beatles magical mystery tour liverpool reviews

Beatles Magical Mystery Tour

Review Highlights

“ 5 hour bus tour through Liverpool seeing some of the most famous Beatles sites, most notably Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields. ” in 14 reviews

“ This tour ends at the Cavern Club which was truly a remarkable experience. ” in 9 reviews

“ And with that you get a good view of the city alongside the history of the Fab Four . ” in 6 reviews

Location & Hours

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Gower Street Bus Stop

Albert Dock

Liverpool L3 4AS

United Kingdom

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Overall rating

The Magical Mystery tour was, by far, our favorite tour during our visit to the U.K. My husband and I are massive Beatles fans and this tour checked every box on our list. Our guide Charlie was exceptional. He kept us entertained throughout the entire journey and gave us an endless history and anecdotes of the Beatles and their lives prior to and after their fame. We stopped several times for photo opportunities and the music he played along the way was perfect! Our driver was skillful getting us safely through some narrow passage ways. We had confidence in him the entire day. Although this may all sound a bit corny, we got emotional singing Penny Lane on the bus as we actually drove down Penny Lane. The Beatles music has played a huge roll in our lives. I'm certain many people who take this tour can say the same. My husband was so inspired by this tour that he listened to the Beatles exclusively every day for the remainder of our time in the U.K. This tour ends at the Cavern Club which was truly a remarkable experience. Just being there was energizing. Thank you Charlie and Magical Mystery Tours for making our day in Liverpool simply Magical!

Great fun. Knowledge tour guide Ian dropped loads of Beatles nuggets and plenty of Liverpool lore during the two hour tour that shows how far from town they grew up. Stops at the lads' homes and details about Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields. Sound system was terrific and everyone just sang along. The free admission to the Cavern Club was a nice touch/bonus.

I've done this tour twice, and each time I learn more. It feels personalized, and not like you're part of a huge group. Learned so much, and appreciated that they stop a few times to get out and take photos. Best part is listening to the music while driving the historical city. Don't miss this tour!

Dale and Dave the driver were very fun and entertaining. My only gripe is that we should have been given some time to shop at the Strawberry Field gift shop. Otherwise it was an excellent tour that I recommend to any Beatles fan.

BEATLEMANIA! £17 buys you a 2-2.5 hour bus tour through Liverpool seeing some of the most famous Beatles sites, most notably Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields. They do stop for photos and there are a lot of people, but I didn't feel rushed and everyone was being good about taking turns. The tour guide is a wealth of information...I imagine he could've easily talked for 20 hours straight about the Beatles. I'm not a big Beatles, but still found this all very entertaining. They also give you a free ticket to the Cavern Club, which normally costs £4, so overall this is a great value! If you have a car, you could probably do this entire tour for free. But then you have to navigate Liverpool traffic(challenging for us Americans), no tour guide, and no ticket to the Cavern Club. TIP: Go to the bathroom before getting on the bus...there aren't any bathroom breaks!

