This time, you see me catch Stagecoach Lancashire & Merseyside's flagship bus route full whack from Preston to Liverpool, using the £2 single fare offered across buses in England for most of 2023. The X2 is an excellent interurban route, providing a vital express link between Preston and Southport to compensate for a lack of direct rail link on this section, as well as extending all the way down to Liverpool with limited stops into the city to provide a wide variety of connection opportunities. It is a rather lengthy route from end-to-end (2h25m) but the buses are appropriately specced with comfy seats and even tables. However, it is important to note that the USB charging sockets can be hit-or-miss as many don't work and some even closed up due to vandalism.
You can also ride the full route with the £8.50 Stagecoach Lancashire dayrider, allowing those in Liverpool and North Merseyside to connect at Preston to travel further afield to Lancaster & Morecambe on the 40/41, Clitheroe on the 280 (and Skipton if it still goes there) and Blackpool on the 61/68. It is also better if you wish to break your journey in Southport, which is highly recommended. Alternatively, the £12.50 Stagecoach North West (minus Manchester) Explorer Gold (day version) would allow you to travel even further north into the Lake District (and even to Dumfries and Newcastle if you make it to Carlisle with enough time to spare) or if you're going south from Cumbria or Lancashire, you can connect at Liverpool to go further afield into Chester. Please be aware that the buses to Chester go from a different bus station (Liverpool One) than the X2 (Queen's Square), so plan a nice leisurely stroll through the shopping centres and pedestrianised streets when you get to Liverpool.
A few years back, I've ridden this route before as far as Southport:
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Watch my other video on Liverpool here:
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0:00 Intro at Preston
1:21 Bus Journey on the X2
4:09 Exploring Liverpool
