Where can I go for a weekend away by train?

Looking for a great night out, a chance to sample some local delicacies or to just to see the sights? There’s something for everyone, here. We’ve visited all of these places ourselves, too. Just click the link at the bottom of entry to find out more.

Newcastle

Newcastle might have an atmosphere as a party city, but it’s so much more. By day, you can work your way around its free museums and art galleries, such as the Discovery Museum and the Baltic. Have a stroll around the Quayside and admire the many bridges, too:

Looking for a drink? Newcastle is filled with hip craft beer spots, cute cocktail bars and plenty of classic pubs for a pint. Best of all, Geordies have a reputation for just being pure friendly. Want to see what we got up to? Click here.

York

York is a perfect weekend away by train for history buffs and train geeks alike. You could walk the walls, visit the National Railway Museum and admire the facade of York Minster without spending a penny.

Don’t forget to explore the many independent shops on the Shambles, either:

Or, perhaps you just want to go out of your way to find the brilliantly-named Whip-ma-Whop-ma-Gate. We paid a visit to see the sights, too.

Sheffield

So, what’s going on in the City of Seven Hills? Quite a lot, in fact, and definitely enough for a great weekend away by train! It’s filled with free museums, such as Kelham Island Museum and the Millenium Gallery. You can learn more about the rich history of Sheffield, as well as the people that make it great.

Why not shop till you drop in the Vintage stores of Division Street? Don’t forget the fried chicken at Lucky Fox, either. Or, you could take it easy and have a stroll around the Botanical Gardens:

One of us lived and studied in Sheffield for four years, so we’ve got plenty of tips! Find out more here.

Glasgow

There’s something in Glasgow for everyone. Fancy admiring a wall covered in cars? You can do that at the Riverside Museum, for free:

It’s home to the People’s Palace and Kelvingrove Museum, too. They don’t cost a penny, either. Fancy getting closer to nature? You can go say hello to the coos in Pollok Country Park, or admire the plants in the Botanic Gardens.

Peckish? Don’t pass on the fluffy soufflé pancakes at KoKo House. Find out more about what we saw and did here.

Liverpool

Liverpool is a perfect weekend away by train for music-lovers. It’s the home of so many class acts, after all. You can learn more about them in the Museum of Liverpool. No prizes for guessing which is the most famous act:

As well as soaking up some art in Tate Liverpool, you could pop out of the city and enjoy a bracing coastal walk in New Brighton or West Kirby.

Of course, you could spend an entire weekend trying to spot all of the Superlambananas. Take a look at what we chose to do…

Is there anything else I should know?

Feeling inspired? Looking to book a ticket and have a weekend away by train? No problem. You can do it all with SmartSplit. We don’t charge any extra fees either, even if you just change your mind about your trip.

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What’s the best way to take a day trip to Liverpool?

By train, of course! Here are a couple of tips that you can use to make your day trip to Liverpool cheaper:

• If you’re travelling last-minute from Manchester, we’d recommend checking the slower Northern trains. They leave from Oxford Road and Victoria, and have cheap Advance tickets right up to the last minute. You could also consider buying a Duo ticket if there’s two of you (or four, or more!) taking a trip – we’ll offer it automatically if it’s the cheapest option
• Coming from London? You might find that it’s cheaper to catch a London Northwestern Railway service to Crewe first, and then change for a train onwards to Liverpool. It’s about an hour slower, so it might be more appropriate if you’re spending a couple of days away

We’ve written a dedicated guide to cheap train tickets to Liverpool where you can find out more, too.

What is there to do on a day trip to Liverpool?

One of the great things about exploring Liverpool is that you can do a lot of it on a budget, or completely free! There’s plenty to see and a selection of free museums to wander around.

Seeing the Sights

Why not start your day trip to Liverpool with seeing some of the essential sights? Let’s begin with what you can see on its iconic waterfront.

Royal Albert Dock

Having been known as just the Albert Dock until 2018, the Royal Albert Dock was granted a Royal Charter five years ago. It started out life in the 19th Century as a home to valuable goods making their way from all corners of the world.