INTRO I don't know why we said say goodbye... since this tour was simply the best around! As always, I will attempt to be as non-biased as possible, however the bright colors that gleamed off the side of our tour coach and the people 'Stopping to say hello...' made it all the best! QUALITY When I review a tour company or guide,I think of many factors the group as well as myself maybe wondering before, during and after the trip is over. My thoughts were immediately placed to ease when we met our group and guides. The locals from Liverpool were as kind and proper about their love for the band as was everyone on board. Yes, this creates an immediate bias, however I would say if you are looking for something more sterile and generic, watch one of the many documentaries on the Fab Four. All in all, the quality of the tour, the bus, the guides and the journey were all top and I feel as though not a piece was left out during our half day trip. SERVICE The guides and overall feel of the service was spectacular. Our tour guides were friendly, easy to talk to and wanted to truly be there with us. The other patrons onboard all felt this way as I looked around and saw smiles and whistling to the tunes as they played many full and parts of Beatles songs throughout the journey. The correlation and meaning was unreal and in such a simple way, the guides made it all work well. Great service fro these chaps for sure. AMBIANCE/CROWD Our crowd was down to earth. The group aged from young children to middle age folks and many couples like my wife and I. The bus was full but calm and tame. The ambiance of course was second to none in excitement due to the ongoing Beatles music playing as well as tidbits and commentary from all original members. There was always a clean bu to come in and out of when we stopped for photos so this added to the enjoyment and ambiance in my eyes. When we drove through the town we could always see our own reflection of the very colorful bus moving about and that always brought a smile to my face as I am sure did to others. VALUE The value of the tour was top notch. We started around 11am and concluded jut after 1pm. So even though it was a short tour, a half day should be allocated for travel to a fro, as well as lunch or breakfast and time to shop inside the office and gift shop. Wow. The shop had great items well priced as well. We did not ya e the amount of time we would have liked to shop, however we saw many things we were able to pick up after the fact. Again, value all around for the time and sites seen. PARKING The bus starts and ends at the pier end of town and so one could surly find plenty in a lot or street. Of course with my wife and I this was not an issue since we were utilizing mass transit and our own feet. We stayed at the official hard days night hotel which was just a short 10-15 minute walk and so getting to and from was easy. EXTRA I am a lifelong Beatles fan and so any time I hear the music or see the sites I light up. This tour took my wife and I to visit the likes of Penny Lane, Strawberry Field, the child homes of all four lads, as well as stood to see grand sites you my or my not think of. Yes, all packed into a little over two hours. Read the section again for value as to why this makes sense to me. A tour and journey never to forget. I would highly recommend the Magical Mystery Tour and as always, SYOY!

Okay, I'm going to come clean and admit it - I came to Liverpool because I like the Beatles. It's true, it's all true. And amazingly, I might not have been the only person to do this, as there are approximately enough attractions here to plug the Albert Hall. As such I had time to visit the museum, and I had time to take this bus tour. And I'd highly recommend you do the latter if you are not as blessed with time. The queue for my 2pm departure from the Albert Dock was quite sizable by the time I jumped in 10 minutes beforehand, but it's a big bus and as I was a solo rider it wasn't hard to find a window seat - most of my ride was made up of couples as it was. I was carrying a huge rucksack and they allowed storage which was a relief - if you're carrying anything much bigger than a handbag it's probably for the best, though admittedly I was the only one who took them up on the offer. As for choosing a seat on the bus, opt for the left if you can. You'll see sites on both sides, but the big deals were always to the left. It's billed as a 2-hour ride, but it took 2.5 hours for us and no complaints on that. Jay Johnson (brother of Frankie Goes To Hollywood's Holly Johnson, no musical Liverpudlian slouch he) was our tour guide, and the ride was full of music, trivia, and bits of Liverpool history. And with that you get a good view of the city alongside the history of the Fab Four. I didn't dare drive during my time in the UK, and yeah perhaps one could approximate some of this tour on a self-guided route, but I think you'd lose a lot in the process. Nor merely for any factual information, but just for the ability to turn off one's driving mind, relax, and ride downstream. (Yes, I was contractually obliged to make at least one reference, so there it was.) Most of the sites you see are pointed out as you're riding by or maybe with a brief pull to the side, but you do get out of the bus four times for photo opportunities. Those stops would be at the entrance to Penny Lane, George Harrison's childhood home, Strawberry Field, and Paul McCartney's childhood home. No entrances into the homes on this tour, though, but for the comparative wealth of street scenes it was fine with me. (The National Trust has a tour to see John & Paul's respective homes but that's it.) You'll see the pub where Ringo's mom worked, the church where Eleanor Rigby is buried and the site of the first proper gig, and my particular highlight the street scene depicted in "Penny Lane." Your tour also provides free entry into the Cavern back in the city centre, but to be honest I passed. And I didn't really need it anyway - everything I wanted to see I fully saw here. You don't have to be a scholar on the group to appreciate the tour, but of course any knowledge you bring on board with you will enhance your ride that much more. A rollicking good time though which will undoubtedly charm all on board, which is admittedly more than you can say for the film from which this tour takes its name.

And in my pocket was a portrait of the Queen.

