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 Estabulo - Durham (The Riverwalk) 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 May
Estimated hotel price
£89
1 night at 3-star hotel
Durham in May
Estimated hotel price
£89
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 Belfast and takes around 50m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Durham, followed by Lumo. The train journey from Durham to London takes 2h 48m and costs around £77 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Aberdeen, expect to pay about £90 for a 4h 18m 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 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 155 miles and will cost you around £13. From Manchester, the ticket costs about £22 for a journey of 205 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 Belfast and takes around 50m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Durham, followed by Lumo. The train journey from Durham to London takes 2h 48m and costs around £77 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Aberdeen, expect to pay about £90 for a 4h 18m 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 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 155 miles and will cost you around £13. From Manchester, the ticket costs about £22 for a journey of 205 miles. Durham’s bus station is located 0.8 miles from the city centre.

Airlines serving Durham

Lufthansa
Good (4,679 reviews)
KLM
Good (842 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,649 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,574 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,597 reviews)
Air France
Good (983 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,108 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,422 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (934 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (840 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (533 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (734 reviews)
Malaysia Airlines
Good (188 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (740 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (959 reviews)
China Eastern
Good (59 reviews)
Eurowings
Good (193 reviews)
China Southern
Excellent (33 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (953 reviews)
easyJet
Good (1,429 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Durham

Average rates range from around £92 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £150 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)
£112+
South Causey Inn
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
£167+
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 (8.7, 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 3% cheaper than airport locations in Durham.

Expect to pay £1.50 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 £17.92 and £23.90. The most frequently booked car type in Durham is Economy (Class Economy Car or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Kia Stonic or similar) is, on average, 79% 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 3% cheaper than airport locations in Durham.

Expect to pay £1.50 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 £17.92 and £23.90. The most frequently booked car type in Durham is Economy (Class Economy Car or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Kia Stonic or similar) is, on average, 79% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.