Unfortunately, it just wasn’t big enough to keep up with demand, though it was still a useful place to store cargo. In the Second World War, it became a crucial part of the nation’s war effort. The Royal Albert Dock served as a base for the British Atlantic Fleet, though it took a beating in the Blitz.

In the Post-War era, the Royal Albert Dock suffered a decline and was eventually closed in 1972. Redevelopment began in the 1980s, and now the area is a diverse home to museums, bars and restaurants while still paying homage to the proud maritime past of the city.

Don’t forget to have a look around the Pier Head area. It contains many reminders of the past, including the Pilot Cutter Edmund Gardner and an old Great Western Railway warehouse. Did you know that the Great Western Railway never actually served the city? They ran to Birkenhead instead, on the other side of the Mersey. Once folk arrived at Birkenhead, they’d connect onto a ferry to bring them to Liverpool.

Royal Liver Building

The Royal Liver Building is one of the most famous structures in Liverpool. It was opened in 1911 and it’s one of the first examples of a building constructed with reinforced concrete, as well as being one of the tallest buildings in the country back when it was built. The two Liver birds on the building keep a watch over the city, too. Legend has it that if they were ever to disappear, then the city would cease to exist.

These days, the building is home to a variety of companies and organisations, such as ITV, HSBC and Everton Football Club. You can even tour one of the clock towers as part of your day trip to Liverpool, and you’ll find more information here.

Beatles Statue

The Beatles need no introduction, and Liverpool makes no secret of how they’re Liverpool icons. This statue has been a feature of the Waterfront since 2015, so it’s a fairly recent addition:

The Cavern Club donated the statue, and it was designed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of their final gig in the city.

Memorial to the Heroes of the Maritime Engine Room

Did you know that Titanic was registered in the Port of Liverpool? The city has made a special effort to keep the memory of this iconic vessel alive, and you’ll find reminders of it everywhere.

This particular memorial was originally designed to remember the 32 engineers who lost their lives in the disaster. However, due to the heavy loss of life in World War I, it was broadened to remember all the maritime engineers who had died in the line of duty.

The Cathedrals

Moving away from the Waterfront, we think it’s worth mentioning the two iconic (and very different) Cathedrals in Liverpool. You’ll find Liverpool Cathedral on St James’ Mount:

It’s the largest cathedral in Britain and the fifth-largest in the world. It’s undeniable that it’s a pretty formidable structure, too. Liverpool Cathedral was opened in 1978 after a construction effort that spanned two World Wars and the death of the original architect!

Just half a mile away, you’ll find the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral of Liverpool. It was the winner of a worldwide design competition, and is a great example of 1960s architecture. It’s also the largest Catholic cathedral in England:

Free Museums

Liverpool is full of free museums, and there’s something for everyone. Whether you want to learn about boats, birds or the proud social history of the city, you’ll be leaving with a wealth of information and anecdotes. Best of all, they won’t cost you a penny to visit.

Museum of Liverpool

Let’s start off with the Museum of Liverpool. It’s an essential part of a day trip to Liverpool, and a great place to start your visit. Within the museum, you’ll find out about its people and how they’ve shaped it into the place that it is today.

Are you a rail geek? Take a look at an old Liverpool Overhead Railway carriage and learn about this fascinating elevated train that used to run above the docks of the city. It was such an iconic railway that people would visit just to take a ride.

You can even try your hand at karaoke as you explore the diverse and iconic musical past and present of Liverpool.

Fancy a visit? It’s open from 10 til 5 Tuesday to Sunday.

Tate Liverpool

Does the name sound familiar? This is part of the group of art galleries (Tate Modern, Tate Britain and Tate St Ives) known as Tate. The Tate Liverpool is home to a wide collection of British Art from as far as back as 1500.

At the time of writing, you’ll find an exhibition about democracy and protest, as well as a collection of over 80 pieces from the Tate collection.

As well as the free exhibitions, you’ll usually find ones where you can pay an additional charge. At busier times, you might also prefer to book a free ticket on their website to avoid the need to queue to get in.

It’s open every day of the week between 10 and 5:30.

