Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool Central minimum connection time

[lyndhurst25]

This is a recognised walking interchange, isn't it? I'm struggling to find the minimum connection time for walking between the stations. Would a 2320 arrival in Lime Street allow a walk to Central to get the last train of the day to Southport at 2338?

 

[Bletchleyite]

From a practical point of view as long as the inbound train isn't more than a few minutes late you should make that easily enough, but for an official connection time (i.e. to have a taxi provided if it misses) that seems too short to me.

I don't think I've ever had a walk suggested from a planner, it always sends you via the Loop.

 

[nw-sparks]

If you know where you're going that's plenty of time. I can't say if there are any signposts.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I think 7 minutes is about the minimum time I've taken between trains at Lime St and Central.
You are at the mercy of pedestrian lights and general traffic levels to cross roads, and you have to navigate the barrier line at Central.
To be fair this is for the deep level Wirral Line platform, you might take a bit less for the low level Northern Line.

 

[tony_mac]

http://www.brtimes.com/#!board?stn=LIV&date=20191003
12 minutes for the link; presumably plus the minimum connection times at both stations - 10 minutes at each, so 32 minutes total.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think 7 minutes is about the minimum time I've taken between trains at Lime St and Central.
You are at the mercy of pedestrian lights and general traffic levels to cross roads, and you have to navigate the barrier line at Central.
To be fair this is for the deep level Wirral Line platform, you might take a bit less for the low level Northern Line.

Was this I guess when Lime St was closed for refurb? I can't see why anyone would otherwise walk from Lime St to Central for the Wirral Line.

 

[Vinnym]

I have done it in 10 mins platform to platform, probably quicker walking than using the loop.

 

[Merseysider]

Tight but doable in practice, but if you miss the connection for whatever reason they aren't going to put a taxi on for you.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Was this I guess when Lime St was closed for refurb? I can't see why anyone would otherwise walk from Lime St to Central for the Wirral Line.

Yes it was (for 4 months or so).
There have also been spells when a hike from James St to Lime St has been needed (loop repairs), but that is harder eastbound as it's uphill.
Too many distractions en route too.

That's in preference to hanging around for a bus.​

 

[JBuchananGB]

If you are coming on the 2320 arrival from Birmingham New Street, I suggest you get off at Liverpool South Parkway, due 2310, and pick up the Southport train there at 2324. That is a connection approved by journey planners, so if you missed the connection due to late arrival, the railway should help you complete your journey.

 

[lyndhurst25]

If you are coming on the 2320 arrival from Birmingham New Street, I suggest you get off at Liverpool South Parkway, due 2310, and pick up the Southport train there at 2324. That is a connection approved by journey planners, so if you missed the connection due to late arrival, the railway should help you complete your journey.

My actual journey, using split tickets is Northampton to Waterloo Merseyside. Splitting at Liverpool South Parkway is more convenient and, as you say, is a valid connection onto the last Southport train. The official 32 minutes connection time between Lime Street and Central seems ridiculously long. Splitting at Liverpool South Parkway would cost me 25p more though! I suppose that it's worth it.

 

[JBuchananGB]

Have you factored in to your calculation that any Anytime day single from South Parkway to WLO is £5.05, while an Off-peak day single from Halewood to WLO is £3.90 and is valid for that leg of the journey?

 

[lyndhurst25]

Thanks. I was thinking that I'd have to use either a £4 MerseyRail DaySaver to travel from Liverpool South Parkway to Waterloo, or a £3.75 SDS from Liverpool Central to Waterloo. Your suggestion saves another 10p over the DaySaver.

 

[trainophile]

Don't forget that the gates at the end of the Clayton Square 'cut through' are closed out of shopping hours, which adds a few minutes onto the walk between Lime Street and Central as you have to loop around either end of the precinct. (Or they were on a Sunday morning once, so I imagine that's the general situation.)

Personally I always use South Parkway for connecting, if only to avoid the scrum at Central during what is loosely described as peak time (i.e. anything after 14:00!).

 

[Bevan Price]

Don't forget that the gates at the end of the Clayton Square 'cut through' are closed out of shopping hours, which adds a few minutes onto the walk between Lime Street and Central as you have to loop around either end of the precinct. (Or they were on a Sunday morning once, so I imagine that's the general situation.)

Personally I always use South Parkway for connecting, if only to avoid the scrum at Central during what is loosely described as peak time (i.e. anything after 14:00!).

You don't need to use Clayton Square at all. Use the side exit at Lime Street, adjacent to the arrival platforms usually used by LM/LNW trains.
Down the short slope, turn right, down another short slope, then cross the road at the traffic lights, continue past the bus shelters, then turn left (into Great Charlotte St.); turn right at the end of that street (opposite McDonalds) and you will see the entrance to Central on the left after about 100 - 150 yards.

