Mersey Tunnels Tour
Mersey Tunnels Tour
5
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Full view
About
Liverpool, Merseyside, England
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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Mersey Tunnels Tour
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5.0
1,882 reviews
Excellent
1,823
Very good
52
Average
5
Poor
0
Terrible
2
Brendan Barnes
2 contributions
Jan 2020 • Solo
This is a behind the scenes tour of the Queensway Tunnel.
I stumbled upon this whilst searching for the Williamson Tunnel tour (it's not as well publicised as it could be)
If you've driven though the Mersey Tunnels, want to go behind the scenes in your city or even if (like me) you are a first time visitor to Liverpool with a slightly geeky interest in how things work, this might be the best 2 hours / best £8 spent in the city.
You get to see giant ventilation fans in action, see above and below the road deck and an awesome old control room with lots of ancient dials. It's rather like wandering around an old James Bond film set (and the tunnel is used as a film set- you'll hear about this as well).
You'll come away impressed by the scale of she tunnel infrastructure and the ingenuity of both the original tunnel design and later enhancements. Just think, one of the most impressive buildings on the waterfront (sometimes referred to as the Fourth Grace) is basically a giant chimney. Awesome.
Tours run on Saturday mornings as well as some weekday evenings at 5pm (so a useful fill for the gap between museums closing and the night out).
Guides were knowledgeable and humorous.
I stumbled upon this whilst searching for the Williamson Tunnel tour (it's not as well publicised as it could be)
If you've driven though the Mersey Tunnels, want to go behind the scenes in your city or even if (like me) you are a first time visitor to Liverpool with a slightly geeky interest in how things work, this might be the best 2 hours / best £8 spent in the city.
You get to see giant ventilation fans in action, see above and below the road deck and an awesome old control room with lots of ancient dials. It's rather like wandering around an old James Bond film set (and the tunnel is used as a film set- you'll hear about this as well).
You'll come away impressed by the scale of she tunnel infrastructure and the ingenuity of both the original tunnel design and later enhancements. Just think, one of the most impressive buildings on the waterfront (sometimes referred to as the Fourth Grace) is basically a giant chimney. Awesome.
Tours run on Saturday mornings as well as some weekday evenings at 5pm (so a useful fill for the gap between museums closing and the night out).
Guides were knowledgeable and humorous.
Written 9 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for taking the time to leave us a great review Brendan, we're really pleased to hear that you enjoyed the tour! We will pass on your kind comments to our tour guides!
Written 13 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Karen M
Upton, UK14 contributions
Feb 2020
This was an extremely fun tour with loads of great information....a must do!
Billy and Jenny made us laugh throughout the tour with Billy being full of humour and Jenny supporting his act. This really was a fascinating insight into the building, history and workings of the tunnel. Both Billy and Jenny were full of enthusiasm and amazing information and very knowledgeable and approachable.
There are lots of stairs so be prepared! Make sure you take the lift when you can if not reasonably fit. There are parts where there is no option but stairs.
Billy and Jenny made us laugh throughout the tour with Billy being full of humour and Jenny supporting his act. This really was a fascinating insight into the building, history and workings of the tunnel. Both Billy and Jenny were full of enthusiasm and amazing information and very knowledgeable and approachable.
There are lots of stairs so be prepared! Make sure you take the lift when you can if not reasonably fit. There are parts where there is no option but stairs.
Written 1 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, thank you for your review. We are glad you enjoyed the visit and will pass your kind words onto Billy and Jenny. We hope to see you again soon.
Written 2 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Krad Bav
6 contributions
Jul 2022 • Business
An incredibly educational, fun and very warm experience. Billy and Alice were great hosts and really made the experience memorable.
Myself and 10 others from our workplace attended the tour, not expecting much other than big steel things and tunnels. Myself not really knowing much about engineering, even I was unsure what to expect. But we were pleasantly surprised to find the tour incredibly collaborative, informative, welcoming and there were some lovely touches of good old scouse-humour involved too.
