Durham Train Station

The historic city of Durham was originally served by four stations. The present-day Durham train station opened in 1857 and was redeveloped in 1871 to meet the needs of the expanding 19th-century rail network.

Today, Durham is home to several UNESCO world heritage sites. These include the famous Durham Cathedral which is considered one of the best examples of Norman architecture in the country.

If you’re heading south from Scotland, Durham is easily accessible from Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh. The Newcastle to Durham route is less than 15 minutes; making it perfect for a change of scenery if you don’t want to stray too far. From the south coast Durham can be reached in a relaxing five hours on the Southampton to Durham route.

Together with other famous city landmarks, and the natural beauty of the surrounding countryside, Durham could be perfect for your next city break.

Things to do in Durham

The present-day city of Durham can be traced back at least a thousand years when it was founded by monks from Lindisfarne. The area has been continually inhabited since around 2,000 BC, making the city of Durham full of history to discover.

Today the city is most well-known for the world-famous Durham Cathedral, but Durham also has an ancient Roman fort in Bicester, and medieval ruins and castles including Brancepeth Castle and Bowes Castle. The medieval bones of Saint Cuthbert and Saint Bede are also interred here. However Durham’s religious significance in England extends beyond the thousand-year-old Norman Cathedral.

Durham’s rich history and beautiful surroundings have made it a popular location for film and television production for over fifty years. Famous productions shot in Durham include Get Carter, Downton Abbey, Billy Elliot, Avengers: Endgame and Harry Potter. A short journey north will take you to the world-famous open air museum of Beamish (Newcastle is only 12 minutes away by train).

If you need to keep the kids entertained Durham has plenty to offer them too. Wharton Park, Diggerland and Adventure Valley are just some of the amazing family-friendly activities. If you really want to tire the kids out then visit Infinite Air for a fun high-energy afternoon.

If shopping is your reason to visit Durham then you’re in luck. Prince Bishops Place is your inner-city shopping destination; and slightly further out of town is the Dalton Park Outlets. If arts and crafts is more your style you might want to visit the No 42 Gallery in Market Place which showcases exhibits from local and emerging artists; along with a workshop area for craft skill sessions. Durham also has an eclectic mix of boutiques and independent shops throughout the city.

You won’t run out of things to do in Durham.

More entertainment options include comedy clubs, the theatre, and if you fancy a flutter there’s even horse racing along the banks of the River Wear.

Fancy something to eat when you finally stop? Durham is home to an abundance of highly rated restaurants; serving food from Mexico to India and everything in between. As well as traditional British options from pub food to contemporary restaurants.

In case you’re worried you won’t have time to see all that Durham has to offer, the city has a wide range of accommodation from countryside camping to hotels within walking distance of Durham train station.