless of when your flight arrives or departs.

By train

While Liverpool John Lennon Airport doesn’t have a dedicated train station, nearby Liverpool South Parkway is just a short hop away on the 500, 80A or 86A bused, and combined tickets for both bus and rail can be purchased.

From Liverpool South Parkway, you can take the train to Liverpool Lime Street - the city’s main railway station, which also operates services nationwide.

By taxi

Getting a taxi is the easiest and most convenient method for getting from Liverpool Airport to Liverpool, although it is the most costly.

A taxi rank is located outside the arrivals section of the terminal, where a line of black cabs await, or you can use Uber - the most popular taxi app in Liverpool.

Arriva Click

Another option to get to Liverpool from Liverpool Airport is to use Arriva Click. Arriva Click is like an Uber-bus hybrid, where you can hail a Mercedes minibus to pick you up and take you to your destination. It’s cheaper than a taxi, but a little more expensive than the regular bus.

For further details and additional information, head to the official Liverpool John Lennon Airport website.