Left feeling even more proud of this city and it’s place in the world. And to think that we got a 90 minute experience that was genuinely very interesting and engaging for only £8 was just fantastic. The value for money is astonishing.
If you’re in the city and want to see some truly impressive machinery, huge whirring fans, want to see how exactly they keep the tunnel and it’s infrastructure ticking, or even if you’ve just wondered what it’s like to discover what’s beneath the tunnel: just do it and get on the tour. I guarantee you will not be disappointed, and definitely not bored either.
Myself and 10 others from our workplace attended the tour, not expecting much other than big steel things and tunnels. Myself not really knowing much about engineering, even I was unsure what to expect. But we were pleasantly surprised to find the tour incredibly collaborative, informative, welcoming and there were some lovely touches of good old scouse-humour involved too.
Left feeling even more proud of this city and it’s place in the world. And to think that we got a 90 minute experience that was genuinely very interesting and engaging for only £8 was just fantastic. The value for money is astonishing.
If you’re in the city and want to see some truly impressive machinery, huge whirring fans, want to see how exactly they keep the tunnel and it’s infrastructure ticking, or even if you’ve just wondered what it’s like to discover what’s beneath the tunnel: just do it and get on the tour. I guarantee you will not be disappointed, and definitely not bored either.
Written 26 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for giving us such a warm and wonderful review, it is always lovely to hear how much people enjoy the tour. We will pass your kind words onto Billy and Al. Thank you all for coming and for recommending us to others.
Written 27 July 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
vikkip
38 contributions
May 2022
My husband and I booked to go on the Mersey Tunnels Tour as although we have been to Liverpool quite a few times it was one we hadn't done before. I was a little apprehensive after reading that there were 600 steps up and down to climb but I needn't have worried as they were not all climbed at once and the guides made sure everyone could keep up and there were stops as they explained the story of the tunnels. There is a lift that covers certain bits but you do have to make sure you don't have mobility issues before starting the tour. You start in the reception area where there are boards and photos telling the history of the tunnels and then you are taken to see the old control room, the enormous fans that circulated the air, the newer (although still old) fans and a walk inside the tunnel walls as well as going to one of the rescue areas to watch the vehicles travelling through the tunnels. We thought it was exceptionally good value as the tour lasted 2 hours and I have to make special mention of Ryan and Billy who were our tour guides and were very informative and also so very funny, making little jokes all the time and really involving the young boys who were on the tour to make it really special for them. Well done boys and keep up the good work.
Written 13 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to leave us such a great review, we are so pleased that you found it interesting and enjoyed your tour with Ryan and Billy. We will pass on your compliments to them.
Written 18 May 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mike F
Liverpool, UK3 contributions
Apr 2023 • Couples
We don’t normally write reviews, but felt that this time we should definitely do so. My wife bought me a voucher for my birthday and we both looked forward to the trip. We enjoyed the tour very much, it was informative, fascinating and of course, thanks to our guides, Ryan and Phil, very amusing. They are very knowledgeable about the history of the tunnel, the city in general, and they deliver this information very well indeed. You do need to be reasonably able as there are a lot of steps, but then of course the Mersey Tunnel is a long way down! it was not only amazing to stand in the tunnel, watching the traffic, in a place we have driven through for many many years, but also to go underneath it, see what’s there now and also learn of what might have been. The feat of engineering is remarkable. We would recommend this tour to anybody, and at £10, an absolute steal as value for money goes. Well done and a great birthday present!!
Written 19 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for such a wonderful review Mike, we are so glad you enjoyed your birthday treat and found the tour so fascinating. Thank you for coming and we will pass your kind words onto Ryan and Phil.
Written 20 April 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Nick T
Liverpool, UK41 contributions
Nov 2021
A very entertaining and informative tour, encompassing the control room and ventilation tower of the Queensway Tunnel before a trip down to the tunnel itself, and a walk underneath the tunnel carriageway. Our guides, Phil and Ryan, were both knowledgeable and engaging, and had no problems answering any of the questions they received. Amazing value for money as well. I would definitely recommend this trip, whether you are a visitor to Merseyside or a frequent user of the tunnel. The ventilation fan starting up was a great dramatic moment, reminiscent of Flash Gordon films.
