What is the nearest airport to Durham?

Newcastle International Airport, about 24 miles north and roughly a 30-minute drive. It has its own Metro station, so without a car you can take the Metro to Newcastle Central and change onto a direct train to Durham.

Is Durham on the East Coast Main Line?

Yes. Durham station sits on the East Coast Main Line between Darlington and Newcastle, with direct trains to Newcastle, York, Edinburgh and London King's Cross, run by operators including LNER and CrossCountry.

How do I get from Durham station to the city centre?

It is about a ten to fifteen minute walk downhill to the Market Place, with a taxi rank at the station and the Cathedral Bus linking the station to the centre and the peninsula. The return walk back up to the station is steeper.

Transport

Getting to Durham

How to reach Durham by train, coach, road and air, from the East Coast Main Line and the A1(M) to the nearest airport and the Park & Ride sites on the edge of the city.

durhamcity.live·1 September 2026

Durham is one of the easiest cities in the North East to reach, sitting on the main rail line and just off the A1(M). Here is how to arrive by train, coach, road or air, and the smart way to handle the last mile into a medieval centre that was never built for cars.

By train

Durham station is on the East Coast Main Line between Darlington and Newcastle, so it is very well connected. Direct trains run north to Newcastle in a little over ten minutes, and south to York and London King's Cross, with cross-country services to Edinburgh. Operators calling here include LNER, CrossCountry, TransPennine Express and Northern.

The station stands on a hill just north-west of the centre. The walk down to the Market Place takes around ten to fifteen minutes and is easy going, though the return climb is steeper. There is a taxi rank at the entrance, and the Cathedral Bus links the station to the centre and the peninsula.

By coach and bus

Durham's bus station on North Road, a short walk from the Market Place, reopened in January 2024 after a full rebuild. Frequent regional buses run to Newcastle, Sunderland and towns across County Durham, operated by Arriva, Go North East and Stagecoach. National Express coaches also serve the city, with links to Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield and London.

By car

The A1(M) runs to the east of the city. The main approach is Junction 62, where the A690 leads directly into Durham; drivers from the south often leave at Junction 61 near Bowburn. The A167 and A690 are the principal local roads.

Bear in mind that the medieval centre is congested and largely pedestrianised, with a daily Road User Charge on the historic peninsula around the Market Place and Cathedral. Most drivers are far better parking at one of the three Park & Ride sites on the edge of the city. See our guides to Park & Ride and where to park in Durham.

From the airport

Newcastle International Airport is the nearest, around 24 miles away and roughly a 30-minute drive via the A1. Without a car, the airport has its own Tyne and Wear Metro station: take the Metro into Newcastle Central, then change to a direct train down to Durham, which takes about three-quarters of an hour in total.

Getting around when you arrive

Once you are here, the centre is best explored on foot. See our guide to getting around Durham without a car, or start planning with things to do in Durham.