What are my Liverpool to Glasgow train options?

There are two main options when it comes to taking a Liverpool to Glasgow train. You can either take a direct TransPennine Express service, or you can take Northern up to Wigan North Western or Preston and then Avanti West Coast to Glasgow. Let’s take a look at how frequent these options are and how long they typically take.

TransPennine Express

This is the simplest option for a Liverpool to Glasgow train journey. It isn't the most frequent option, though. There are three direct trains each day. This is the typical calling pattern:

• • St Helens Central, Wigan North Western, Preston, Lancaster, Oxenholme Lake District, Penrith, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Glasgow Central.

The typical journey time is around 3h20m to 3h30m. Let’s take a look at the fares that you can expect to pay on the day:

• • Anytime Return - £149.80
  • Off-Peak Return - £104.40 
  • Off-Peak Return (TPE trains only) - £83.50.

The Anytime Return is valid on any operator at any time so long as you travel via Preston. The Off-Peak Return is valid after 04:15, so it's effectively valid at any time, too.

The only difference between the two tickets is that you can use the outward portion of an Anytime Return for five days (only one day with Off-Peak Returns).

The TPE-only version of the Off-Peak Return doesn't have any restrictions.

Avanti West Coast & Northern

Your other Liverpool to Glasgow train option involves a change at Wigan North Western or Preston. First of all, you’d need to take a frequent (at least every 30 minutes, hourly on Sundays) Northern service, and then an Avanti West Coast train.

The Avanti West Coast trains run from Wigan North Western and Preston to Glasgow Central at least every hour. The stopping pattern of these trains can vary, but you can expect a Liverpool to Glasgow train journey on this route to take around 3h20m to 4h.

Here are the fares that you can expect to pay on the day. They’re both valid on any operator, so long as you travel via Preston:

• • Anytime Return - £149.80
  • Off-Peak Return - £104.40.

The Off-Peak Return is valid after 04:15 on weekdays in both directions, so it's essentially valid at any time. There's no reason to buy the Anytime Return unless you want to break your outward journey across more than one day.

Can I save on this journey with split tickets?

Yes, you can! Even if you're booking on the day of travel, it pays to book with Railsmartr. We don't charge you any extra fees for finding a split ticket saving. Let's see what we can find travelling today and returning tomorrow:

As you can see, there's essentially always a saving to be had. Here's what each of the fares are:

• For £96.00 return (£8.40 saving) you'd split your tickets at Penrith
• For £81.90 return (£22.50 saving) you'd split your tickets at Oxenholme Lake District 
• For £69.80 return (£13.70 saving) you'd split your tickets at Oxenholme Lake District and travel only on TPE trains.

Returning on the same day? You might find an even bigger saving. Just remember that each ticket will have its own restrictions.

How do I get the best Liverpool to Glasgow train fare?

You can get the best Liverpool to Glasgow train fare with Railsmartr. We’ll show you all of your options, even the slower options, so you can pick the ideal balance of speed and cost for you. Let’s take a look at the fares one month ahead:

As you can see, the direct TransPennine Express train is the cheapest option. That said, Northern and Avanti West Coast aren't too far behind. In addition, we'll offer you split tickets if they'll give the best fare!

What are the trains like?

Let’s go through the trains that run on the Liverpool to Glasgow train route and what their features are.

TransPennine Express

If you’re using TransPennine Express on your Liverpool to Glasgow train trip, then you’re likely to have a Nova 2. They have five carriages and have seats in a 2+2 layout in Standard Class:

You’ll find a USB port and three-pin socket at every seat as well as free WiFi. There’s also a catering trolley on every train, with free refreshments if you’re in First Class. First Class seating is in a 2+1 layout.

Avanti West Coast

Taking an Avanti West Coast train? You’re likely to have a Pendolino train. They’re currently being refurbished and have either nine or 11 carriages. The refurbished ones have a power socket at every seat:

Meanwhile, Standard Premium and First Class have seats in a 2+1 layout. Wondering what the difference is? We’ve taken a trip to compare them.

Feeling peckish? There’s a shop in Coach C. If you’re in First Class, then you’ll get complimentary food and drink served at your seat.

As for seat comfort, we’d recommend the refurbished trains. They have more legroom, winged headrests and generally more space to stretch out. As of April 2024, all 11-coach trains and most nine-coach trains have now been refurbished. If you don't have a reservation, then Coach C is the unreserved coach on the nine-coach trains. If you have an 11-coach train, then the unreserved coaches are C, U and G.

Is there anything else I should know?

The final thing we’d recommend is using the Railsmartr website to book your Liverpool to Glasgow train tickets. We’re completely independent, so we’re happy to ‘tell you like it is’ when it comes to rail fares!

Don’t forget that we don’t charge any fees, either. That includes if you change your mind and want to travel on a different day. If your ticket is refundable, we’ll refund it fee-free, too.

_{^{All fares stated on this page are for ONE adult with no Railcard discount and were correct as of 09/04/2024. All information is issued in good faith. They’re subject to change at any time and Railsmartr are not responsible for any loss or disappointment incurred as a result of the information provided.}}