"Roll up, roll up for the magical mystery tour Step right this way Roll up, roll up..." The original and most exhaustive Beatles tour in the city, Magical Mystery is a two hour tour that takes place on a psychadelic yellow and blue bus painted with shooting stars and rainbows. Beatles songs are played throughout the journey and the tour guides happily dispense interesting nuggets of information about the band between destinations. As you'd expect, there's a big emphasis on where the Fab Four grew up including John, Paul and George's childhood homes and schools. There's also references to places that inspired and influenced the band including Penny Lane, Sefton Park and Strawberry Fields. Interestingly, some of the locations don't seem to have changed much the last fifty years whilst others look radically different from the original photos. Tickets cost £14.50 and it's worth booking in advance in high tourist season (spring to summer). The journey starts at Albert Dock and ends at the legendary Cavern Club where you can unwind with a pint and another photo oppurtunity! Whilst I enjoyed the tour personally, I have to say the decor of the bus is the most magical / psychedelic aspect you'll encounter. If you want to experience marmalade skies and other wonders, you might want to drop something pharmaceutical beforehand! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7pvA4EHi08

I was going to forgo this as too "touristy" but it was only 20 pounds and my daughter really wanted to go, and I'm so glad we did. Our tour guide was delightful, and the 2 hours on the bus allowed us to see all over Liverpool which we otherwise would not have been able to (no car). Highly recommend

This was an awesome tour. The key did a great job of making sure you saw everything. The driver and guide did a fantastic job. The only negative is that they really need to work out a rest stop during the tour.

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Review: Liverpool’s Beatles-themed Magical Mystery Tour

Head down the Beatlemania rabbit hole in search of the origin stories and inspiration points that defined the world’s most famous band in this Magical Mystery Tour review.

The Magical Mystery Tour coach (Photo: Paul Stafford for TravelMag.com)

It’s the middle of a Tuesday afternoon and the cheery yellow and blue Magical Mystery Tour coach we’re on stops outside an unassuming row of terraced houses in southern Liverpool. Everybody piles off and we wander down a cul-de-sac.

It’s eerily quiet, making me increasingly self-conscious that I, and 40 other people, are gathered outside somebody’s home, with its red brickwork and white lace curtains, our camera shutters clicking away. Anywhere else in Britain, the neighbours, or indeed the occupants, would be straight on the phone to the police. But this is Liverpool, and this was the house was where George Harrison was born.

George Harrison’s birthplace (Photo: Paul Stafford for TravelMag.com)

Practically anything touched by a member of the Fab Four is worshipped these days. And while Liverpool contains many cultural riches from various bands that have come from the Merseyside area, only The Beatles can boast their own dedicated daily tour.

George Harrison’s birthplace remains an ordinary, occupied home, but for the regular procession of Beatles fans who come to take photos and pay their respects. But even the faintest whiff of his greatness, knowing he spend time there, transforms an ordinary terrace into something finer than a sultan’s palace. It’s just one of a handful of houses located in suburban, southern neighbourhoods of Liverpool like it.

John Lennon lived here (Photo: Paul Stafford for TravelMag.com)

Back aboard the bus, our tour guide Neil Brannan, a former actor who also works as a DJ at the much vaunted Cavern Club, leads the group on a singalong of Love Me Do as we continue on to the childhood homes of Ringo Starr, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Each one ratchets up the degree of fervour, despite the fact that for quite a few people aboard the coach, this is not their first time taking this tour.

We stop near Mendips, the home of John Lennon’s Aunt Mimi where he spent much of his childhood. It’s a larger home, with a front garden. Nobody spoils the integrity of the closed gate separating our pavement viewing platform from the private property of a stranger, where a man who passed away 43 years ago once lived. Yet it’s treated like a holy shrine. After all, his music is alive and vital as ever.

Paul McCartney’s childhood home (Photo: Paul Stafford for TravelMag.com)

The final home we visit is at 20 Forthlin Road. Again, we merely stand and admire the post-war brickwork, deep in the knowledge that it protected Paul McCartney from the wind and rain. Here, the atmosphere is particularly reverent. A separate National Trust tour is the only way to get inside. Somehow the knowledge that Paul McCartney composed many of the early Beatles hits in the bathroom (for acoustic, rather than digestive complaint reasons) gives it a hallowed quality.

Back on the bus, the playlist has now moved on to the band’s later material. While My Guitar Gently Weeps plays, as the hopeful, love-struck songs of the early Beatles oeuvre are replaced by songs of a deeper lived experience as global superstars. But while The Beatles by this point had left Liverpool, the city never really left them.

