Durham travel guide

Durham Tourism | Durham Guide

You're Going to Love Durham

With a population of 45,696, Durham is a must-see destination in England, United Kingdom. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Consider staying at least one whole day in Durham to see all of its attractions.

Where to Eat in Durham

If you’re looking for affordable options, Bistro 21 (Aykley Heads House Aykley Heads) and Restaurant 1744 @ Redworth Hall Hotel (Redworth) are great picks. For delicious green meals, The Cellar Door (41/42 Saddler Street) and The Curious Mr Fox (Framwellgate) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Durham.

When to visit Durham

Durham in January
Estimated hotel price
£91
1 night at 3-star hotel
Durham in January
Estimated hotel price
£91
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Durham

Plane

Although Durham doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Newcastle Airport (UK) (NCL), which is located 19 miles from Durham. The shortest domestic flight to Durham departs from Belfast and takes around 50m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Durham, followed by Lumo. The train journey from Durham to Edinburgh takes 1h 54m and costs around £8 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from London, expect to pay about £48 for a 2h 48m trip. The train station in Durham is called Durham, and is located 0.2 miles from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Durham is to pick up a car hire from Manchester, which is about 93 miles from Durham. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and DRIVALIA , among others, in Manchester.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Durham, including Megabus, FlixBus and National Express. From Darlington, the bus ride to Durham takes 55 miles and will cost you around £17. From Edinburgh, the ticket costs about £10 for a journey of 155 miles. Durham’s bus station is located 0.8 miles from the city centre.

Plane

Although Durham doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Newcastle Airport (UK) (NCL), which is located 19 miles from Durham. The shortest domestic flight to Durham departs from Belfast and takes around 50m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Durham, followed by Lumo. The train journey from Durham to Edinburgh takes 1h 54m and costs around £8 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from London, expect to pay about £48 for a 2h 48m trip. The train station in Durham is called Durham, and is located 0.2 miles from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Durham is to pick up a car hire from Manchester, which is about 93 miles from Durham. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and DRIVALIA , among others, in Manchester.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Durham, including Megabus, FlixBus and National Express. From Darlington, the bus ride to Durham takes 55 miles and will cost you around £17. From Edinburgh, the ticket costs about £10 for a journey of 155 miles. Durham’s bus station is located 0.8 miles from the city centre.

Airlines serving Durham

Lufthansa
Good (4,623 reviews)
KLM
Good (850 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,466 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,607 reviews)
Air France
Good (973 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,546 reviews)
Emirates
Good (2,125 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,483 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (915 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (832 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (709 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (493 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (778 reviews)
Malaysia Airlines
Good (181 reviews)
easyJet
Good (1,447 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (956 reviews)
Eurowings
Good (195 reviews)
China Eastern
Good (51 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (988 reviews)
Qantas Airways
Good (542 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Durham

Average rates range from around £89 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £160 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Durham

Most booked hotels in Durham

Thomas Wright House
4 stars
Excellent (9.5, Excellent reviews)
£76+
Hotel Indigo Durham
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
£111+
South Causey Inn
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
£148+
Oak Tree Inn
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£39+
Travelodge Durham
3 stars
Excellent (9, Excellent reviews)
£48+
Lumley Castle Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
£88+

Hiring a car in Durham

Hiring a car in Durham costs £30 per day, on average.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 2% cheaper than airport locations in Durham.

Expect to pay £1.49 per litre in Durham (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £17.82 and £23.76. The most frequently booked car type in Durham is Full-size (Fiat Scudo or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Smart Fortwo or similar) is, on average, 74% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Durham costs £30 per day, on average.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 2% cheaper than airport locations in Durham.

Expect to pay £1.49 per litre in Durham (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £17.82 and £23.76. The most frequently booked car type in Durham is Full-size (Fiat Scudo or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Smart Fortwo or similar) is, on average, 74% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.