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City guide

Birkenhead, UK

Birkenhead is an industrial port town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England. The town is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite Liverpool.

Type CityPopulation 109,835

Why go

  • Town in Wirral, Merseyside, England.
  • Served by Bryngwyn Bach Airfield.

History

Birkenhead is an industrial port town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England. The town is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite Liverpool. It lies within the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, and became part of Merseyside in 1974. At the 2021 census, the built up area as defined by the Office for National Statistics had a population of 109,835.

Restaurants & places to go

Latin American, Cafe · Ruppys is Birkenhead's go-to spot for Coffee and Smoothies and Latin-American food crafted with passion, such as Arepas, Pandebonos and… · ruppys.com
Indoor
International, Eclectic, Food Court · Street food market with multiple independent shops selling unusual cooked food, and a bar. Opening hours: Th… · balticmarket.co.uk
Indoor
Regional, International, Restaurant · One of Liverpool’s best kept secrets. Visit us and leave blown away by the breath-taking food created by our budding… · l20restaurant.co.uk
Indoor
Coffee Shop, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 08:30-18:00; Su 10:00-16:00 Features: takeaway · 81 Strand Road, Liverpool, L20 4BB · storelocator.asda.com
Indoor
British, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 09:00-23:00 · 27a Mann Island, Liverpool, L3 1BP · thelounges.co.uk
Indoor
Coffee Shop, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 07:00-21:00 Features: takeaway · 60 Bold St, Liverpool, L1 4EA · joejuice.com
Indoor
Burger, Fast Food · Opening hours: 24/7 Features: outdoor seating, takeaway, step-free access · Welton Road, Wirral, CH62 3PN · mcdonalds.com
Indoor
Steak, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 12:00-23:00 · Atlantic Pavilion, Liverpool, L3 4AF · millerandcarter.co.uk
Indoor

292 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →

Airports

Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL) 8 mi to the centre
Liverpool, ENG, GB — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 4 airlines (Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air, Flybe) · direct flights to 48 destinations incl. Alicante, Arrecife, Barcelona, Faro, Fuerteventura… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Serves Manchester (27 mi) — the low-cost way in
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 4 airlines, 48 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
Hawarden Airport (CEG) 15 mi to the centre
Broughton, WLS, GB — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day. ✈ 1 airline (Germania) · direct flights to 2 destinations incl. Bristol, Toulouse (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 1 airline, 2 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor | Outdoor
Rhedyn Coch Farm Airstrip 16 mi to the centre
WLS, GB
Outdoor
Bryngwyn Bach Airfield 16 mi to the centre
St Asaph, Denbighshire, WLS, GB
Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Woodside (Mersey Ferry)
Ferry terminal · 0.8 mi from the centre
Outdoor
12 Quays Terminal
Ferry terminal · 1.1 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Liverpool Gerry Marsden Ferry Terminal
Ferry terminal · 1.6 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Seacombe Ferry Terminal
Ferry terminal · 1.6 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Mersey Ferries
Ferry terminal · 1.6 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Liverpool Cruise Terminal
Ferry terminal · 1.7 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Mersey Ferry
Ferry route
Outdoor
Isle of Man - Liverpool
Ferry route · Isle of Man Steam Packet Company
Outdoor
Dublin - Liverpool
Ferry route · Seatruck Ferries Limited
Outdoor
Belfast - Liverpool (Birkenhead)
Ferry route · Stena Line Ltd
Outdoor
Belfast - Liverpool (Stena Line)
Ferry route · Stena Line Ltd
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Bryngwyn Bach Airfield; 2 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By water: 6 ferry terminals within 12 mi (nearest: Woodside (Mersey Ferry), 0.8 mi); routes include Mersey Ferry, Isle of Man - Liverpool, Dublin - Liverpool.

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Birkenhead, UK. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Trains & rail

National rail

Coaches & shuttles

Intercity coach
Intercity coach

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
Broker, marketplace · Operator network worldwide · Online charter marketplace, part of Directional Aviation; instant quotes.
Marketplace · Operator network · Transparent on-demand jet charter marketplace showing the operator and tail.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.