Strawberry Field entrance (Photo: Paul Stafford for TravelMag.com)

This was particularly evident on their double A-side single released in early 1967 that included the songs Strawberry Fields Forever  and Penny Lane . Both titles nod towards places in Liverpool where the band members spent time in their youth. Both sites are visited on this tour next, with the graffiti on the closed red entrance gate to Strawberry Field holding a particular sense of pathos.

By the end of the tour, as the coach heads back into central Liverpool, there’s a contemplative quiet aboard. While the whole exercise of visiting places many of The Beatles themselves have not visited for decades felt a little odd at first, by the end it all seems to make an absurd sort of sense.

Penny Lane might have the world’s most photographed road sign (Photo: Paul Stafford for TravelMag.com)

Sure, a lot has changed here; it’s not the Liverpool where these four boys grew up. But there’s something about how normal all these places are that holds power. They are parks, and church graveyards, schools and simple family homes that are not unlike those in the lived experiences of most people. There’s nothing particularly remarkable or special about any of them that you could point to and say: “this is why they made the music they made”. Then again, the songs written by The Beatles have an uncanny ability to reach out across boundaries and generations and speak to people with a clarity and familiarity that very few have come close to emulating before or since.

Having completed the tour, we disembark outside The Cavern Club, where it all began to take off for The Beatles. When you head downstairs into this hallowed space for live music, fresh from the sightseeing, it’s really only then that you can truly appreciate how remarkable and rare it is that these creative minds were able to come together and make music, for little more than a decade, and still hold so much power over so many people more than half a century later.

Where to Book

Inside the Cavern Club (Photo: Paul Stafford for TravelMag.com)

The Magical Mystery Tour runs between twice and five times a day depending on the time of year and day of the week. The coach departs from the Albert Dock area and tours last around two hours. You can book tickets through Getyourguide.com at £20 per person.

If you’re thinking of visiting Liverpool from London on a day trip, there are tours that can take care of all the planning for you. The best option is this one with Viator.com , which for £192 per person includes round-trip rail tickets, tickets to the Magical Mystery Tour, access to the Beatles Story Exhibition and entry to the Cavern Club.

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REVIEW: Beatles Magical Mystery Tour, Liverpool in 2024

• July 12, 2023

There is a good chance that this post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. As ever, all opinions are my own.

Considering doing the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour in Liverpool? You’ve come to the right place for information because I recently went on it for the first time, and let me tell you – I have some opinions!

I’d been out to see Beatles sites like Penny Lane and Paul McCartney’s House a few times independently before I finally coughed up and paid to join the Magical Mystery Tour, so I was curious. I wanted to know whether the tour was worth it! 

Chances are, you do too!

In this article, I’m going to share what it’s like to go on the Magical Mystery Liverpool bus tour, including where you visit on the tour, how long it lasts, how to get tickets, and, most importantly… is it worth it if you’re only in Liverpool for a day ? 

( Psst… the short answer is yes – it’s worth it! )

Note: I was not paid by the tour company to write this review. I paid full price for my Magical Mystery Tour ticket with my own money, and the company had no idea that I was a blogger or planned to write about my experience after the tour.

🎸 Book your tickets here! 

Table of Contents

The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour Bus

First things first, we need to talk about the Magical Mystery Tour bus used for the tours. It looks almost identical to the bus used by The Beatles in the Magical Mystery Tour movie!

The bus has air conditioning, tray tables, and a lot of seats. I went on the tour at 10am on a Tuesday morning, and to my absolute shock, the bus was pretty much full!

For this reason, you need to book your tickets as far in advance as possible , because the tour does sell out.

The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour Starting Point

Before your tour starts, you’ll see the Magical Mystery bus parked here , by the Albert Dock. You can’t just hop on board, though.

First, you’ll have to go to the ticket office just a few metres away ( here ) to check in, exchanging your digital ticket for a physical one.

You’ll need to do this at least 15 minutes before your tour is due to start, so bear that in mind! I forgot to read the small print and arrived at the last minute. I was the last person on the bus!

The reason you’ll need to get a physical ticket isn’t so much for the bus tour. You see, the real reason you’ll need a physical ticket is because this is what you’ll need to show at the doors of the Cavern Club to get free admission after the tour.