Liverpool World Museum

The Liverpool World Museum is one of the oldest museums in Liverpool. It’s been welcoming visitors since 1853! The name ‘world’ doesn’t even do its scope justice, as it’s home to a planetarium too, so you can learn about what lies beyond Earth.

It’s home to an aquarium too, so you can learn about ocean life and what’s being done to protect it for generations to come.

There’s something for everyone in the World Museum, no matter whether you want to be eye-to-eye with a scorpion, an Egyptian Mummy or a life-size dinosaur.

It’s open to visit Tuesday to Sunday between 10 and 5.

Maritime Museum & International Slavery Museum

Liverpool is a city that lives and breathes maritime life. Both the Maritime Museum and International Slavery Museum tell the story of the vessels and the people that spent their lives at sea.

In the Maritime Museum, you can learn more about the Titanic, the people that were on it and what it was like to be on board. The museum also tells the story of Liverpool’s role in the war effort and how Britain’s naval fleet kept the country safe. Don’t forget about another iconic ship, the RMS Lusitania, which was sunk by a German U-Boat in 1915. The loss of such a vessel provoked outrage and was a key factor in the USA joining the First World War in 1917.

Meanwhile, the International Slavery Museum gives a voice to those impacted by slavery and colonisation. Did you know that Liverpool ships carried over 1.5 million slaves?

It deals with how colonisation continues to impact countries across the world today, and it draws attention to the impact that modern slavery continues to have on society. In a nutshell, it’s a museum that campaigns and engages with human rights issues, past and present.

Taking a Stroll

Looking to stretch your legs on a day trip to Liverpool? We have a couple of suggestions if you fancy getting out of the City Centre.

Birkenhead Park

How about taking a wander around the world’s oldest public park? Birkenhead Park could be the place for you. It’s also known as the People’s Gardens and it’s been welcoming visitors for nearly two hundred years. The park is home to a plethora of wildlife, and it’s a beautiful oasis of calm away from bustling Liverpool.

You can sit back and enjoy the sunshine, explore one of the walking trails, or enjoy a bite to eat at the cafe in the on-site visitor centre.

A Merseyrail train takes around 10 minutes to get to Birkenhead Park from the centre of Liverpool. From there, it’s just a short walk to the park.

West Kirby & Hilbre Island

Feeling adventurous? You can always spend part of your day trip to Liverpool exploring an island. West Kirby itself is a wonderful destination in its own right, too. It’s home to a variety of independent cafes, shops and a beautiful marine lake:

If you want to go that extra mile (quite literally) though, then you can take a wander over to Hilbre Island. It’s about a two-mile stroll and you’ll need to check the tide times before you go. It’s worth the walk, as you could see seals, whales and even dolphins!

You can reach West Kirby by jumping on a Merseyrail train from Liverpool Central, Lime Street or James Street. It takes around half an hour to get there.

North Wirral Coastal Park

The North Wirral Coastal Park runs between Meols and Wallasey and is just over four miles long. It’s a great place for a walk, jog or cycle and is a fairly flat and easy-going path.

On the way, don’t forget to look out for Leasowe Lighthouse. It’s open on certain days of the year too, so you can take a look around.

You can find more information about the walk here. It’s possible to start the walk by taking a Merseyrail train to Meols or Wallasey Grove Road.

Other Highlights

Of course, there are a few other things that you could make a part of your day trip to Liverpool. We weren’t able to get around everything in a day ourselves!

The famous Cavern Club will be a must-visit for many. After all, it was the birthplace of The Beatles! Fancy getting more hands-on with music? You can learn about the legends of British music and let your creative juices flow at the British Music Experience.

Finally, how about a ferry across the Mersey? You can either take a tour on the river or just jump on board a commuter ferry straight to Birkenhead.

Don’t forget about the Superlambananas, either…

What about eating and drinking?

It would be impossible to list all of the places that you could eat and drink on a day trip to Liverpool. However, we did pop into a couple of venues that we really enjoyed, so they might give you a little bit of inspiration!

Bundobust

Bundobust is the home of easy-going Indian street food. It’s the perfect place to pop in for a bite to eat on your day trip to Liverpool.

