Major milestone marked as half a million journeys are made on the Northumberland Line
05 Aug 2025
500,000 passengers have now travelled on the Northumberland Line since it opened, train operator Northern has announced.
The operator has been running trains since the line opened in December 2024, with the milestone of half a million customer journeys achieved just eight months later.
Services call at Newcastle, Manors and at new stations in Seaton Delaval, Newsham and Ashington, with a journey along the entire route taking around 35 minutes and a single fare costing no more than £3.
Trains are proving to be particularly popular during school holidays and weekends.
The train operator began providing extra capacity from in July to meet demand, ensuring all Sunday services have four carriages.
Paul Henry, programme manager for the Northumberland Line, said: “We’re delighted to have hit this significant milestone within nine months of opening.
“It shows there are thousands of people who are making the most of these services.
“Transforming an old freight line into a railway which can be used by thousands of passengers on a daily basis hasn’t been easy, but it has made a huge difference to people in Northumberland.”
Work on Blyth Bebside station is almost complete, while stations in Northumberland Park and Bedlington are due to open to customers in 2026.
Glen Sanderson, leader of Northumberland County Council, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and I’d like to thank every single person who has used this line, whether that’s for work, socialising, education or simply to experience it.
“These amazing figures reflect how important the line is for many people for so many reasons and we look forward to even greater passenger numbers over the coming months once the remaining stations open."
The rail line, which had only been used by freight trains since the 1960s, opened to passengers on December 15 in 2024 thanks to a project involving the Department for Transport, Network Rail, Northumberland County Council and Northern.
More than 16 miles of track has been renewed as part of the project. The signalling system has been upgraded and 24 level crossings have been modified to improve safety.
The train operator is now running two daytime services an hour on the Northumberland Line from Monday to Saturday and one train per hour in the evenings and on Sundays.
The maximum peak-time single fare – for the trip from Newcastle to Ashington – is £3 and a return trip costs £6. An off-peak single for the same journey is £2.60 and a return is £5.20.
Customers, who are required to buy a ticket before they board, are being reminded they can avoid waiting in line by purchasing them on the Northern website or app.
They can also buy Pop Pay As You Go (PAYG) cards, which allow them to tap in and out when they switch between Northumberland Line trains and Tyne and Wear Metro services.
Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,650 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.