Yup, that’s right – the price you paid to go on the tour also gives you free entry to the Cavern Club, saving you £5. Score!

Liverpool Magical Mystery Tour Route

When I had done my independent sightseeing around the Liverpool Beatles attractions in the past, I’d always seen the Liverpool Magical Mystery Tour bus at different spots and thought it looked so cool. 

For this reason, I didn’t even do much research into the itinerary of the tour beforehand. I just booked it!

Most people aren’t like me, though. Chances are, you’re visiting Liverpool on a trip from a country that’s not the UK, so you don’t have time to try every Beatles-related tour in the city like I do.

I’ve got you covered – here’s exactly what you’ll do and see on the tour.

Oh – and it’s worth noting that, aside from the Cavern Club, the Magical Mystery Tour does not take you to any of the city-centre Beatles attractions. To see these, you’ll need to join a Beatles walking tour .

Okay, with that out of the way, here are the things you’ll see on the Liverpool Magical Mystery bus!

1. Ringo Starr’s Childhood Home

Hopping on the bus at the Albert Dock, you’ll drive for around 15 minutes before reaching the first stop – the childhood home of the oldest Beatle .

Even the drive is cool, though, because your local guide will introduce you to the tour, talk about their links to the Beatles, share a bunch of fascinating facts , and play Beatles tunes along the way.

The first place you’ll visit on the tour isn’t actually a “stop”, per se. You see, the bus doesn’t stop to let you get off for photos, which is disappointing. 

As you approach Ringo Starr’s childhood home and the nearby Ringo mural, the bus will simply slow down for you to take a look, rather than giving you a photo opp.

I admit, I was a bit gutted.

When there are only two hours to spare on the tour, though, I can understand.

If you want the opportunity to get out and take a photo of Ringo’s house and the mural, this Beatles taxi tour is your best bet.

2. George Harrison’s Birthplace

The next stop is George Harrison’s birthplace, a house where he lived for the first six years of his life. Fortunately, we were able to get out to take photos at this stop!

Here comes my top tip for this tour: sit near the front of the bus, if you can, because then you can snap photos of the attractions without other tourists in the frame because they’ll all still be getting off the bus.

You’re welcome 😉.

There’s nothing particularly “ George ” about the house. A regular family lives there now, and the street is a normal residential street, so that’s cool! Despite this, you don’t need to worry about being a nuisance.

Our tour guide reassured us that every family on this street has moved in post-Beatles fame, so every single one of them knew what they were signing up for.

It’s one of the most famous roads in the city !

Just be respectful (no peeping in windows!) and you’re good to go.

3. Penny Lane

Next up is the iconic Penny Lane !

The bus will stop on a street corner so that everybody can take photos with the iconic street sign.

Then, back on the bus, you’ll drive through Penny Lane, passing the shelter in the middle of the roundabout, the Penny Lane barber, and the bank where the “banker who never wears a mac” theoretically worked.

The guide also shared why Paul wrote Penny Lane. You see, apparently, John and Paul were tasked with writing songs about their homes and childhood.

Paul came up with Penny Lane, where he used to ride through on the bus every day on the way to school. John’s ode to Liverpool was Strawberry Fields Forever!

4. St Peter’s Hall, Woolton 

This stop is another drive-by stop, but an important one to keep your eyes peeled for. This is St Peter’s Hall in Woolton, a suburb of Liverpool.

It’s here, on a sunny July day, that John and Paul met for the first time! It’s one of the most important buildings in Liverpool for this reason.

The rest, they say, is history.

5. Strawberry Field

Next up is Strawberry Field, and of course you’ll get off the bus at this stop to take a photo with the legendary red gate. 

John’s house is just around the corner, and back in his childhood, Strawberry Field was a children’s home for orphans, and John used to sneak inside the large grounds to play. 

John was told by his Aunt Mimi not to play on the grounds of Strawberry Field, to which he responded “they can’t hang you for it.” This phrase is thought to be John’s inspiration behind his lyrics “nothing to get hung about” in Strawberry Fields Forever.

You can’t go in Strawberry Field on this tour (but they do have a paid Beatles exhibition if you come back), but you’re able to snap a photo at the gates.

6. John Lennon’s Childhood Home

Next up, it’s the home of the working-class hero, John Lennon! Except… when you pull up to his house, you may realise that “working class” is a massive stretch.

