Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium is set to welcome a full house for its final test event in early August, and fans with tickets are being encouraged to plan their journey well in advance.
A capacity crowd of 52,769 is expected as the Toffees take on Italian side Roma on Saturday 9 August, with kick-off at 3pm. Following the main fixture, supporters can enjoy a Legends match between the two clubs at 5:15pm.
To support a smooth and safe matchday experience, a Transport Working Group, chaired by Everton FC, is working closely with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Liverpool City Council, Merseyrail, local bus operators, and Merseyside Police to coordinate travel plans.
With various travel options available, supporters are advised to think ahead and choose the most suitable way to get to and from the stadium as they adjust to a new matchday routine. For the latest travel information, fans should check directly with transport providers via their websites and social media channels.
In addition to regular bus routes serving the area, shuttle bus services will be increased before and after the game from Liverpool city centre, Bootle, and Kirkby bus stations, with park and ride options available at each location.
Merseyrail will operate trains every 15 minutes on the Southport, Ormskirk, Hunts Cross, and Headbolt Lane lines before and after the event. Nearby stations Sandhills, Bank Hall, and Moorfields are all within walking distance of the stadium.
For those crossing the Mersey, special direct ferry sailings will run between the Gerry Marsden Ferry Terminal at Liverpool’s Pier Head and Seacombe. If demand is strong, this could become a regular matchday service.
The Hill Dickinson Stadium is also easily accessible on foot or by bike from Liverpool city centre, a convenient option for those wanting to avoid traffic or make the most of the city’s cycle lanes.
Cllr Steve Foulkes, Chair of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Transport Committee said:
“As a proud Evertonian myself, I can’t wait to see Hill Dickinson Stadium full for the first time as the club enters a new chapter.
“The new stadium is a massive moment – not just for the club, but for the regeneration of North Liverpool – an area which is only going to go from strength to strength in the coming years.
“We want to make sure fans can get to and from matches easily, safely, and sustainably, while keeping disruption to local residents to a minimum. Since the last test event, we’ve continued working closely with Everton, transport operators, the council, and, most importantly, supporters themselves to sure we get the best matchday experience possible.”
Colin Chong, Chief Real Estate and Regeneration Officer at Everton Football Club, said:
“The first two test events at Hill Dickinson Stadium were incredibly valuable in helping us fine-tune matchday operations — and that success is down in no small part to the passion, patience and feedback of our supporters.
“This third and final event is a major step forward as we welcome a full capacity crowd for the very first time. We’ve listened to fans, learned lessons, and worked with our partners to strengthen the transport offer, with new shuttle services, increased capacity on the rail network and post-match ferry options now in place.
“Evertonians will continue to play a vital role in shaping the future matchday experience at our new home, beyond the test events, and we thank them in advance for planning their journeys and supporting the Club every step of the way.”
More information specific to the third test event, including details on travel, parking restrictions and the matchday experience, will be communicated to ticketholders directly by Everton in the week leading up to the historic fixture.
Travel advice
If you’re using public transport to attend the test event, advice is now available to help you plan your journeys.
- Plan your journey in advance – to ensure you can get where you want to go and back home again.
- Walk or cycle if you can – the stadium is within easy walking and cycling distance of Liverpool city centre with plenty of cycle parking available for supporters to use.
- Check before you travel – Don’t get caught out by any changes to regular timetables.
- Leave more time for your journeys – services may be busier than usual and you may need to queue so try to allow enough time to catch a later service if you don’t make the one you expect.
- Consider using other stations – Sandhills will be a popular option, but Bank Hall and Moorfields are also within walking distance of the stadium.
- Buy travel tickets in advance – many tickets can be purchased ahead of time or online, speeding up your journey.
- Be patient – services to and from the stadium may take longer than usual.
- Be kind to staff – staff will be working hard to keep services running and on hand to provide help and travel advice.
Transport Information
A summary of transport information can be found below. For the most detailed and up-to-date guidance, people should regularly check operator websites and social media channels as these services are subject to last minute changes.
Public transport services have been strengthened both ahead of the kick-off time of 3pm and the end of the event.
Please be aware transport services can be subject to change – check operator and Merseytravel websites before you travel.
RAIL SERVICES
Merseyrail
A 15-minute service will run on the Southport, Ormskirk, Hunts Cross, and Headbolt Lane lines before and after the event, with all available 4 and 8-car trains in operation. There will be some changes to the timetable on the Southport line, and rail users are urged to check the Merseyrail website journey planner before travelling.
At Sandhills and Liverpool City Centre stations, a crowd flow management system will be in place to help make journeys smoother and safer.
@merseyrail – www.merseyrail.org
Mainline Services
Lime Street station will be open as usual, with services running to a normal Saturday timetable.
