Here is the one piece of transport advice worth knowing: take the train. Hillside station on the Merseyrail Southport Line sits 300 metres from the main public entrance to Royal Birkdale — a 4-minute walk, confirmed on The R&A's official transport page. There is no parking at the venue. There are no roads that get you closer. The train is faster, cheaper, and less stressful than any alternative.
During the four Championship days (16–19 July 2026), Merseyrail will run at 10-minute frequency on the Southport Line. Liverpool Central to Hillside takes approximately 38 minutes. Pay by contactless card on the platform — no advance ticket needed. A Merseyrail Day Saver costs £6.40 and gives unlimited off-peak travel all day. On Open weekend days (18–19 July) it's valid from first service; on weekdays, it kicks in after 09:29.
From London, take Avanti West Coast to Liverpool Lime Street, then walk five minutes to Liverpool Central. Book early — reduced Avanti services run on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 July on the London Euston–Liverpool route. From Manchester, Northern Rail connects via Wigan Wallgate, or direct services reach Southport (one stop beyond Hillside). From Liverpool John Lennon Airport (28 miles), a bus links the terminal to Liverpool South Parkway for the Merseyrail connection — total journey approximately 90 minutes.
If you're driving, all parking is at Park & Ride sites with shuttle buses to the course. Championship day parking costs £25 on the day, £18 booked in advance; book at theopen.com/ticketbuilder/buy-parking-2026. Shuttles run free from 5:45am to 10pm. P&R site locations will be confirmed by The R&A at theopen.com/getting-there closer to the event. Turn satnav off and follow event signage — the R&A explicitly advises this, as map-logical routes run through closed residential streets.
Taxis are available but must be booked ahead. A local Southport taxi from the town centre to the venue costs £8–12. From Liverpool city centre expect £40 or more on Open days, with surge pricing on top. Uber operates in both Liverpool and Southport — check the app but treat any estimate as a minimum on Championship days.
Blue Badge holders should contact [email protected] before 26 June 2026 to arrange dedicated accessible parking and a free shuttle.
Why it's special
Transport experiences are easy to write badly. The format tends toward the obvious: take a train, here's the time, here's the fare. What makes the Hillside station walk genuinely worth including is something more specific.