Compared to George and Ringo ’s childhood homes, John’s 3-bedroom semi-detached home on one of Liverpool’s most desirable streets looks like a palace!

Here’s where my main gripe with the Magical Mystery Tour comes in. You don’t actually get to get off the bus and take photos at John Lennon’s house. The bus simply slows down a bit for you to look at it.

This was fine for me since I’d already been there a bunch, but for those who are on a once in a lifetime trip to Liverpool, I can imagine being so disappointed by this!

For this reason, I again suggest booking this Beatles black taxi tour , which will stop at John’s house for photos. If you want to go inside John’s house (because yes! You can do this!), you’ll need to join this upgraded version of the Beatles black taxi tour.

7. Paul McCartney’s Childhood Home

Paul McCartney’s house is the next stop, and fortunately, you’re allowed to get off the bus for photos here.

Paul lived here from the age of 13 until he moved out once the Beatles made it big! His family didn’t last there much longer after that. Fans were constantly hanging around outside the house, driving Paul’s family mad, so he bought them a new house and kept the location a secret. Smart!

Like John’s house, the Magical Mystery Tour doesn’t allow you to go inside Paul’s house. To do that, you’ll need to go on this super-duper tour instead.

8. Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts

After Paul’s house, it’s time to head back to the city centre. Towards the end of the journey, you’ll pass Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (“LIPA”). This used to be the Liverpool Institute, the school Paul went to.

The Paul connections don’t end there, though. Nowadays, the building is a performing arts college, and Paul is actually one of its co-founders!

You won’t get off the bus here, but a drive-by is all you need really.

9. The Cavern Club

It’s the end of the Magical Mystery Tour, and it’ll drop you off just around the corner from the Cavern Club. That’s because the Cavern actually owns and runs the Magical Mystery Tour. 

Remember your ticket? That gives you free access to the Cavern, so whether you want to head inside straight away or enter later in the evening, it’s up to you. 

No matter what time you enter, I bet you’ll find awesome live music here!

Is The Liverpool Magical Mystery Tour Worth It?

Here’s where I stand on the Magical Mystery Tour:

If you’re not massively into The Beatles, then this 2-hour whirlwind tour of the highlights will be the perfect option for you . If you’re on a tight budget, it’s also ideal – it’s one of the most affordable tours in Liverpool.

For the price, or for “beginner” Beatles fans, the Magical Mystery Tour is definitely worth it. If you fall in this category, don’t even worry about it. Book your spot now!

If you’re super into the Beatles (which, let’s be real, if you’ve made it this far you are), then you might want something more in-depth. 

My main issue with the Magical Mystery Tour is that it felt a bit like a conveyor belt. There’s a lot of ground to cover, and only 2 hours, so it’s very much a case of getting off the bus, taking a photo, and then getting back on again. There’s no time to really ~feel~ it. You know?

That’s why my top pick for Beatlemaniacs will always be this taxi tour with The Beatles’ Homes . It’s a private tour, lasts a whopping 5 hours, and covers all of the top sites, including guided tours inside Paul and John’s houses.

You really can’t get any better than that!

International Beatleweek

Just a word of warning: during the annual international Beatleweek festival, which usually takes place during the last week of August, the Magical Mystery Tour will book out FAST. If you’re visiting Liverpool during this time, you’ll need to be organised! 

Book your tickets as far in advance as possible.

It’s also important to note that during International Beatleweek your ticket to the Magical Mystery Tour won’t get you free entry to the Cavern Club, since it’s just too busy.

FAQs About The Magical Mystery Tour Liverpool

How long is the magical mystery tour in liverpool.

The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour in Liverpool lasts for two hours.

How much does the magical mystery tour cost?

The Magical Mystery Tour Liverpool tickets cost £19.95 for adults and £10 for children.

What is the best Liverpool Beatles tour?

The best overall Liverpool Beatles tour is the Fab Four Taxi Tour with Beatles Childhood Homes . It’s a locally-led private tour that takes you to the most famous Beatles attractions like Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields and also allows you to go inside Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s houses. It lasts for five hours.

How long is the Beatles bus tour in Liverpool?

