How to make the train journey from Edinburgh to Newcastle

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Edinburgh to Newcastle by train

The typical train service from Edinburgh to Newcastle has never been more frequent and it now comprises three or four trains per hour during the day (the departures become less frequent after 18:00).

The three departures per hour consist of:
2 x trains operated by LNER,
1 x train per hour operated by CrossCountry
Plus in some hours there is an additional train operated by Lumo

Routes you can take to go from Edinburgh to Newcastle

When travelling between most cities by train there is only one logical option, though on other journeys there is a choice between different trains or alternative routes. If different options are available you can use the info to decide which is best for you.

Choose one of the following options:

Looking for connections?

Journey guides for travel to Edinburgh

Route Information

Option 1: travelling with LNER or CrossCountry

Station Guides

Edinburgh Waverley Rail Station Guide

Newcastle Rail Station Guide

Travel Time (approx)

1hr 23min - 1hr 45min

Frequency

Daily

Travel Info

3 x trains per hour

Is this journey from Edinburgh to Newcastle direct?
Yes

Is the journey scenic?
Yes, the train will travel by the coast between Dunbar and Morpeth, which equates to most of the journey between Edinburgh and Newcastle . See the Journey Information for images and videos.

When is the usual approximate earliest arrival in Newcastle by these trains?

After 07:00 on Monday to Friday
After 07:20 on Saturday
After 10:20 on Sunday
all by LNER services
Source: National Rail

How easy is it to travel on from the station in Newcastle?
Newcastle station is conveniently located in the heart of the city - See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay in the area around the station.

When is the usual approximate latest departure from Edinburgh Waverley by these trains?

Around 21:00 on Monday to Friday (by LNER)
After 20:05 on Saturday (by CrossCountry)
Around 20:25 on Sunday (by CrossCountry)

How easy is it to travel to the station in Edinburgh?
Edinburgh Waverley is conveniently located in the heart of the city and it served by the Edinburgh trams, and all buses which serve Princes Street.
See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay by Edinburgh Waverley.

Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance for this journey option?
Yes

How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for this journey option?
12 weeks; See the Ticket Information for more details

What are the child ticket terms for the journey from Edinburgh to Newcastle?
Aged 5 to 15 = 50%; 4 and under = free

Does the ticket for the for this journey option include assigned seats?
Varies according to the type of ticket being booked, but Yes when booking Advance Tickets; See the Ticket Information for more details

Do rail pass users need to book reservations for the journey from Edinburgh to Newcastle?
No

Is catering available on the train? = Yes

LNER train = a bar/bistro car and At Seat Catering; Complimentary catering in 1st class, which can include a full meal service.
Cross Country trains = A catering trolley should be taken through the Standard Class coaches; A service of complimentary hot and cold drinks, snacks and sandwiches is served in coach A, which is for exclusive use of First Class travellers

What else is good to know?
See the general guide to travelling in Britain by train.

Travel Information

Final Destination:
London King's Cross (and Leeds) - the LNER trains
Penzance or Plymouth or Bristol or Birmingham - the CrossCountry trains.

Some trains also call at: Berwick upon Tweed and/or Alnmouth
Aside from environmental considerations there are three very good reasons for opting to take the train from Edinburgh to Newcastle.

(1) Edinburgh Waverley station has a fabulous location in the heart of the Scottish capital, and Newcastle station also offers easy access to the city centre
(2) Now that TransPennine Exress has also begun to operate trains on this route, they are now more departures than ever before to choose from, when travelling by train between these cities.
(3) Very few routes taken by trains between cities are as fabulous as this journey!

This is a direct journey

You will be travelling on one of these trains...

The Azuma with 'Together', the Pride-themed livery! Together', our Pride-themed livery with each carriage featuring a different LGBTQIA flag

LNER Azuma (UK) Train Guide

A 4 coach version of a CrossCountry Vogager train has arrived in Exeter...

CrossCountry Voyager (UK) Train Guide

Journey Features

Scenic - YesCoastal views

Good to Know

Which company and train is used on each departure won't particularly impact on ticket prices, travel at quieter times and you'll be more likely to find cheaper Advance tickets, irrespective of which train is being used for a departure.

The train you will be travelling by also doesn't particularly impact on the journey times, as they all follow the same route.

What affects the journey times is how many stations between Edinburgh and Newcastle that each specific departure is scheduled to call at.
Though LNER operates most of the faster non-stop trains.

Though if the prices are similar across the departures when looking up the journey, ShowMeTheJourney's preference is to avoid the trains operated by Cross Country.
The other trains on this route are more modern and have more comfortable ambience than the Voyager trains which CrossCountry uses on some departures.

