Merseyrail to offer £2 tickets during culture events
BBCRail operator Merseyrail is offering reduced ticket prices as cheap as £2 for passengers travelling to Southport for the town's cultural events this year.
The town is hosting a series of festivals to boost its visitor numbers - including an event called Cristal Palace, which will see ballroom dancers take over Lord Street under a giant chandelier over the Easter weekend.
Adults travelling to and from Southport from any Merseyrail station will pay £2 for a return rail ticket, with children paying £1.
The promotion will be in place during several events, including the Big Top Festival in May, the Food and Drink Festival and Fireworks championships.
The scheme is being subsidised by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority from funds recovered from train manufacturer Stadler.
Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram said: "We're cutting the cost of train fares for these big events to try and make it cheaper and easier than ever to hop on the train and enjoy everything has to offer."
He encouraged people to "bring the family, support local businesses, and come and be part of what's set to be a fantastic year for Southport".
Gareth Jones PhotographySefton Council Leader Marion Atkinson also welcomed the initiative.
"With something on nearly every month as part of our Elegantly Eccentric cultural programme, there is really something for everyone to enjoy," she said.
The fares will be in place for the following events:
- Cristal Palace 3-4 April
- Big Top Festival 2-3 May
- Southport Food & Drink Festival 29-31 May
- Southport Flower Show 20 - 23 August
- Southport Airshow 29-30 August 2026
- British Musical Fireworks Championship 26-27 September
- Books Alive 24-31 October
Visit SouthportSefton Council has worked with several organisations to boost Southport's cultural offerings in 2026.
The year began with Lightport – a series of light installations along Lord Street and in the town hall gardens, which drew huge crowds.
The gardens will undergo a huge regeneration project later this year, creating a family-friendly, child-orientated, and safe open-air performance and gathering space, inspired by the victims of the 2024 dance class stabbing in the town, Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice Da Silva Aguiar, and Bebe King.
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