Newcastle → Darlington
Live train times from Newcastle to Darlington, with around 71 direct services per day and a fastest typical journey of 27m. Operated by LNER, Northern and others. Currently 45.7% of services are running on time today.
Based on the last 31 days of timetable data
Today's performance
30-day performance
Typical calling pattern
Trains from Newcastle to Darlington are non-stop on the fastest services, taking 00:27. Most services call at one or two of Durham, Metro Centre, Manors. Slow services (00:47 typical) stop at up to 20 intermediate stations.
Which operator is most reliable on this route?
LNER runs the majority of direct services from Newcastle to Darlington. Over the last 30 days, 36.9% of LNER's services on this route ran on time, with an average delay of 9.9 minutes and a cancellation rate of 8.4%. Northern sees lower on-time performance (36.9%) but runs fewer services.
Why take the train?
The straight-line distance from Newcastle to Darlington is around 31 miles. By train the journey takes 00:27; the equivalent drive is typically 1h 32m to 1h 57m depending on traffic, plus 30 minutes of city-centre parking. National Rail publishes average CO₂ emissions of ~35g per passenger-km for electric intercity trains — for this route that's roughly 1.7 kg CO₂ per passenger. The same trip in a petrol car with one occupant emits around 8.5 kg. Two passengers by train equals the per-person footprint of one passenger by car.
Delay Repay
DR30 operators only pay out from 30+ minutes.
Delay Repay for this route
All operators on this route participate in the National Rail Delay Repay scheme. London North Eastern Railway (LNER) operates the DR30 scheme (30–59 min: 50%, 60+ min: 100%). Claims can be made within 28 days of travel. Use Railly's Delay Repay calculator to check eligibility and pre-fill the operator's claim form.
Travel tips for this route
LNER and Northern services from Newcastle to Darlington can be busy around 20:00. Avoid the 20:00 peak if you can — the 00:00–04:00 services are typically 28% less crowded. Off-peak return tickets are valid on any train after 09:30 on weekdays, all day weekends. The first train is at 03:20 and the last at 22:44. If your train is delayed by 15 minutes or more, you can claim Delay Repay compensation directly from the operator.