Runcorn railway station

History

The station is located a short distance south of the Runcorn Railway Bridge over the River Mersey on a section of line opened by the London and North Western Railway to create a more direct route between Liverpool and Crewe. The station opened on 1 April 1869.

Facilities

The station has a shop and snack bar in the ticket hall. Lifts are available (integrated into the footbridge) to allow passengers to cross between the platforms. A car park (charges apply) and taxi rank are also available, and bus stops for services to other parts of Runcorn and also to Widnes.

For customers travelling with first class tickets and passes, a designated first class lounge is provided. along with standard waiting shelters. There are customer help points, digital information screens and automated train announcements available to give train running information.

The station normally has a staffed ticket office (open daily from start of service until 19:30). In addition, self-service ticket vending machines are available, allowing passengers to purchase tickets or collect pre-booked tickets (e.g through a train operator's website or telesales centre).

Regular

There is an hourly service between Liverpool Lime Street and London Euston operated by Virgin Trains, and two services per hour between Liverpool, Crewe and Birmingham New Street operated by London Midland. Services are less frequent in the evenings and on Sundays.

Irregular

Runcorn is the northern terminus for the so-called parliamentary train service non-stop from Chester. This train, operated by Northern, runs once a week on summer Saturdays only to satisfy the minimum requirement to operate a passenger service over the Halton Curve. There is no return journey to Chester because of the removal of the southbound line and associated pointwork at each end that allowed trains to proceed toward Frodsham, so this train runs as empty-stock to Liverpool Lime Street ready for normal service. On several occasions since 2010, this service has been extended, as a passenger service, to Liverpool South Parkway, calling additionally at Helsby, Frodsham and Runcorn, or calling at Runcorn only.

Once the Halton Curve is refurbished & upgraded (due for completion by May 2018), regular timetabled services over the line towards Chester will be introduced. These will give easy access to destinations on the North Wales Coast Line and towards Wrexham General and beyond without needing to travel via (and change at) Crewe.