Written 19 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for this lovely review Nick, we are so pleased you enjoyed seeing all the engineering - it is on a grand scale! It is nice to hear you enjoyed hearing the information from the guides and we will pass your compliments on to them. Thank you for recommending us :)
Written 19 November 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Riz
Halewood, UK20 contributions
Jul 2022 • Friends
What a great way to spend a few hours - I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in history of Liverpool & construction of the tunnels . Alison and John our guides made this tour interesting and fun . Seeing the traffic passing and then going below to the eerily quiet unused tram tunnel was brilliant . I loved the guide books I bought - thank you Alison for using lockdown to create a booklet that has given me a greater insight into the things I would have otherwise passed by. If you are reading this my advice is just book it and go :-) Tip : wear comfy shoes for all the steps and take wet wipes if you want to hold the hand rails as they turn your hands black …. !
Written 21 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for giving us such a great review - we do really appreciate it. We are pleased to hear how much you enjoyed the tour with Alison and John and Alison will be happy to hear that you have learned so much from her lockdown projects! We will pass your compliments on to them.
Thank you for coming.
Written 22 July 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jane Corner
Liverpool, UK20 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
This is an informative and entertaining tour and well worth doing.
We had booked an evening tour (5pm). Our guides were Billy and Ryan and they were great. We were a small group; half local, half visitors and everyone was included in the banter! There was also a lot of information given along the way. The one disappointment was that we couldn’t access the refuge areas under the roadway on our tour due to routine maintenance work currently going on.
Some practical things you might find useful:
There are a lot of flights of stairs but a lift is available for some (but not all) areas. There were three flights of about 8 stairs each on the return leg (going up) which were unavoidable.
It is cold underground, especially when the fans are moving large volumes of air around so keep your coat on under your hi viz.
I am usually quite claustrophobic but the underground spaces are quite large with significant air flow and I felt fine for the whole tour.
Ladies, you can have your handbags locked away for the duration of the tour if you want.
Definitely worth it.
We had booked an evening tour (5pm). Our guides were Billy and Ryan and they were great. We were a small group; half local, half visitors and everyone was included in the banter! There was also a lot of information given along the way. The one disappointment was that we couldn’t access the refuge areas under the roadway on our tour due to routine maintenance work currently going on.
Some practical things you might find useful:
There are a lot of flights of stairs but a lift is available for some (but not all) areas. There were three flights of about 8 stairs each on the return leg (going up) which were unavoidable.
It is cold underground, especially when the fans are moving large volumes of air around so keep your coat on under your hi viz.
I am usually quite claustrophobic but the underground spaces are quite large with significant air flow and I felt fine for the whole tour.
Ladies, you can have your handbags locked away for the duration of the tour if you want.
Definitely worth it.
Written 4 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for the great review Jane and for all the useful advice! We are really glad you enjoyed your tour and will pass on your kind comments to Billy and Ryan. As the tour takes place in an operational building the tour route occasionally changes depending on what work is going on - this is for the safety of our guests. Thanks for your recommendation - we hope you will come back again.
Written 5 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
DanSanderson
Lytham, uk17 contributions
Nov 2022 • Couples
We were greeted by Alison and Ryan who were bursting with info and very funny! A great tour lasting 2 hours around parts of the main building, and then going underground to see the ventilation systems and the tunnel itself. In theory and anywhere else, this would not be that interesting. That is not the case with the Queensway Tunnel Tour. The buildings design and the way the tour is delivered makes this a truely enjoyable experience with a lot of knowledge of facts and figures being provided by your tour guides. At no part was I bored and found out a lot more than I thought I would.
One word of caution, this is a tour that features a lot of stairs, and while a few areas do have lifts, I would not reccomend this if you are disabled, especially if you need a wheelchair or struggle on your feet for a period of time. That said, I'm sure if you contact them, there maybe other options available?!
