Mersey Ferries Tours

Running right through the heart of the city, the Mersey River is the lifeblood of Liverpool, and the city’s iconic ferries have sailed its shores for more than 800 years. Today, the Mersey Ferries remain a must-see attraction for visitors to Liverpool. 

This famous ferry is one of the best ways to see Liverpool’s historic waterfront, which is itself a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 50-minute River Explorer Cruise operates hourly and includes recorded commentary with the option for visitors to stop off at Woodside Ferry Terminal to see and explore a German U-boat. If you’re sightseeing in Liverpool, you can also combine a boat cruise with a hop-on hop-off bus tour or a tour of Liverpool Cathedral Tower. 

Mersey Ferries depart regularly from the Pier Head Ferry Terminal, next to the famous Liver Building on the Mersey River waterfront. The ferries sail across the water to Birkenhead Woodside Ferry Terminal and Seacombe Ferry Terminal on the Wirral Peninsula. River cruises can be boarded from any of the three ports.

Mersey Ferries run all year round, although times vary throughout the year. During the peak summer months, opt for an early morning departure if you want to avoid the crowds.

Taking a ferry cruise across the River Mersey is such a strong Liverpool tradition that it was immortalized in the 1964 Gerry and the Pacemakers song “Ferry Cross the Mersey.” A smash hit on both sides of the Atlantic, it remains one of Liverpool’s most popular anthems, covered by numerous artists over the years including Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Burton Cummings, Pat Metheny, and even Sir Paul McCartney, as part of a fundraising effort for the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.