THE countdown to Christmas has begun and Merseytravel have released bus and rail details for those planning their journeys over the festive period.

A network of free bus services to hospitals will run on Christmas Day between midday and 7pm.

After trains ran on Boxing Day the services look set to stay, allowing shoppers to make the most of the post-Christmas sales.

The Wallasey and Birkenhead tunnels will be open throughout the holiday period.

Here’s a roundup of bus, train and ferry services across the Christmas and New Year period.

Christmas Eve - Saturday, December 24:

  • Buses will run to their normal timetables, but services will finish earlier than usual.
  • Wirral, Northern and City line rail services will run to Saturday timetables with an earlier finish.
  • Mersey Ferries - The River Explorer Cruise will run, departing from the Pier Head at 11am, then hourly until the last service which will depart from the Pier Head at 3pm, arriving at Seacombe 3.20pm, Woodside 3.30pm and finishing at Pier Head at 3.50pm.

Christmas Day – Sunday, December 25:

A special network of free bus services, funded by Merseytravel, will run between approximately 12 noon and 7pm, serving most of the region’s/area’s main hospitals.

  • No other bus services will run on Christmas Day.
  • No trains will run.
  • Mersey Ferries will not operate.
  • There is FREE travel through both the Birkenhead and Wallasey tunnels between 10pm on Christmas Eve and 6am on Boxing Day.

Boxing Day – Monday, December 26: 

  • Some bus services will run to normal timetables, with an earlier finish. Some will not operate.
  • Wirral and Northern lines will run a limited service calling at selected stations.
  • City Line trains will not operate.
  • Mersey Ferries will not operate.

Tuesday, December 27:

  • Some buses will operate a Sunday service, some services will not operate
  • Wirral Line trains will run to Saturday timetables. 
  • Northern Line trains will run to Saturday timetables.
  • City line trains - there are service alterations due to engineering works in Central Manchester.
  • For details of the Christmas and New Year services over this period, please contact National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50 or contact the service operator
  • Northern Rail trains between Preston - Ormskirk and Kirkby - Wigan - Manchester will run to their normal timetables.
  • ArrivaTrains Wales trains will run to a Bank Holiday service (every two hours)
  • Mersey Ferries - The River Explorer Cruise will run, departing from the Pier Head at 11am, then hourly until the last service which will depart from the Pier Head at 3pm, arriving at Seacombe 3.20pm, Woodside at 3.30pm and finishing at Pier Head at 3.50pm.

Wednesday, December 28:

  • Some buses will operate a normal or Saturday service, some services will not operate
  • Wirral Line trains will run to Saturday timetables.
  • Northern Line trains will run to Saturday timetables.
  • City line - there are service alterations due to engineering works in Central Manchester.
  • For details of the Christmas and New Year services over this period, please contact National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50 or contact the service operator.
  • Northern Rail trains between Preston - Ormskirk and Kirkby - Wigan - Manchester will run to their normal timetables.
  • Arriva Trains Wales trains will run to a Bank Holiday service (every two hours).
  • Mersey Ferries - The River Explorer Cruise will run, departing from the Pier Head at 11am, then hourly until the last service which will depart from the Pier Head at 3pm, arriving at Seacombe 3.20pm, Woodside 3.30pm and finishing at Pier Head at 3.50pm.

Thursday, December 29: 

  • Some buses will operate a normal or Saturday service, some services will not operate,
  • Wirral Line trains will run to Saturday timetables.
  • Northern Line trains will run to Saturday timetables.
  • City line there are service alterations due to engineering works in Central Manchester.
  • For details of the Christmas and New Year services over this period, please contact National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50 or contact the service operator.
  • Northern Rail trains between Preston - Ormskirk and Kirkby - Wigan - Manchester will run to their normal timetables.
  • ArrivaTrains Wales trains will run to a Bank Holiday service (every two hours).
  • Mersey Ferries - The River Explorer Cruise will run, departing from the Pier Head at 11am, then hourly until the last service which will depart from the Pier Head at 3pm, arriving at Seacombe 3.20pm, Woodside at 3.30pm and finishing at Pier Head at 3.30pm.

