Anfield away guide

Anfield is a domestic away day, so there is no flight to plan. From most of the country you take the train to Liverpool Lime Street, then it is a 35 to 40 minute walk (about 2 miles) north to the ground, or the Merseyrail Northern Line to Sandhills and the matchday Soccerbus. Away fans sit in the lower tier of the Anfield Road stand at the north end, blocks 122/123, with a typical allocation of around 3,000 (Football Ground Guide).

Fast facts

Getting there from the UK

Anfield is a domestic away day, so there is no flight to weigh up. The real choice is train versus coach, and how far you are coming from. From Manchester the train is quick and cheap enough that the coach only wins on the very lowest fare. From London the Euston train is the sensible pick, with the coach a long way cheaper but a long day. All fares below are return estimates and all times run door to ground, including the onward walk or Soccerbus at the Liverpool end.

Getting there from the airport, city centre and Lime Street

From Lime Street the ground is roughly a 35 to 40 minute walk (about 2 miles) north through the city centre, signposted on matchdays. There is no rail station at the ground itself (Football Ground Guide).

The recommended public-transport route is the Merseyrail Northern Line to Sandhills, then the Soccerbus shuttle to the stadium. From the city centre you join the Northern Line at Liverpool Central or Moorfields and travel to Sandhills (Merseyrail).

Kirkdale is the closest station to Anfield at about 1 mile, Sandhills is the Soccerbus interchange, and Lime Street on the West Coast Main Line is about 2 miles away (Wikipedia). For a direct bus, Stagecoach service 917 runs from Liverpool city centre to Liverpool FC / Anfield Stadium on matchdays (Stagecoach).

If you are flying in, Liverpool John Lennon is about 9 miles south of the city. The 500 airport bus runs to the city centre and Lime Street, from where you pick up the walk, the Soccerbus or the 917 (VisitBritain).

Parking around Anfield is very limited and the area is largely residential with matchday restrictions, so the club recommends public transport or official park-and-walk (Football Ground Guide).

The Soccerbus and Merseyrail matchday travel

The Soccerbus runs direct from Sandhills station to Anfield on matchdays, operating for 3 hours before kick-off, with the last bus from Sandhills roughly 15 minutes before kick-off (Merseyrail). Return buses to Sandhills run for about 90 minutes after the final whistle, subject to availability (Merseyrail).

Discounted Soccerbus tickets are available at Merseyrail stations when bought with a train ticket (Merseyrail). The match ticket itself does not include free local travel, so budget for a Merseyrail fare plus the Soccerbus. The Northern Line is the relevant line for reaching Sandhills (Merseyrail).

Where away fans sit and the turnstiles

Away supporters are housed in the Anfield Road stand, mainly the lower tier, with a typical allocation of around 3,000 tickets (Football Ground Guide). Liverpool FC lists visiting-supporter seating around blocks 122/123, with 24 wheelchair bays in front of the visiting section and accessibility stewards in blue bibs (Liverpool FC).

The Anfield Road stand was rebuilt and expanded, reopening in February 2024 and fully completed in 2025. This improved views and concourse facilities for the away section, which was previously restricted by an overhanging second tier (Football Ground Guide).

Where to stay

Base yourself in the city centre rather than near the ground. Anfield itself is residential and leans heavily home, while the centre puts you close to the station, the bars, the waterfront and the walk to the ground. The Ropewalks, Liverpool ONE and the area around Lime Street all sit within easy reach of both Merseyrail and the matchday routes out to Sandhills (VisitBritain).

What you can and cannot bring in

Anfield operates an almost no-bag policy: only small handheld bags not exceeding A5 size are allowed. Backpacks, holdalls, luggage and cushions are not permitted. Transparent LFC Store bags with store purchases are allowed, and all bags are searched (Football Ground Guide).

Permitted items include a bag no bigger than A5, small umbrellas, retail purchases, and a clear 500ml plastic bottle with a sealed top containing clear liquid (Liverpool FC). All adults are searched by stewards on entry, and supporters are advised to remove phones, keys and loose items from pockets before reaching the turnstiles to keep queues moving (Football Ground Guide).

Where to drink

• The Arkles, 77 Anfield Road, L4 0TJ. The designated away pub, about a 6 minute walk from the ground, spacious and used to hosting travelling support (Football Ground Guide).
• The Flat Iron, 288 Walton Breck Road, L4 0TH. About 10 minutes from the ground, often mixed but generally relaxed for non-rivalry fixtures (Football Ground Guide).
• The Thomas Frost, 177 Walton Road, L4 4AJ. A large Wetherspoons about a 20 minute walk or short bus ride away, cheap and roomy, a popular meeting point (Football Ground Guide).
• Ropewalks and Bold Street, city centre. The safest away-friendly drinking, plenty of bars, then travel out to the ground closer to kick-off (Football Ground Guide).
• Around Lime Street and Liverpool ONE, city centre. Handy for the station and full of pubs that take all comers, though some ask visiting fans to cover colours (Football Ground Guide).

City-centre pints run roughly £4.50 to £6. Inside Anfield the beer is among the cheapest in the league at about £3.30 a pint (MerseyNewsLive).

To avoid: the streets immediately around the ground lean heavily toward home support, so do not wander the residential roads near Anfield in colours. Drink in the centre or stick to the named pubs and travel in a group (Football Ground Guide).

Where to eat

The local dish is scouse, a slow-cooked beef or lamb stew with potato, carrot and onion, served with crusty bread and pickled red cabbage or beetroot. The meat-free version is called blind scouse (VisitLiverpool).

