Liverpool FC fans hoping to travel to the FA Cup Semi Final over the Easter Weekend are being warned to avoid using alternative rail services as they are likely to be busy.
Liverpool are set to take on Manchester City at Wembley on Saturday, April 16 despite engineering works meaning no trains are running on the West Coast Mainline for the whole Easter weekend. The line is shut between Milton Keynes Central and London Euston while Network Rail carries out engineering works - meaning trains cannot run directly to the capital from Liverpool Lime Street or Manchester Piccadilly.
The FA is putting on free coaches for up to 5,000 Liverpool and City fans. However getting to London will undoubtedly be a challenge for supporters with tickets - with Chiltern Railways now saying it expects its services to be busy, reports Buckinghamshire Live.
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A spokesperson for the railway operator, which runs services through Buckinghamshire to London Marylebone, said: "Please don't use our services to travel to the FA Cup Semi-Finals April 16 & 17 2022. Due to major engineering works on the Euston - Birmingham New Street route, we anticipate our services will be extremely busy."
Network Rail has also urged Liverpool and Manchester City FA Cup semi-final fans to avoid rail travel to Wembley on Easter Saturday, and for West Coast main line passengers to travel "either side" of the Easter bank holiday instead (on Thursday, April 14 and Tuesday, April 19).
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has already hit out at the decision for the game to still be held at Wembley. He said previously: "It's one of the most ridiculous stories I ever heard. I heard that they know it since 18 months. I'm not sure what the FA thought. No club from the North West will be part of the semi-finals?
"I really can't believe that things like this can happen with all the information you have out there. I heard the FA – probably we'll do it as well – put on some coaches on the road, but what is it, usually four and a half hours to London, it will be then 12 probably because all the coaches are in the same direction. It makes absolutely no sense.
"I'm not sure when they had to decide when is the semi-finals. I think there would have been probably another weekend between the Champions League games. At least then all the fans could have gone to Wembley and now they can’t, or it’s more difficult.
"On the other hand, how I know our people, they will find a way. I'm just really not happy that somebody made it complicated for them. It should be easier to go and see your football team in a semi-final."