Journey description:

For the majority of the train ride between Edinburgh and Newcastle the railway lives up to its name of the 'The East Coast Mainline'.

The trains take a route on which the coast can be seen before the train has even left Edinburgh behind; and the sea views initially continue until south of Dunbar.

To the north of Berwick-upon-Tweed the train will travel across the clifftops as it crosses the border into England, these are the most dramatic coastal views on the journey.

Minutes after the train has passed through Berwick-upon-Tweed, the next highlight is the view from the majestic Royal Border Bridge.

Between there and Alnmouth there are views on the left over the dramatic Northumberland coast.

If when you board you discover that your assigned seat(s) on the left-hand side see if you can find available seats on the left hand side of the train.
If you move to a different seat(s) it won't affect the validity of your ticket.

If your ticket(s) don't include reserved seats, then try to choose seats on the left, when facing the direction of travel.

Sadly there is no guarantee of rainbows as the train leaves Edinburgh behind

Look out on the left for the view of the Bass Rock

By the coast to the south of Dunbar

Heading south from the town of Berwick Upon Tweed

Look out for the view of Lindisfarne as the train travels through Northumberland

The view of the Tyne Bridge as the train arrives in Newcastle

Looking left on the Royal Border Bridge just after departing Berwick

A glimpse of the ruins of the smugglers bothy at Lamberton Skerrs south of Berwick

Passing the village of Alnmouth

The general guide to rail travel in Britain Discover what's good to know about riding the trains, taking popular journeys, using the major stations, booking tickets and travelling with rail passes.

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Tickets

Choosing a departure

As there are three operators which provide the conventionally operated trains on the Edinburgh to Newcastle route, the recommendation is to use the National Rail booking service when looking up this journey.
By doing so you'll have an overview of the ticket times and prices of all departures, no matter which company is operating each departure, and you will also avoid any booking fees.

One company doesn't always offer the cheapest fares on this route, so it's worth making an easy comparison across all departures.

Booking Advance Tickets for LNER trains

If you want to travel at the cheapest possible price, look for the 'Advance tickets', though the three key things worth knowing about booking and using 'Advance' tickets in usual circumstances are:

(1) Your ticket(s) will only be valid on the departure you selected when making a booking
(2) *A fee will be payable if you want to transfer your ticket(s) to a different departure ahead of your travel date - and you will only be able to choose alternative departures operated by the same company that's providing the service you were originally booked on to.
(3) *This type of ticket can't be refunded if you subsequently change your travel plans, or miss the train in circumstances not to do with a connecting train.
(4) If the train you are booked on is delayed, you cannot then just hop on an alternative train operated by a different company.
*= the T&Cs of using Advance tickets have been made more flexible for journeys taken before November 30th

Booking Advance Tickets for CrossCountry trains

If you want to travel at the cheapest possible price, look for the 'Advance tickets', though the three key things worth knowing about booking and using 'Advance' tickets in usual circumstances are:
(1) Your ticket(s) will only be valid on the departure you selected when making a booking.
(2) But when travelling by CrossCountry trains, you can amend your ticket free of charge, regardless of when it was booked and when you will be travelling from 2 hours after purchase and up to 15 minutes before your train is due to depart, as long as the stations are the same.
(3) If the train you are booked on is delayed, you cannot then just hop on an alternative train operated by a different company.

Reservations

When you book an Advance ticket for an Edinburgh train journey, you will be automatically assigned a seat(s), but if you book the other types of ticket ahead, you can request a complimentary reservation - more info on this
Tickets can now be booked online up to 5 to 15 minutes prior to departure

However, if you buy Off Peak or Anytime tickets just prior to boarding at the station, a seat reservation WON'T be automatically included with your booking.

That's because reservations at stations need to be booked by the end of the previous day for morning departures and around two hours ahead for afternoon/evening departures - so also keep that in mind if you will be using a rail pass, including a Britrail or Eurail pass.

Travelling on Monday - Friday

Tickets are usually available 12 weeks ahead of the travel date.
However, when you look up a journey you may see dates further ahead on the calendar, but you'll be informed that tickets aren't yet available for those dates.

Travelling on Saturday-Sunday

Tickets are usually available 12 weeks ahead of the travel date, but maintenance work on the route is periodically undertaken at weekends and if it is scheduled on your travel date, it can affect when tickets will be released for sale.

If you're looking up a journey less than 12 weeks ahead and tickets aren't available, it can be a good indication that works will be impacting on your travel date.
It can be worth checking this on the National Rail website