You can choose from a selection of small plates, sharers and a wide selection of cocktails and craft beer. No matter your taste, you’ll find something that suits you.

Berry and Rye

How about a cocktail but in a slightly…mysterious setting? If you walked past, you wouldn’t even notice that Berry and Rye is right under your nose. But, if you turn right at the top of Bold Street, you’ll see a rather unassuming black door. Don’t be shy to give it a knock!

The menus are hidden in a book, which you can peruse through as you’re served a free welcome drink. It’s constantly changing, and it’s a case of whatever is seasonal.

If you come in from Sunday to Thursday before 9pm, some cocktails are 2 for £12 as well. Fancy a classic cocktail instead? No problem, the talented bartenders will be more than happy to do it.

Berry and Rye is a truly special experience, and it’s more than just a place to drink.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Here at SmartSplit, we know how difficult it can be to navigate the world of train tickets. Why not check out our pages on the best time to travel for cheap tickets and the best First Class train next?

Thinking of taking a trip soon? You can book it all with SmartSplit. We’ll be sure to show you the slower and cheaper options, so you can get the best value fare for your journey.

Changed your mind? Need to travel on a different day? No problem at all. You can change or refund your ticket (if it’s refundable) without any extra fees.

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What is Standard Premium?

If you’re not used to travelling on Avanti, you might be wondering what this third class of travel is all about. In a nutshell, it’s a First Class carriage with no at-seat service. You get the bigger seat, a quieter carriage and that’s it.

All of the photos you see today are of First Class, but the seats and environment themselves are exactly the same in Standard Premium. The only difference is a headrest that says ‘Standard Premium’ instead.

The upgrade cost starts at £10 and goes up to £30 depending on the length of the journey. You can pay the upgrade fee on the train, or you can also buy Advance tickets that skip this step and allow you to pay for everything at once.

What’s the difference between Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class?

In a nutshell, Standard Premium is the same environment, you get the bigger seat, a guaranteed table and better access to a power outlet.

First Class gives you at-seat service. During the week, that means a chef-prepared hot meal on some journeys, as well as other hot and cold options. You get lounge access, too.

The First Class lounges come with complimentary refreshments, such as snacks and hot drinks.

Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class pricing

This is the big stickler when it comes to comparing Standard Premium vs First Class, and had me questioning whether the extra upgrade to First was worth it anymore. Put simply, it can be a little bit extra to take Standard Premium compared to Standard, then a massive jump to upgrade to First Class. Let’s take a look at a couple of journeys a month in advance:

So here, we want to travel from Glasgow to London. It’s £55 for Standard Class, £74 for Standard Premium and £125 for First Class. Standard Premium, at minimum, seems like a bit of a no-brainer for a long trip. First Class is definitely a bit steeper.

Let’s try London to Manchester:

So, it’s £44 to travel in Standard Class, £69 in Standard Premium and £120 in First Class. Again, there’s a fair difference there. So, when it comes to Standard Premium vs First Class, there’s definitely a steep price difference. The question is: what do you get for your money if you pay the extra?

It’s worth mentioning that you can only get Standard Premium on Pendolino trains. The limited number of Super Voyager trains only have First Class and Standard Class. These trains usually run between North Wales, Chester and Crewe or London Euston, as well as on the Shrewsbury to London route. It’s easy to tell which is which – as you won’t get offered a Standard Premium ticket for a Super Voyager!

The First Class service

I set out on June 15th, 2023, to find this out. I’d booked a ticket on the 09:10 train from Carlisle to Crewe, which took roughly two hours. This seemed like a decent length of journey to allow me to judge what kind of service you’d get in First Class.

The train rolled in a couple of minutes late, and I was already keen to jump on. The weather was hotting up and I was looking forward to a blast of air conditioning!

Getting on board

I boarded the train in Coach J and found a table for two fairly easily. It seemed to be around a third full, and I found there to be very few people sat in Coach K, as well. I had a refurbished 11-car Pendolino train, which had been given new seating throughout First, Standard Premium and Standard Class:

The seats were comfortable (though the same as you’d get in Standard Premium) and had a reasonable recline. The tables had an ample choice of power sockets to choose from, too:

My only complaint about the table is the massive wedge where it curves up. This can make working at a laptop a bit tricky if you have a larger device as it takes up a fair bit of room. Thankfully my work laptop wasn’t too big, so I had no problems.

