Travelling to BES2024
Find out about our recommended routes to Liverpool.
We are very excited to be returning to Liverpool this year for our Annual Meeting. This year the event will be held at the ACC Liverpool.
Venue Address
ACC Liverpool
King’s Dock
Port of Liverpool
Kings Dock St
Liverpool, UK
L3 4FP
Getting to Liverpool
The BES represents a global community, and therefore we recognise that getting to our Annual Meetings can represent a considerable carbon impact. There are many ways to travel to Liverpool, and we are encouraging our delegates to consider alternative ways to travel.
Knowing that the majority of BES Annual Meeting delegates come from the UK and the Republic of Ireland, we have brought together some information on the carbon costs of transport options from these areas to Liverpool as well as some common routes from mainland Europe. We recognise that some delegates will need to fly to Liverpool so have also included some information about public transport options from airports to the city center.
If you are unfamiliar with travelling via train and aren’t sure how to get started, you can use Rome2Rio to help you plan travel globally.
If you’d like to find out more about the steps we’re taking to make our Annual Meeting more sustainable, click here.
UK and Republic of Ireland
From England, Scotland and Wales
Our recommended mode of travel within mainland UK to Liverpool, based on the carbon cost, is via public transport and national rail.
If you are travelling within England, Scotland and Wales, we recommend taking the train from to Liverpool. Taking the train uses on average 79% less carbon than driving from major cities in England and Wales. Trains run from all major UK stations to Liverpool regularly throughout the day. Please note that travelling alone via car over long distances emits more carbon than flying. If you plan to travel via car, please consider carpooling with other delegates you know.
| City | Distance (km) | Car (KG CO2 per person) | Plane (KG CO2 per person) | Train (KG CO2 per person) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 287 | 48.7 | 52.5 | 10.2 |
| Birmingham | 160 | 27.2 | 29.3 | 5.7 |
| Cardiff | 288 | 48.9 | 52.7 | 10.2 |
| Edinburgh | 283 | 48.1 | 51.8 | 10.0 |
While trains in the UK can often be quite costly, if you book your travel well in advance this should not significantly add to your travel costs.
From Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
Our recommended mode of travel from the republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland is via ferry and train where possible.
We recommend taking the ferry from Belfast to Liverpool. Taking the train and ferry to Liverpool uses on average 90% less carbon than flying directly from major cities in Ireland. The ferry crossing from Belfast to Liverpool departs two times daily and takes approximately 8 hours. Overnight ferries are available.
The Stena Line Liverpool Port is located at 12 Quays Terminal, Birkenhead. It is a short walk from Hamilton Square rail station and bus services run frequently from the city center.
Belfast ferry port is connected to the city center via multiple train and bus services.
| City | Distance (km) | Car (KG CO2 per person) | Plane (KG CO2 per person) | Ferry (Foot Passenger)(KG CO2 per person) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast | 283 | 48.1 | 51.8 | 5.3 |
If you are driving, please note there is a car park on site called Kings Dock Car Park. You can find more details including the address and tariffs here.
International
From Mainland Europe
Our recommended mode of travel within mainland Europe to Liverpool, based on the carbon cost, is via public transport and train travel.
If you are able to use train travel to get to Paris or Amsterdam, you will then be able to take the Eurostar into London St Pancras International. From London Euston, you can get to Liverpool Lime Street in as little as 2h 21m. Taking the train uses on average 90% less carbon than flying from major cities in Europe. While trains in the UK can often be quite costly, if you book your travel well in advance, this should not significantly add to your travel costs.
| City | Distance (km) | Car (KG CO2 per person) | Plane (KG CO2 per person) | Train (KG CO2 per person) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris | 627 | 106.5 | 114.7 | 11.7 |
| Amsterdam | 905 | 153.7 | 165.5 | 12.9 |
From anywhere else
If you do need to fly to Liverpool, the main international airport is Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Both buses and trains run regularly from the airport into the city center. You can find more information about transport options from Liverpool John Lennon Airport into Liverpool here.
How we calculate our carbon
We used Rome2Rio to plan several potential routes from nearby European cities to Liverpool. We then used the latest UK government conversion factors to calculate estimated CO2 emissions for travelling from major UK and mainland Europe cities to Liverpool via train, plane, and ferry. This is the same method we use to calculate and track our own carbon emissions.
If you would like to calculate your carbon please see the below carbon calculator. Please note that this carbon calculator may vary slightly from our calculations, but should give you a reasonable estimate.
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