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 May
Estimated hotel price
£88
1 night at 3-star hotel
Durham in May
Estimated hotel price
£88
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 30 km 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 Cross Country. The train journey from Durham to London takes 2h 48m and costs around £165 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Birmingham, expect to pay about £104 for a 3h 26m trip. The train station in Durham is called Durham, and is located 0.4 km from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Durham is to pick up a car hire from Manchester, which is about 150 km 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 Edinburgh, the bus ride to Durham takes 249 km and will cost you around £20. From Manchester, the ticket costs about £14 for a journey of 362 km. Durham’s bus station is located 1.2 km from the city centre.

Plane

Although Durham doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Newcastle Airport (UK) (NCL), which is located 30 km 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 Cross Country. The train journey from Durham to London takes 2h 48m and costs around £165 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Birmingham, expect to pay about £104 for a 3h 26m trip. The train station in Durham is called Durham, and is located 0.4 km from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Durham is to pick up a car hire from Manchester, which is about 150 km 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 Edinburgh, the bus ride to Durham takes 249 km and will cost you around £20. From Manchester, the ticket costs about £14 for a journey of 362 km. Durham’s bus station is located 1.2 km from the city centre.

Airlines serving Durham

Lufthansa
Good (4,696 reviews)
KLM
Good (846 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,594 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,587 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,600 reviews)
Air France
Good (980 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,110 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,431 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (926 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (834 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (519 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (728 reviews)
Malaysia Airlines
Good (186 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (760 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (973 reviews)
China Eastern
Good (57 reviews)
Eurowings
Good (194 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (967 reviews)
easyJet
Good (1,438 reviews)
Ryanair
Good (3,398 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Durham

Average rates range from around £90 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £154 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)
£166+
Oak Tree Inn
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£40+
Lumley Castle Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
£81+
Travelodge Durham
3 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
£45+

Hiring a car in Durham

Hiring a car in Durham costs £36 per day, on average.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 6% 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 £17.80 and £23.73. The most frequently booked car type in Durham is Economy (Vauxhall Corsa or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Volkswagen up! or similar) is, on average, 69% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Durham costs £36 per day, on average.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 6% 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 £17.80 and £23.73. The most frequently booked car type in Durham is Economy (Vauxhall Corsa or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Volkswagen up! or similar) is, on average, 69% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.