All in all an amazing morning and for £8 per person for a 2 hour tour, and very cheap prices in the small gift shop.....you have nothing to loose, get booked and visit this amazing feat of construction.
Thanks again to Alison and Ryan, you made the visit even more enjoyable!
One word of caution, this is a tour that features a lot of stairs, and while a few areas do have lifts, I would not reccomend this if you are disabled, especially if you need a wheelchair or struggle on your feet for a period of time. That said, I'm sure if you contact them, there maybe other options available?!
All in all an amazing morning and for £8 per person for a 2 hour tour, and very cheap prices in the small gift shop.....you have nothing to loose, get booked and visit this amazing feat of construction.
Thanks again to Alison and Ryan, you made the visit even more enjoyable!
Written 5 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for this brilliant review Dan - we are so glad to hear we exceeded expectations. The guides try very hard to make sure everyone enjoys the tour. We will pass on your lovely compliments to Alison and Ryan - they will really appreciate them.
Written 8 November 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
mike c
Liverpool, UK3 contributions
Sept 2021
Really great tour, full history of the tunnels and the inner workings were excellent, Allison and Ryan were a great double act making the 2 hours fun and informative involving all the group. There are lots of stairs to climb but that's the tunnels for you! Best £8.00 you can spend for a two hour experience not only of the tunnel workings but the history of Liverpool docks.
I would highly recommend this tour and the guides for such a worthwhile interactive experience.
I would highly recommend this tour and the guides for such a worthwhile interactive experience.
Written 3 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for this great 5 star review Mike. We are so pleased you enjoyed your tour and that you found it so informative. We try to inject an element of humour to take your mind off the stairs! Thank you for recommending us , we really do appreciate it. We will pass on your kind comments to Alison and Ryan.
Written 6 September 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Will you be open in Aug 2020 ? ...Any Covid 19 restrictions ?
Written 20 July 2020
Hi sorry this page isn't monitored 24/7. Unfortunately with the current restrictions we are unable to open the Tunnel Tours and all bookings are currently suspended for now. Gift vouchers will remain valid for 2021. We hope to reopen later in the Autumn if restrictions ease further. Thanks ^NB
Written 4 August 2020
Could i take my 8 year old grandson on this? He asked if he's old enough every time we drive through....
Written 5 November 2019
Yes I would say that your grandson would enjoy it, there are quite a few steps but he should manage it.
Written 6 November 2019
Is it 2 hours of constant walking? Or is it a mix of walking, talking and standing?
Written 29 August 2018
A good mix of walking talking & laughter. Enjoy
Written 30 August 2018
the whole tunnel diameter is 44 foot.
Written 18 April 2019
Simply telephone 0151 330 4504 or email tours@merseytravel.gov.uk
However it is advised that you book in advance, as numbers are limited for each tour.
Written 19 June 2018
Hi
I am looking for activities for a family group of 13, aged between 6 and 70. It’s for my mums surprise birthday. We are staying in Liverpool 1st-4th January. Is your tour operating at this time of year?
Many thanks
Helen
Ps
The 70 year olds are very active and the children used to walking!
Written 5 June 2018
Thank you for your question Helen - the tour should be operating on Thursday 3rd January 2019 at 5pm if there is the demand. We would love to welcome your group on the tour but as the previous person has replied - we can't take under 10's round for Health & Safety reasons. Please call 0151 3304504 or email tours@merseytravel.gov.uk and we can get you booked on.
Written 7 June 2018
Hello my son is 6 years old. Would he be too young for this tour. He keeps asking about it cos he frequently travels through it. Thanks
Written 24 February 2018
Possibly - there’s a lot of walking involved, down steps, through uneven surfaces etc. If he’s interested in the tunnel he’ll probably get quite a kick out of it.
Written 5 June 2018
Hi,
Is this tour suitable for pregnant women? I'm currently 32 weeks pregnant.
Thanks
Written 6 February 2017
Sadly probably not as there are several hundred steps altogether, some uneven floors and confined spaces.
Written 7 February 2017
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