There are numerous different Beatles bus tours in Liverpool , including the Magical Mystery Tour, the Beatles hop-on hop-off tour, and the City Explorer Beatles tour, which all have varying durations. Beatles bus tours in Liverpool typically last between 90 minutes and 2 hours.

What happened to the Magical Mystery Tour bus?

The original Magical Mystery Tour bus used in the Beatles movie was sold to the Hard Rock Cafe in 1988, and, after being refurbished, is now stored in the warehouse of the Memorabilia HQ of the Hard Rock Cafe.

Final Thoughts: Beatles Magical Mystery Tour Liverpool

As you can see, I really enjoyed my time on the Liverpool Magical Mystery Tour, and I’m sure that you will too! 

Although there are more in-depth tour options for true Beatlemaniacs, the Magical Mystery Tour is great value for money, and the perfect way to see all of the highlights in a short space of time.

Have fun in Liverpool!

Ella Moore is the founder of Many More Maps. Growing up just 45 minutes away from Liverpool, Ella has spent years exploring the city inside out. In her teenage years, she was introduced to the music of The Beatles, and the rest, they say, is history! Today, she stands as a leading authority on Beatles tourism in Liverpool, helping over 40,000 people a month to plan their dream trip to the city.

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Beatles Magical Mystery Tour

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Beatles Magical Mystery Tour - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Step aboard the colourful Magical Mystery Tour bus for a fun and fascinating 2 hour tour of Beatles Liverpool.

Tours Times

Monday to Thursday 10 am – 2 pm Friday to Sunday 10 am – 2 pm

Monday to Sunday 9:30am – 4 pm

Additional tours operate throughout August and September. Please check here to see available tours on your chosen date.

Step aboard the colourful Magical Mystery Tour bus for a fun and fascinating 2 hour tour of Beatles Liverpool. You’ll see all the places associated with John, Paul, George and Ringo as they grew up, met and formed the band that would take the pop world by storm.

Tours start at the Albert Dock – meet your guide at the Magical Mystery Tour Ticket Office in Anchor Courtyard just a few metres from the bus stop where you will get on board the colourful Magical Mystery Tour coach for an unforgettable 2 hour tour. See the Beatles childhood homes, schools and colleges and get up close to places that inspired some of their most memorable songs – Penny Lane and Strawberry Field  CLICK HERE FOR FULL TOUR ITINERARY . You’ll be kept entertained along the way by one of our professional Beatles Guides and some Fab Four tunes.

Please enquire about arranging an exclusive private 2 or 4 hour tours  for groups in one of the Magical Mystery Tour vehicles.

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Tickets Times & Packages

Adults – £19.95

Child (Age 2 to 16) – £10.00

Family Ticket (2 adults & 2 children (16 and under)) – £50.00

Babies (0 to 2) – Free

Group discount ticket for 10 also available.

Advance booking recommended – BUY TICKETS ONLINE  or call in to the Magical Mystery Tour Ticket Office, Anchor Courtyard, Albert Dock, Liverpool L3 4AS Open daily 9am-4:30pm (subject to change during winter months) , Tel: 0151 703 9100 or email: [email protected] Tickets also available at the Cavern Pub in Mathew Street CLICK HERE FOR MAP

Due to transport regulations every person on board the Magical Mystery Tour requires a ticket (including children and babies). A complimentary ticket can be organised for children under the age of 2 (subject to availability). Please call our ticket office directly if you would like to book for a child  0151 703 9100

Evan Evans package day trips from London by train including Beatles Magical Mystery Tour ticket Golden Tours package day trips to Liverpool from London by train with Beatles Magical Mystery Tour ticket My Bus package day trips & overnight breaks from London to Liverpool by train including the Magical Mystery Tour

Printed translations of the tour are available in English, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Swedish, Indonesian and Spanish and can be purchased at the Ticket Office.

Car parking – Liverpool ONE, Liverpool L1 8LT is just 5 minutes walk from the tour start and finish points.

Toilets – the majority of the tour is through the suburbs of Liverpool.  There are toilets at Britannia Pavilion, Albert Dock before you join the tour or on Mathew Street at the end of the tour.

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Robert St. John

Restaurateur, author, enthusiastic traveler, & world-class eater.

