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

Sunderland travel guide

Sunderland Tourism | Sunderland Guide

You're Going to Love Sunderland

With a population of 177,965, Sunderland 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 Sunderland to see all of its attractions.

Where to Eat in Sunderland

If you’re looking for affordable options, San Marino at Hanover Place (San Marino at Hanover Place) and House of Zen Seaburn (Whitburn Road) are great picks.

When to visit Sunderland

Sunderland in January
Estimated hotel price
£56
1 night at 3-star hotel
Sunderland in January
Estimated hotel price
£56
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Sunderland

Plane

Although Sunderland doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Newcastle Airport (UK) (NCL), which is located 25 km from Sunderland. The shortest domestic flight to Sunderland departs from Bristol and takes around 1h 05m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Sunderland, followed by Lumo. The train journey from Sunderland 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. Located 1.1 km from the city centre, Sunderland Stadium of Light is the busiest station in Sunderland. Another popular train station is Sunderland Seaburn, located 2.7 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Sunderland is to pick up a car hire from Manchester, which is about 168 km from Sunderland. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Alamo, among others, in Manchester.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Sunderland, including FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Leeds, the bus ride to Sunderland takes 185 km and will cost you around £8. From Edinburgh, the ticket costs about £13 for a journey of 249 km. Sunderland’s bus station is located 0.3 km from the city centre.

Plane

Although Sunderland doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Newcastle Airport (UK) (NCL), which is located 25 km from Sunderland. The shortest domestic flight to Sunderland departs from Bristol and takes around 1h 05m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Sunderland, followed by Lumo. The train journey from Sunderland 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. Located 1.1 km from the city centre, Sunderland Stadium of Light is the busiest station in Sunderland. Another popular train station is Sunderland Seaburn, located 2.7 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Sunderland is to pick up a car hire from Manchester, which is about 168 km from Sunderland. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Alamo, among others, in Manchester.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Sunderland, including FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Leeds, the bus ride to Sunderland takes 185 km and will cost you around £8. From Edinburgh, the ticket costs about £13 for a journey of 249 km. Sunderland’s bus station is located 0.3 km from the city centre.

Airports near Sunderland

MMEDarlington Teesside Intl
NCLNewcastle upon Tyne
LBALeeds/Bradford

Airlines serving Sunderland

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)
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Where to stay in Sunderland

Average rates range from around £80 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £80 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Sunderland, with prices from £38 to £1,187 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Sunderland are about 30% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Sunderland

Most booked hotels in Sunderland

See all
Holiday Inn Sunderland - City Centre
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
£64+
View
Hilton Garden Inn Sunderland
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£73+
View
Highfield Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£71+
View
Clarion Hotel Newcastle South
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
£75+
View
Grand Hotel Sunderland
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
£72+
View
The Lambton Worm
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
£71+
View

Hiring a car in Sunderland

Hiring a car in Sunderland costs £33 per day, on average.

You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 13% more expensive than at Newcastle upon Tyne.

Expect to pay £1.30 per litre in Sunderland (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 Sunderland is Full-size (Renault Espace or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Fiat 500 or similar) is, on average, 38% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Sunderland costs £33 per day, on average.

You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 13% more expensive than at Newcastle upon Tyne.

Expect to pay £1.30 per litre in Sunderland (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 Sunderland is Full-size (Renault Espace or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Fiat 500 or similar) is, on average, 38% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Sunderland

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