@northernassist – www.northernrailway.co.uk
@TPEassist – www.tpexpress.co.uk
@avantiwestcoast – www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk
@LNRailway – www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk
@tfwrail – www.tfwrail.wales
@eastmidrailway – www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk
BUS SERVICES
Shuttle buses
There will be four commercially operated shuttle bus services on matchdays, running from two hours before kick-off and then from the end of the test event, but not during the match. These include:
918 Service from / to Kirkby [Stagecoach] – Timetabled
Kirkby pick up & drop off: Kirkby Bus Station, Stand 1
Stadium drop off – Great Howard Street at Blackstone Street
Stadium pick up – Great Howard Street at Blackstone Street
This service picks-up and drops off at additional locations along route – full details can be found in the timetable.
919 Service from / to Commutation Row (Close to Lime Street) [Arriva] – Every 10 mins
City Centre pick up & drop off: Commutation Row
Stadium drop off – Great Howard Street at Blackstone Street
Stadium pick up – Great Howard Street at Bentinck Street
929 Service from / to Liverpool One Bus Station [Arriva] – Every 10 mins
City Centre pick up & drop off: Liverpool One Bus Station (Stand 4/5)
Stadium drop off – Great Howard Street at Blackstone Street
Stadium pick up – Great Howard Street, north of Denbigh Street
939 Service from / to Bootle Strand Bus Station [Arriva and Stagecoach]
Bootle pick up & drop off: Bootle Bus Station, Washington Parade (Strand Shopping Centre)
Stadium drop off – Derby Road at Wellington Employment Park, north of Blackstone Street
Stadium pick up – Derby Road, north of Boundary Street
Please note if using these services, we will ensure relevant signage is in place at each pick up location.
Commercial services
There are a number of commercial bus services that serve the area near to the Stadium including 54 / 54A, 56, 58 / 58A, mainly along Vauxhall Road.
Alternative commercial services:
Stanley Road:
X2 service From/to Preston/Southport – Queen Square Bus Station(Stagecoach) – up to 2 buses an hour. Pick Up/Drop Off Stanley Road/Scotland Road.
47 service From/to Southport – Queen Square Bus Station (Arriva) – up to 2 buses an hour. Pick Up/Drop Off Stanley Road/Scotland Road.
52/52A service From/to Netherton/Old Roan – Liverpool. Sir Thomas Street(Arriva) – up to 5 buses an hour. Pick Up/Drop Off Stanley Road/Scotland Road.
55 service From/to Netherton/Old Roan Train Station – Liverpool. Sir Thomas Street (Arriva) up to 2 buses an hour. Pick Up/Drop Off Stanley Road/Scotland Road.
53 Great Homer Street. Service From/to Crosby – Liverpool. Queen Square(Arriva & Stagecoach) – up to 6 buses an hour. Pick Up/Drop Off Great Homer Street.
Walton:
310 service From/to Queen Square Bus Station – Maghull – Skelmersdale(Arriva) – up to 2 buses an hour. Pick Up/Drop Off Kirkdale Road/Stanley Road.
345 Service From/to Queen Square Bus Station – Waddicar (Arriva) – up to 2 buses an hour. Pick Up/Drop Off Great Homer Street.
20 Service From/to Kirkby Bus Station – Queen Square Bus Station(Stagecoach) – up to 3 buses an hour. Pick Up/Drop Off Kirkdale Road/Stanley Road
@arrivanorthwest – www.arrivabus.co.uk
@StagecoachMCSL – www.stagecoachbus.com
MERSEY FERRIES
Mersey Ferries will be operating a special matchday Cross River Shuttle service, stating from 11am at Seacombe, with the final departure at 1:40pm. The stadium is a 30-minute walk from the Pier Head.
For the return journey post-match, the Cross River Shuttle will commence at 5:50pm and operate until 7:50pm, allowing fans time to walk back from the stadium after the game.
If used frequently enough this could be a new service to serve future match events at the new stadium.
Those travelling to the game via the ferry will be able to purchase a special Matchday Ferry Ticket – full details can be found on the Mersey Ferries website.
@MerseyFerries – www.merseyferries.co.uk
MERSEY TUNNELS
The Queensway (Birkenhead) and Kingsway (Wallasey) Tunnels will open as usual during the day and evening, with no scheduled maintenance planned.
You can sign-up for a T-FLOW account to help speed up travel through the tunnels – and if you’re a Liverpool city region resident, you can make a saving on the regular toll price.
@merseytravel – www.merseytunnels.co.uk
CAR PARKING
Liverpool City Council have made changes to the parking scheme around the new Everton stadium, more information can be found on the Liverpool Council website.
Parking is available in Liverpool City Centre and Bootle Stand with access to the stadium available by shuttle bus. Park and ride is also available at stations across the Merseyrail network – you can find more information on where on the Merseyrail website.
ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORT
Accessible Shuttle Service
A free shuttle bus service will operate for supporters with accessible needs, between Sandhills Station (Sandhills Lane) and Boundary Street (around 175 metres from Everton Stadium), before and after matches. This service must be booked in advance by contacting the Accessibility Team at Everton on 0151 556 1878 (option 1, then 2, followed by 3).
The 918, 919, 929 and 939 shuttle buses, outlined above, also stop at stadium bus stops and Boundary St (at Royal Crest Hotel), for those with limited mobility.
More information can be found on the Everton website.
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