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A True Magical Mystery Tour

LIVERPOOL— I am midway through a 10-day tour of England and Scotland with a group of 26 Americans. All have travelled with me before. For a few of them it’s their seventh trip as my guests. They are a stellar crew and I have become friends with all of them before this current journey started.

Our bond grew stronger on our visit to Liverpool.

I am writing this on the jump seat of a bus somewhere in the pastoral English countryside between The Cotswolds and Liverpool. The 26 Americans sitting behind me have entrusted 10 days of their lives in my hands. This tour started in London several days ago and will end in Edinburgh, Scotland several days from now.

I have hosted approximately 47 of these tours with somewhere over 1,100 guests— most over the past six years— with two years off during Covid. All have been great adventures with wonderful people. None have been like this group and this trip.

My travel company— RSJ Yonderlust Tours— formed organically several years ago and now keeps me busy for six weeks in the fall and six weeks in the spring. Even though we are travelling with a couple of dozen people, these trips have never felt like group travel. I always feel as if I have made friends at the end of every trip. This group and I became friends a long time ago and we have shared some amazing experiences throughout Europe.

The very first tour I co-hosted started in London before heading south under the Channel into Belgium, Normandy, and Paris. This time I’m headed north. More importantly I am headed through a sort of personal mecca for me— Liverpool. There are many items on my bucket list, one that is near the top is to visit Liverpool and trace the steps of the greatest band that ever existed, one that fostered my love of music, and one that has kept me passionate about music for over six decades, The Beatles.

My grandmother traveled the world mostly as a member of groups and clubs to which she belonged. My grandfather wasn’t interested in traveling abroad. He took the train to Chicago once a year to see the White Sox play, but worked seven days a week, otherwise, and was content to send her all over the world. As a kid I remember hearing stories of her European travels at the dinner table. I don’t remember ever dreaming of taking a Grand Tour, but I can remember, as a 10-year-old thinking of how great it would be to visit Liverpool one day.

To be honest, for most of my life I never thought that day would come.

We had an early departure from Lower Slaughters in the Cotswolds and the inn opened the dining room 30 minutes early for our group. My love for these guests grew even deeper when I walked into the dining room and all the ladies— and some of the men—were dressed in 1960s Beatles-era costumes! They know my love of The Beatles. I was moved, deeply.

Though I worried that a one-day stop in Liverpool was a too self-indulgent and selfish as it was a bucket list item for me, and probably not many of my guests. I design these tours to cover what is best for my guests. I had never taken such personal preferences before. To my delight, they were all elated.

I write this on a bus just north of Liverpool as we head to the Scottish Highlands. Yesterday will go down as one of the more memorable days of my life. It was an all-Beatles tour, all day long. We visited all the historic spots known for the band: The Casbah Club where they played their very first gigs as teenagers, Strawberry Fields, Penny Lane, their childhood homes, dined in the Cavern Pub and went into the Cavern Club where the honed their skills after a long stretch of marathon nights in Hamburg, Germany. The Beatles played The Cavern 291 times between February 9, 1961 (seven months before I was born) and August 3, 1963. After that, Beatlemania happened and their lives— and the music world— were never the same.

It was an emotional day for me, and my emotions overcame me several times, mainly when I thought of the friends who I wished were with me enjoying all we were experiencing.

My emotions overcame me for the final time at the end of the day, standing in the middle of The Cavern Club listening to a cover band play, “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” (the first record I owned).

I thought back to my childhood bedroom on 22nd Avenue in my hometown of Hattiesburg, Mississippi when I first heard that song on my toy record player. I thought of my grandmother and was grateful she instilled a love of travel in me at an early age. I thought of my friends who also love The Beatles but weren’t there. I felt gratitude for the friends who were with me in that moment, and then the song was over. And the day was over.

The Beatles loaded up on a bus and toured the English countryside for the movie “Magical Mystery Tour.” It struck me that we are doing the same thing. I am honored that people trust me to travel with them. I am appreciative for the leadership team back home who hold down the fort at New South Restaurant Group. I am thankful for the team that works with me to put these trips together. I am especially grateful for my friend Jesse Marinus who helped me organize this trip and made it possible to have one of the most memorable days of my life.

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Beatles Magical Mystery Tour

• See all photos

Liverpool Day Tour from London by Train including Beatles Story

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Beatles Magical Mystery Tour - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)