Mersey Ferries Tours and Tickets

While many boats are part of the fleet of Mersey Ferries, there are other ways that you can experience it, even from dry land. This is the best way right now:

• Liverpool: River Cruise and Sightseeing Bus Tour

Tickets for the River Explorer Cruise on Mersey Ferries are £13 for adults, £8.50 for children aged 5–15, £11.50 for seniors and students, and kids under 5 ride for free. Family packages are also available. Cruises last for 50 minutes and boast impressive views of Liverpool’s waterfront from the deck.

Sights include clear views of the Liverpool skyline, which spans legendary landmarks such as the Royal Liver Building, Albert Dock, and the city’s two cathedrals. The Royal Albert Dock area has undergone extensive redevelopment in recent years, and its modern architecture is on show alongside the older Georgian buildings.

Boat crossings on the River Mersey can be traced back to the 12th century, when Benedictine monks in Woodside rowed passengers over to Liverpool. By the 1800s, the boats had developed as had the services, and the “ferries” became a major part of Liverpool’s transport infrastructure.

The Mersey Ferries’ standard River Explorer Cruise lasts 50 minutes and is the best option for tourists and sightseers. For time-short travelers and regular commuters between Liverpool and the Wirral, there’s a 10-minute service that runs on weekday mornings and evenings.

Pair a Mersey Ferry ride with a Manchester Ship Canal cruise, and spend up to a day on the northwest’s waterways after leaving Liverpool. Another option is to combine an open-top bus tour of Liverpool with a Mersey Ferry cruise by buying a combined ticket from Mersey Ferries.