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Travel
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External links
Arriva (buses)
Travelsure (buses)
Railtrack (all train
times)
GNER (train times)
Train Sights
For the best scenic views when travelling north, sit on the right-hand side of
the train (facing the direction of travel).
About 20 minutes after leaving Newcastle, the pretty village of Alnmouth, with
its distinctive pastel- coloured houses, can be seen on the headland above a bay.
On the left, 10 minutes later, Belford appears on a hill in the distance. But,
as the train thunders past, most travellers will be too busy looking out for a
glimpse of Holy Island. It appears soon after, on the right.
The 28 semi-circular arches of the Royal Border Bridge (built 150 years ago) carry
the train high above the River Tweed and into Berwick, with a spectacular view
of the town.
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| A small bus leaves Berwick. Single and double-deckers (with
a great view from the top deck) also operate on this route. |
| The 501 bus route passes through popular tourist destinations
such as Bamburgh and Seahouses. |
| Belford Market Place is a meeting point for buses from
Wooler, the coastal route and the A1. |
| The East Coast rail route is a pleasant way to reach Berwick.
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CAR
North Northumberland is easily accessible by car. The A1, London to Edinburgh
trunk road, passes through the region close to the east coast. Once you leave
the A1 you'll find good roads that are surprisingly quiet even at the height of
summer. Visitors often comment on what a pleasure it is to drive around North
Northumberland.
BUS
Arriva runs most of the buses in the area. Though Travelsure of Seahouses provides
some services too, including the route to Holy Island. Bus times to Holy
Island are determined by the tides.
The 505/515 Arriva service runs between Newcastle upon Tyne and Berwick
upon Tweed every two hours, passing through Alnwick
and Belford. The 501 takes a longer
(but picturesque) route along the coast, passing through popular tourist spots
such as Bamburgh,
Seahouses, Beadnell, Embleton
and Craster. This is a good way to see the coastline...
There is also an infrequent service from Belford to Wooler.
The services are fairly reliable, but can be delayed due to roadworks, bad weather
and picking up and dropping off school-children. They can be busy in the peak
season and very hot on the sunniest summer days. There are no buses in the evening
on some routes.
We strongly recommend that you always check an up-to-date timetable, plan out
any bus journey in advance (to make sure you can get back) and allow plenty of
time for train connections.
Bicycles can be carried in the boot (trunk) on some Northumbria Arriva buses for
a flat charge of 50p per journey.
Ask about tickets, as there are special deals. For instance, you can buy a one-day
ticket that gives you unlimited travel. This all-day ticket actually costs less
than one normal single journey from Berwick to Newcastle.
| Bus journey times (approximate): |
| Newcastle - Berwick |
140 mins |
| Newcastle - Alnwick |
80 mins |
| Alnwick - Berwick |
60 mins |
TAXI
Taxis are available in the main towns and in some villages. See our Services
page. In Berwick you can find them at the rail station and on the main street.
The fare usually works out at around £1.25 per mile.
TRAIN
The East Coast railway line runs between London and Scotland. This service, which
is operated by GNER, is one of the best in the UK and pleasant to use. Certainly
a more enjoyable way to travel between Newcastle and Berwick. The rail journey
takes less than half the time of the equivalent bus trip, but costs more than
twice the price.
The main railway station in North Northumberland is at Berwick upon Tweed. However,
not all trains stop at Berwick, so you should check this before boarding elsewhere.
There is a small station at Chathill which has only one or two services each day.
Currently there is talk of a similar service resuming at Belford in the future.
It is important that you buy a ticket before boarding any train. Unless it is
impossible to purchase one at the station for some reason.
| Typical train journey times to and from Berwick-upon-Tweed: |
London |
210-230 mins |
| Newcastle upon Tyne |
50 mins |
| Edinburgh |
50 mins |
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