Manchester and Newcastle are two of Northern England’s top cities. Both love their football, their music, and a good night on the town. Luckily, they are only around two hours and twenty minutes from each other when travelling direct with TransPennine Express.
On your trip, you’ll head north through Greater Manchester and North Yorkshire, passing through cities such as Leeds and York before reaching County Durham and then shortly after arriving in Newcastle.
TransPennine Express offers regional and long-distance intercity services that connect major cities in Northern England and Scotland, including Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, and Glasgow.
Manchester Victoria is one of the busiest train stations in Manchester. Conveniently, this means it’s an excellent station to depart from, as it is easy to access due to connections with Metrolink trams, local bus routes, taxis, and a nearby coach station. It’s also possible to get to it via Manchester Oxford Road and Piccadilly stations.
If you need to get to Manchester Victoria from the airport, then it’s possible to get to Manchester Piccadilly straight from the airport in only fifteen minutes. From there, you could walk to Victoria Station or take a train directly from Picadilly.
Main stops
The route from Manchester to Newcastle has six stations: Huddersfield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Durham, and Chester-Le-Street.
These may change due to scheduling alterations or engineering work. So, it’s definitely worth checking before you travel to make sure.
If you want to buy cheap train tickets, add a Railcard to receive an extra discount and use TrainPal to find the cheapest fares.
Arriving at Newcastle
Newcastle station (also known as Newcastle Central and locally as Central Station) is an ideal station to arrive at. It’s a beautiful, elegantly simplistic station with its curved platforms and handsome Edwardian architecture. It’s easy to navigate, and once you do, you’ll be met by a conveniently placed taxi rank, local bus routes, and the region’s Tyne & Wear Metro stations right outside the station, which can get you anywhere in the area quickly.
It's also right in the city centre, with only a short walk separating you from the famous St James’ Park, Theatre Royal, and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. Head to the Quayside or The Gate if nightlife is more your thing, or, if your inner gastronome is calling you - you’ll find a city excellently endowed with great places to eat.
Newcastle is a main stop on the East Coast Mainline, which stretches from Scotland down to London Kings Cross at its southern terminus. Many UK rail operators, including CrossCountry, Northern, TransPennine Express, LNER, and Lumo, use this station.
TransPennine train classes
- Standard Class: TransPennine Express Standard Class offers walk-through carriages, air-conditioning, and charging plugs for your devices.
- First Class: A Manchester to Newcastle First Class ticket with TransPennine Express will give you access to more legroom, reclining seats, free Wi-Fi and complimentary food and drink.
TransPennine train travel advice
- Luggage: Maximum of three items of luggage. This goes up to two larger items and one smaller bag.
- Pets: Dogs, cats, and other small animals can travel for free. Dogs must be on a lead. Other animals must travel in carriers. There is a maximum of two pets per passenger.
- Bicycles: Bikes can be stored free of charge, but space is limited. You must book a space for your bike before you travel.
- Children: Under 5’s can travel for free. Children aged 5 to 15 can save 50% on their tickets. Booking in advance using TrainPal helps ensure families can sit together. The Family & Friends Railcard offers up to 1/3 off family ticket costs.
- Passenger Assist: Providing ramps for entering and exiting trains, luggage support, and station guidance, with help for stairs and provision of wheelchairs or buggies for covering greater distances.
*Information is subject to change. Please check the latest train timetable before your trip.