Friday, December 30:

  • Some buses will operate a normal or Saturday service, some services will not operate.
  • Wirral Line trains will run to Saturday timetables.
  • Northern Line trains will run to Saturday timetables.
  • City line there are service alterations due to engineering works in Central Manchester.
  • For details of the Christmas and New Year services over this period, please contact National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50 or contact the service operator.
  • Northern Rail trains between Preston: 
  • Ormskirk and Kirkby - Wigan - Manchester will run to their normal timetables.
  • Arriva Trains Wales trains will run to a Bank Holiday service (every 2 hours) - see Wirral Line timetable leaflet for full details.
  • Mersey Ferries - The River Explorer Cruise will run, departing from the Pier Head at 1100, then hourly until the last service which will depart from the Pier Head at 1500, arriving at Seacombe 1520, Woodside 1530 and finishing at Pier Head at 1550.

New Year's Eve – Saturday, December 31:

• Buses will operate a normal or Saturday service, but will finish earlier than usual.

• Wirral Line trains will run to Saturday timetables with an early finish.

• Northern Line trains will run to Saturday timetables with an early finish.

• City line there are service alterations due to engineering works in Central Manchester.

For details of the Christmas and New Year services over this period, please contact National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50 or contact the service operator.

• Northern Rail trains between Preston - Ormskirk and Kirkby - Wigan - Manchester will run to their normal timetables with an early finish.

• Arriva Trains Wales trains will run to a normal Saturday timetable with an early finish.

• Mersey Ferries - The River Explorer Cruise will run, departing from the Pier Head at 1100, then hourly until the last service which will depart from the Pier Head at 1500, arriving at Seacombe 1520, Woodside 1530 and finishing at Pier Head at 1550.

  • Some bus services are running later than usual for the Liverpool v Manchester City Match (kick off 5.30pm). Please visit www.merseytravel.gov.uk/anfield for full travel information).

New Year's Day – Sunday, January 1

• Some services will run to normal timetables with an earlier finish, some will not operate.

• Wirral Line trains will run to Sunday timetables.

• Northern Line trains will run to Sunday timetables.

• City line - there are service alterations due to engineering works in Central Manchester. For details of the Christmas and New Year services over this period, please contact National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50 or contact the service operator.

• Northern Rail trains between Preston and Ormskirk and Kirkby - Wigan - Manchester will run to their normal Sunday timetables.

• Arriva Trains Wales trains will run to a normal Sunday timetable.

• Mersey Ferries will not operate.

Monday, January 2:

Some buses will operate a normal Sunday service, some services will not operate

Wirral Line trains will run to Saturday timetables.

Northern Line trains will run to Saturday timetables.

City line trains - there are service alterations due to engineering works in Central Manchester. For details of the Christmas and New Year services over this period, please contact National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50 or contact the service operator.

Northern Rail trains between Preston and Ormskirk will run to their normal timetable.

• Mersey Ferries - The River Explorer Cruise will run, departing from the Pier Head at 11am, then hourly until the last service which will depart from the Pier Head at 3pm, arriving at Seacombe 3.20pm, Woodside at 3.30pm and finishing at Pier Head at 3.50pm.

The Wirral Loop Line Track Renewal starts on Tuesday, January 3

The work will be carried out over three phases.

For details of how your train will be affected during the works visit www.merseyrail.org/trackrenewal or pick up a Passenger Information Booklet from your local station booking office Traveline - 0151 236 7676

Traveline will be open normally between 0700 to 2000 on Mondays to Fridays and 0800 to 2000 on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays except for the following days: 24 December 0800 –1800, 25 December - closed all day, 31 December 0800 –2000.

For travel disruption information, particularly during any severe weather, please visit the travel alerts section of our website www.merseytravel.gov.uk/travel-updates