Okay, so we’ve covered the seat experience (which you’d get in either class), so let’s get onto the First Class exclusives.

Food and drinks service

The big differentiator for Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class is the on-board service. As you can imagine, I was thrilled when a friendly crew member came through straight away taking breakfast orders. We hadn’t even left the station yet! The selection on offer was great (menu here) and I went for the Great British Breakfast. You also had the choice of white or brown toast to go with it.

Five minutes after leaving Carlisle, a drinks trolley came around offering hot and cold drinks (alcohol is available later in the day, though not at 9am) and I had myself an orange juice. It came in a proper glass, too.

The brekkie verdict

It took around 25 to 30 minutes for my food to arrive. I didn’t see that as a bad thing, as it meant that it hadn’t just been chucked in the microwave. Equally, it does mean that you can’t jump on for a 15-minute journey and hope to fill your boots. The portion size of the food was pretty decent:

The dish came with two rashers of bacon, one sausage, scrambled egg, a giant mushroom, a slice of black pudding and two slices of toast with butter. You also had the option of a roasted tomato, but I skipped out on that as I’m not a fan. It wasn’t a gut-busting mega-brekkie that you’d get down at your local greasy spoon, but it didn’t seem too skimpy. You get a choice of sauces too, and my brown sauce came in a nice ceramic dipping pot.

The sausage was delicious, as well the bacon. They were both ‘meaty’ and were of an excellent quality. The black pudding was great too, and it’s not something I usually opt for. The mushroom was tasty but a nightmare to cut into, and it let out a fair amount of liquid on the plate. The least impressive item was the scrambled egg. The texture was off, though the flavour was fine.

You can’t go wrong with toast and butter. Even the butter was delicious and easy to spread. Overall, it was a solid 8/10. As of the 19th of June, a new menu is coming in which replaces the scrambled egg with a fresh fried egg, too. A massive improvement, I reckon.

Final thoughts

After leaving Preston, I had another orange juice. That was it for the service, though. It was friendly, professional and well-focused. Quality over quantity, shall we say. Everyone around me was pleased with the food on offer, too. I heard a couple of ‘delicious’ comments about the smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, so that seemed to be a hit. The only person not impressed was the overly-loud bloke in a suit who aggressively batted away any offers of food and drink. He could have saved his money and gone for Standard Premium!

Standard Premium looked to be fairly busy when I popped my head in. The advent of Standard Premium Advance tickets has definitely bumped up occupancy levels, as it used to be pretty normal to get a carriage to yourself when it was a case of being ‘in the know’ and upgrading on the day.

I stepped off at Crewe into glorious sunshine, and was pretty impressed by the service I’d received:

Of course, that isn’t all. First Class entitles you to visit lounges that are located at most major stations on the Avanti network. So, that was my next stop.

Lounge Access

The lounge at Crewe is up on the footbridge towards the exit, just above Platform 5. You press the intercom, show your ticket to the camera, and you’re in.

You’ll find lounges at Crewe, Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool Lime Street, Birmingham New Street, Birmingham International and London Euston. There is also one at Glasgow Central, but information on the Avanti website suggests that this one is closed at the time of writing.

As for Crewe’s lounge, it was pretty pleasant. It had a nice atmosphere and plenty of different kinds of seating areas to use:

As for food and drink, the drinks selection was everything you’d expect. You had teas, a coffee machine and a fridge with water, fizzy drinks and even kombucha.

The food offering was decent, too. I could see muesli bars, banana bread, porridge pots (and honey), muffins, fresh fruit and pouches of olives:

There is a dedicated menu for the lounges which you can view online. The lounge at London Euston has a different menu with more substantial items available, as well as a paid-for bar! I went for a piece of banana bread in the end, and it was delicious.

I was once again, impressed. There was a clear differentiation appearing in the Standard Premium vs First Class experience, rather than just ‘you get food’.

