Merseyrail announces extra services for fans travelling to Magic Weekend at Hill Dickinson Stadium

Merseyrail helping thousands of fans travel to Magic Weekend 2026 at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The event takes place on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 July. Passengers planning to travel by train are being advised to plan ahead as services are expected to be very busy.

The highly anticipated event follows the success of last autumn’s ABK Rugby League Ashes fixture, the first non-football event held at Everton’s new world-class venue, which proved an instant hit with supporters.

On Saturday 4 July, trains will run every 15 minutes before and after the event on the Southport, Ormskirk, Hunts Cross and Headbolt Lane lines.

Train times will change from the usual timetable during parts of the day. On the Southport line, changes will be in place between 10:45 and 16:30, and on the Headbolt Lane line between 10:51 and 19:36. At Cressington station, trains will run every 30 minutes from the start to the end of service.

On Sunday 5 July, Merseyrail will run a special timetable, with extra services in place to support travel to and from the stadium.

Customers can check times by using the Journey Planner on the Merseyrail website of App before they travel.

For those who prefer to walk, the Old Hall Street exit at Moorfields station will be open before and after the event, providing an approximate 25-minute walk to the stadium.

To help manage large crowds safely, a dedicated fan management zone will also be in place at Sandhills station.

Neil Grabham, Managing Director at Merseyrail, said: 

“We’re looking forward to welcoming thousands of fans onto our network for Magic Weekend and are working closely with partners to make sure everyone can travel safely and smoothly.

“We’ll be running extra services and putting in place measures to help manage busy stations, but we expect trains to be very busy at peak times. We’re asking customers to plan ahead, allow extra time for their journey, and check before they travel so they can enjoy the event from the moment they set off.”

Find out more on the Merseyrail website.

Find out more about the Magic Weekend 2026 on our website.

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