Merseyside Ferries

Taking a ferry across the Mersey has been a Liverpool tradition since Gerry and the Pacemakers sang the smash hit ‘Ferry Cross the Mersey’ in 1964. In fact, boats have been crossing the river at this point for more than 800 years.

Departing from the Pier Head, next to the famous Liver Building on the riverfront, the company’s ferries sail across the water to Birkenhead and Seacombe on the Wirral Peninsula. The fleet’s three boats are called Snowdrop, Royal Daffodil and Royal Iris of the Mersey.

Mersey Ferry services include cross-river commuter transport, 50-minute river explorer cruises, and trips along the Manchester Ship Canal to Salford Quays in Manchester. There are also special cruises throughout the year, including bird-watching sailings.

Along with Gerry and the Pacemakers, many other artists have recorded ‘Ferry Cross the Mersey’, one of Liverpool’s most popular anthems, including Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Burton Cummings, Pat Metheny and Sir Paul McCartney, as part of a fundraising release in 1989.

Practical Info

Mersey Ferries depart regularly from the Pier Head Ferry Terminal, on the Mersey River waterfront.