• Visitors from across the world expected in city region for weekend’s sport and entertainment
• Rugby league Ashes between England v Australia at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday afternoon
• Liverpool v Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday evening
• Thousands also expected for River of Light on Liverpool’s waterfront
• Visitors urged to plan their journeys and check with operators before travelling

Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium

Fans are being urged to plan their journeys ahead of a bumper day of sport and entertainment in the Liverpool City Region.

Saturday will see sell-out crowds at both Hill Dickinson Stadium and Anfield as well as the popular River of Light festival on the Liverpool’s waterfront.

More than 50,000 fans are expected at Everton’s new stadium this Saturday for the Rugby League Ashes test between England and Australia which kicks off at 2.30pm.

Liverpool will take on Aston Villa at Anfield at 8pm and across the Mersey, Tranmere Rovers will host Stockport County in the FA Cup at 3pm.

Thousands are also expected to visit the Liverpool’s River of Light art festival on the city’s historic waterfront, which runs between 5pm and 9pm until Sunday, November 2 – with an extended opening time until 10pm on Saturday.

With public transport expected to be busier than usual throughout the day and evening, it’s important for passengers to plan their journeys.

Whether they’re coming from Birmingham or Brisbane, supporters have a variety of travel options for getting to and from the sporting fixtures and are encouraged to plan ahead and think about the best mode of travel for them.

The best way to stay up to date is to check directly with transport operators as they share real time information on their websites and social media channels to help people stay informed and plan with confidence.

Cllr Steve Foulkes, Chair of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Transport Committee, said:

“This weekend is going to be another fantastic showcase of our city region’s capability to host major events – from Rugby League international tests to Premier League and FA Cup fixtures, alongside the spectacular River of Light festival.

“We want to make sure everyone can get to and from our city region easily, safely, and sustainably, while keeping disruption to local residents to a minimum.

“Whether you’re coming to watch the Ashes rugby fixture or the football, or just enjoying a walk along the waterfront, please make sure you plan your journeys in advance and check with operators before you travel.”

Summary of transport services

For fans travelling to the England v Australia match, three shuttle bus options are available to get to the Hill Dickinson Stadium from Liverpool One bus station, Commutation Row by St George’s Hall and Bootle Strand Bus Station. Please note, the shuttle from Kirkby bus station will not be running for this fixture.

Merseyrail will be running a 15-minute service on the Southport, Ormskirk, Hunts Cross, and Headbolt Lane lines before and after the event. Sandhills, Bank Hall and Moorfields are all within walking distance of the stadium on arrival.

If you can, cycling and walking from the Liverpool city centre is also an option, with safe walking routes and cycle parking available at the stadium.

The Mersey Ferries will be operating a normal River Explorer service on Saturday, with the last service back to Seacombe departing from the Gerry Marsden Ferry Terminal at Liverpool’s Pier Head at 4pm.

A full run-down of the travel advice can be found on the EFC page on the Merseytravel website.

To keep up to date on any disruptions or planned changes to services across the city region, follow @Merseytravel on X or visit the Merseytravel website.