Virgin Trains is warning Liverpool football fans that there will be no standard return train travel from London after the FA Cup Final on Saturday 5 May.
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The Football Association's decision to schedule the FA Cup Final at 5.15pm has already met with an angry reaction from Liverpool fans concerned with devaluing the competition – and allowing Chelsea's supporters a full day's boozing in London ahead of kick-off.
Now, with major route improvement works by Network Rail over the Bank Holiday weekend meaning extensive route closures, there are NO standard London-Liverpool trains after the match or on the Sunday.
Passengers from Liverpool to London on Cup Final day will already need to travel via Manchester or Chester, or use Stoke-on-Trent station.
A Virgin Trains spokesman said: "We always try and help football fans get to and from matches on our network, and did this very successfully for Everton and Liverpool supporters travelling to the semi-final.
"However, on this occasion, as we explained to the FA, the choice of both a 17:15 kick off and the staging of the FA Cup Final on a Bank Holiday weekend when Network Rail had already planned essential route improvement works means we cannot offer fans the level of train service they have come to expect."
There are private charter trains being planned to operate with Liverpool FC’s official travel partner, Thomas Cook Sport.
Other charter trains with other promoters may also be arranged.
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