Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

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, Finbarr's (Aykley Heads House Aykley Heads) and The Kingslodge Inn (Waddington St) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Ajiwai Japanese & Korean BBQ (88 Claypath) and COHO Durham (Freemans Place) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Durham.

When to visit Durham

Durham in January
Estimated hotel price
£85
1 night at 3-star hotel
Durham in January
Estimated hotel price
£85
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 Bristol and takes around 1h 05m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Durham, followed by Lumo. The train journey from Durham to London takes 2h 47m and costs around £179 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Birmingham, expect to pay about £45 for a 3h 26m 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 Alamo, among others, in Manchester.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Durham, including FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Leeds, the bus ride to Durham takes 115 miles and will cost you around £8. From Edinburgh, the ticket costs about £13 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 Bristol and takes around 1h 05m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Durham, followed by Lumo. The train journey from Durham to London takes 2h 47m and costs around £179 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Birmingham, expect to pay about £45 for a 3h 26m 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 Alamo, among others, in Manchester.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Durham, including FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Leeds, the bus ride to Durham takes 115 miles and will cost you around £8. From Edinburgh, the ticket costs about £13 for a journey of 155 miles. Durham’s bus station is located 0.8 miles from the city centre.

Airports near Durham

MMEDarlington Teesside Intl
NCLNewcastle upon Tyne
LBALeeds/Bradford

Airlines serving Durham

Lufthansa
Good (7,044 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,836 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,935 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,698 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,446 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,215 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,563 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,203 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (967 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,292 reviews)
Ryanair
Good (5,053 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (852 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (1,076 reviews)
Malaysia Airlines
Good (254 reviews)
easyJet
Good (1,799 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (1,459 reviews)
China Eastern
Good (148 reviews)
Eurowings
Good (276 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Durham

Where to stay in Durham

Average rates range from around £82 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £155 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Durham

Most booked hotels in Durham

See all
Thomas Wright House
4 stars
Excellent (9.5, Excellent reviews)
£93+
View
South Causey Inn
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
£86+
View
Hotel Indigo Durham
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
£105+
View
Lumley Castle Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
£60+
View
Beamish Hall Country House Hotel, Bw Premier Collection
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
£93+
View
Travelodge Durham
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£55+
View

Hiring a car in Durham

Hiring a car in Durham costs £27 per day, on average.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 7% cheaper than airport locations in Durham.

Expect to pay £1.30 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 £15.58 and £20.77. The most frequently booked car type in Durham is Standard (Class Standard Van or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Toyota Aygo or similar) is, on average, 44% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Durham costs £27 per day, on average.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 7% cheaper than airport locations in Durham.

Expect to pay £1.30 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 £15.58 and £20.77. The most frequently booked car type in Durham is Standard (Class Standard Van or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Toyota Aygo or similar) is, on average, 44% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Durham

Durham Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Durham city guide for the best Durham travel tips. To help you organise your Durham trip ideas, this Durham visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.