Runners and spectators travelling from Durham to the 2026 Great North Run will have more rail options after LNER announced extra services for race morning. The additional trains will call at Durham before continuing to Newcastle, helping passengers reach the start area in time for the event on Sunday 13 September.
LNER announced the timetable on 26 August 2026 as it prepares for thousands of customers travelling to what it describes as the world’s biggest half marathon. The extra services will also support passengers travelling from Edinburgh Waverley, Darlington, Doncaster and Leeds.
Extra Durham train times for the Great North Run
Five additional services will call at Durham. Their arrival times in Newcastle are spread across the morning, giving passengers several opportunities to make the journey:
- A service from Leeds will call at Durham at 08:16 and arrive in Newcastle at 08:32.
- A service from Doncaster will call at Durham at 08:08 and arrive in Newcastle at 08:23.
- A service from Darlington will call at Durham at 07:22 and arrive in Newcastle at 07:38.
- A later service from Darlington will call at Durham at 08:51 and arrive in Newcastle at 09:07.
The Leeds service will also call at York at 07:25, Northallerton at 07:45 and Darlington at 07:59. The Doncaster service will call at York at 07:22 and Darlington at 07:50. The first Darlington service will run from Darlington at 07:05, while the later train will leave Darlington at 08:34.
Passengers travelling from further north can use an additional 06:45 service from Edinburgh Waverley. It will call at Dunbar, Reston, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Alnmouth and Morpeth before arriving in Newcastle at 08:23.
More seats for runners and spectators
The additional services will supplement wider timetable changes introduced in December 2025. Since then, LNER says hourly services between Newcastle and London King’s Cross have increased from two to three per hour in each direction, seven days a week.
David Flesher, LNER’s commercial director, said the company was providing “additional services and thousands more seats” for people travelling to the half marathon. He also highlighted LNER colleagues who will take part while fundraising for the company’s charity partner, CALM, the Campaign Against Living Miserably.
Newcastle City Council leader Councillor Colin Ferguson said the event brings thousands of people together and that the extra services would make it easier for runners and spectators to attend.
How to book
Advance fares are available through the LNER app and the LNER website. Passengers with a Railcard are reminded to apply it when booking to receive additional savings.
The Great North Run takes place between Newcastle and South Shields, with runners and supporters expected to travel into the region on race day. LNER said its colleagues and other participants would be supporting charitable causes across the region and beyond.