• Homebaked, 197 Oakfield Road, near Anfield. A community bakery doing scouse pies for about £3.50, a proper budget pre-match feed a short walk from the ground (VisitLiverpool).
• Maggie May's, Bold Street, city centre. A no-frills cafe on the city's best food street serving traditional scouse and a scouse pie for around £3.50 (LiverpoolWorld).
• Ma Boyle's, near the waterfront. A long-standing spot doing a traditional scouse stew and a puff-pastry scouse pie with mash, cabbage and carrots (LiverpoolWorld).
• Doctor Duncan's, city centre. A handsome heritage pub dating to 1901 with a hearty bowl of scouse alongside the beer (LiverpoolWorld).
• Bold Street and the Baltic Triangle, city centre. Beyond scouse, this is where the independents cluster, from cheap eats to sit-down dinners (VisitBritain).

Inside the ground the concourses sell pies, burgers, hot dogs and snacks, with contactless widely accepted (Football Ground Guide).

What to do

If you are making a day or two of it, Liverpool has one of the strongest waterfronts in England and a Beatles industry to match.

• Royal Albert Dock. A restored Grade I dock full of bars, restaurants and museums, and the anchor for a day by the water (VisitBritain).
• The Beatles Story, Royal Albert Dock. The largest permanent Beatles exhibition, with recreated sets and original memorabilia (Beatles Story).
• The Cavern Club, Mathew Street. The cellar venue where the Beatles cut their teeth, still a working music bar (VisitBritain).
• Merseyside Maritime Museum and the International Slavery Museum, Albert Dock. Free entry and central to understanding the city's history (VisitBritain).
• Royal Liver Building and RLB360. One of the Three Graces on the waterfront, with a rooftop tour beneath the Liver Birds (VisitBritain).
• Tate Liverpool, Albert Dock. Modern and contemporary art on the dockside (VisitBritain).
• The Anfield stadium tour and museum. Worth it on a non-matchday if you want the ground without the crowd (Football Ground Guide).

Common questions

How do you get from the airport to Anfield?

Liverpool John Lennon is about 9 miles south of the city. Take the 500 airport bus to the city centre and Lime Street, then either walk the 35 to 40 minutes north to the ground, pick up the Merseyrail Northern Line to Sandhills for the Soccerbus, or use the matchday Stagecoach 917. There is no station at the ground itself (VisitBritain) (Merseyrail).

Which airport should I use for a Liverpool away game?

If you are UK-based you almost certainly will not fly. From Manchester and London the train to Lime Street beats flying door to door. If you are travelling from further afield, Liverpool John Lennon (LPL) is the nearest airport at about 9 miles, and Manchester (MAN) is the larger hub about 50 minutes away by train (VisitBritain).

Where do away fans sit at Anfield?

In the Anfield Road stand at the north end, mainly the lower tier, around blocks 122/123. The stand was rebuilt and reopened in 2024, so views and concourses are better than the old cramped section (Liverpool FC) (Football Ground Guide).

What is the away allocation at Anfield?

The typical away allocation is around 3,000 tickets in the lower Anfield Road stand. Cup ties can differ, so check with your own club for the exact number for your fixture (Football Ground Guide).

What time should I arrive?

Give yourself time for the walk or the Soccerbus and the bag search. The Soccerbus from Sandhills runs for 3 hours before kick-off, with the last bus about 15 minutes before kick-off, so aim to be at Sandhills at least an hour out. If you are drinking in the centre, head for the ground 90 minutes before kick-off (Merseyrail).

Can you drink in the ground?

Yes. Anfield concourses sell alcoholic and soft drinks along with pies, burgers and snacks, with contactless widely accepted. Alcohol is served on the concourse, not in view of the pitch, as at all English grounds (Football Ground Guide).

How much is a pint at Anfield?

Inside the ground beer is about £3.30 a pint, among the cheapest in the Premier League. In city-centre pubs expect roughly £4.50 to £6 (MerseyNewsLive).

Is Liverpool safe for away fans?

Yes, with normal matchday sense. The city centre is welcoming and used to visiting support. The residential streets right around the ground lean heavily home, so do not wander them in colours; drink in the centre or the named pubs and travel in a group (Football Ground Guide).

Where are the away-friendly areas?

The Ropewalks, Bold Street, Liverpool ONE and around Lime Street are the safe bets for a pre-match drink and food, all central and used to mixed crowds. Near the ground, The Arkles is the designated away pub, with The Flat Iron and the Thomas Frost Wetherspoons as backups (Football Ground Guide).

Does the match ticket include free local transport?

No. Unlike some clubs, your Anfield match ticket does not give free travel. Buy a Merseyrail ticket for the Northern Line to Sandhills, then a discounted Soccerbus ticket at the station, or use the Stagecoach 917 (Merseyrail) (Stagecoach).

How far is the ground from the city centre?

Anfield is about 2 miles north of the city centre, a 35 to 40 minute signposted walk on matchdays. By public transport it is the Northern Line to Sandhills and the Soccerbus, or the matchday 917 bus direct from the centre (Football Ground Guide) (Stagecoach).

Where should I stay?

Stay in the city centre rather than near the ground. The Ropewalks, Liverpool ONE and the area around Lime Street keep you close to the station, the bars and the walk to Anfield, and away from the residential streets that surround the stadium (VisitBritain).

Can you take a bag into Anfield?

Only a small handheld bag no bigger than A5. Backpacks, holdalls, luggage and cushions are not permitted, and all bags are searched. A clear 500ml sealed plastic bottle of clear liquid is allowed (Football Ground Guide) (Liverpool FC).