When I was younger & fitter, I used to be able to make connections in about 6-7 minutes - including booking another ticket at Central.
Your main problem is punctuality of your arriving service. Even if you are on time at South Parkway, trains can sometimes get stopped outside Lime St., waiting for a platform to become vacant.

 

[Skie]

In addition to those directions, you can turn left from Ranelagh Street onto Fairclough Street and use the stations often forgotten about side entrance to cut out the need to walk through the shopping centre. If you're in a rush this is much faster as you don't have to dodge meandering people.

 

[Haywain]

If you're in a rush this is much faster as you don't have to dodge meandering people.

Is that really going to be a problem at 23.30?

 

[trainophile]

Is that really going to be a problem at 23.30?

I think that was a general observation! Grateful for the info about alternative routes, I was a bit thrown on finding Clayton Square shut.

 

[Skie]

It was a general observation, but even that time of night the amount of people meandering can be rather high. Though it's an alcohol induce meander, normally

 

[Gathursty]

Unless you have mobility or other related issues, 18 minutes to walk from Lime Street to Central is twice as long as you need. However the interchange at Liverpool South Parkway is better and I find the station to be nicer to idle in.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Don't forget that the gates at the end of the Clayton Square 'cut through' are closed out of shopping hours, which adds a few minutes onto the walk between Lime Street and Central as you have to loop around either end of the precinct. (Or they were on a Sunday morning once, so I imagine that's the general situation.)

What cut-through? The quickest way is down the road past the bus stops and 'Spoons.

 

[trainophile]

What cut-through? The quickest way is down the road past the bus stops and 'Spoons.

I always go down the walkway beside St John's (?) where Sainsburys etc. is, across the pedestrian precinct to where the Clas Ohlson store is/was (closing down I believe), through the covered arcade past Boots and the mobile phone accessories stalls etc., and over the road at the traffic lights, straight into the precinct for Central. Takes five minutes if I don't get stuck behind someone dawdling along with a wide load!

 

[yorkie]

My actual journey, using split tickets is Northampton to Waterloo Merseyside. Splitting at Liverpool South Parkway is more convenient and, as you say, is a valid connection onto the last Southport train.

Do you mean "changing" instead of "splitting"?

The official 32 minutes connection time between Lime Street and Central seems ridiculously long. Splitting at Liverpool South Parkway would cost me 25p more though! I suppose that it's worth it.

What tickets are you combining? It wouldn't normally make a difference where you split, unless you are saying that the ticket into Liverpool is restricted to trains operated by WMT and therefore not valid on Merseyrail?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I always go down the walkway beside St John's (?) where Sainsburys etc. is, across the pedestrian precinct to where the Clas Ohlson store is/was (closing down I believe), through the covered arcade past Boots and the mobile phone accessories stalls etc., and over the road at the traffic lights, straight into the precinct for Central. Takes five minutes if I don't get stuck behind someone dawdling along with a wide load!

Just looked at a map and to my surprise that way is a few tens of metres shorter - but I suspect Great Charlotte St (past the bus stops and the front of 'Spoons) is probably quicker because of the lack of shopping-centre dawdlers, particularly if the side entrance to Central is open. That's the way I've always gone, and I've probably done it a few hundred times at least in my youth.

 

[lyndhurst25]

Do you mean "changing" instead of "splitting"?
What tickets are you combining? It wouldn't normally make a difference where you split, unless you are saying that the ticket into Liverpool is restricted to trains operated by WMT and therefore not valid on Merseyrail?

Splitting. Northampton to Liverpool Super Off-Peak return "WMR & NLR only", plus Anytime Day singles Liverpool to/from Waterloo Merseyside. It's a pity that there aren't "WMR&NLR+connections" tickets from Merseyside suburban stations.

 

[JBuchananGB]

Always worth remembering that whereas an Anytime Day Single from Liverpool Central to WLO is £3.75, an Anytime Day single from Edge Hill to WLO is £3.60 and is valid for the journey. Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves as my granny used to say. Not so long ago I was able to book an Advance VTWC & Connections from Birkdale to a suburban station of the Birmingham cross City line, for which journey I used the services of 3 different TOCs (under 4 different brands)

 

[JBuchananGB]

VTWC & Connections Advance fare of £25 is available from Northampton to WLO via Rugby & Nuneaton with much quicker journey time, although more changes departing Northampton at 20.13, as compared to using LNWR via Birmingham. With 30 minutes to change from Lime Street to Central arrival in WLO is 23.10, but with a brisk walk maybe the previous Merseyrail train could be achieved, arriving 22.55.