Taking a shorter trip: Standard Premium vs First Class

Finally, I wanted to see how Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class faired on a short journey. After all, it isn’t uncommon to completely miss out on any service if your journey is too short. That might be because the staff are packing away, or they just haven’t seen you.

So, I was going to go from Crewe up to Liverpool Lime Street, which was just short of 40 minutes. The bizarre thing about this journey is that a one-way Standard Class fare is £16.60 if you’re travelling before 9am on weekdays, but just 30p more at £16.90 if you travel in First! The Off-Peak fare is still £13.80, but the difference isn’t huge. If it’s a return trip though, it’s a much bigger difference, as the return fare is £33.90 in First Class. In fact, two First Class singles are 10p cheaper than the return.

The Standard Premium upgrade price is £10 on this journey. Put simply, that isn’t worth it on top of the Standard Class fare!

So, what did I get? First of all, this was a nine-car train that hadn’t been refurbished yet, so it was a little different inside:

The lamps on the tables were a bit irritating and each window seat had just one three-pin socket (that I couldn’t get to work).

As for the service, a friendly host (also called Richard) popped down straight away and asked if I wanted anything to drink. I took him up on the offer of a coffee, which was really well-presented:

The crew, to their credit, stayed present in the carriages right up until arriving into Liverpool. My overall impression of Avanti’s staff was that they were passionate about what they did – and I did drop their social media team a message of thanks.

Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class – weekdays vs weekends

This is where things get a bit more complicated. You see, on weekdays, here’s how the formation of the train works:

• Nine-car train: Coach H is Standard Premium, J and K are First
• 11-car unrefurbished train: Coaches G and H are Standard Premium, J and K are First
• 11-car refurbished train: Coach H is Standard Premium, J and K are First.

On the refurbished trains, Coach G is converted to Standard Class to add in some extra capacity, which is where that carriage ‘disappears’ to.

So, what happens on weekends? Only Coach K is First Class. Coach K is part-kitchen, so it has a very limited number of seats. Just 18, in fact. Coach J becomes Standard Premium, alongside Coach H (and G on unrefurbished trains!)

First Class becomes very busy and the menu is different, too. It isn’t as substantial, basically. Meanwhile, you’ve loads of room to try Standard Premium. My advice is that you should choose Standard Premium on a weekend if you want an upgrade. First Class just isn’t big enough.

Standard Premium vs First Class – Is First Class worth it?

This is the million-dollar question. When it comes to Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class, is First Class worth it at all? My answer is: it can be.

If you’re travelling between stations with lounges and need somewhere quiet to work before the train for example, it’s great. You have access to refreshments (or even a bar), and it’s a world away from a busy platform.

Travelling on a weekday? Great. You have a decent number of First Class seats on every train and a substantial menu of food and drink. You’ll get a chef-prepared hot meal if you want one. The staff on board the trains are truly excellent and I can’t fault them. Their service was passionate, but sincere, and it wasn’t over-the-top or tacky.

You even have the weird fare anomalies (like a one-way trip from Crewe to Liverpool in the morning peak) where the fare is essentially the same between Standard and First.

So, when isn’t it worth it? I’d say definitely don’t bother on a weekend. Just plonk yourself in Standard Premium. I’d also say it isn’t worth it if you won’t make full use of what’s available to you. If you’re not bothered about lounge access and food and drink, just stick to Standard Premium. If you want a proper ‘experience’, then by all means try out First if the price is right. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer.

Is there anything else I should know?

Looking to know more about First Class? Take a look at our dedicated page for First Class train travel. We’re here to help with upgrading on board, tips to help you get a cheaper fare and even how to travel in First Class for free. We’ve also compared Avanti West Coast and LNER.

So, are you ready to take a trip? SmartSplit doesn’t believe in adding any fees on. No booking fees, no admin fees and no fees for all of the useful information and insider tips that we have about travelling by train!

Changed your mind? No problem. If your ticket is refundable and you haven’t used it, you get the entire value of your ticket back. If it isn’t refundable, you can change it without any extra charges. Just buy another one, send us the details of both bookings and we’ll refund the cheaper ticket. No questions, no quibbles.

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