What are my Newcastle to Birmingham train options?

Looking for a getaway to Britain's second city? We've got you covered. Here's our guide to getting a better price on your Newcastle to Birmingham train journey and what you can expect when you travel. 

In terms of a direct Newcastle to Birmingham train, there's just one operator, which is CrossCountry. They run one train every hour which goes via Leeds and takes 3h20m to 3h30m. Up to four times per day, you'll also find services that go via Doncaster. These trains take between 2h50m and 3h. 

Let's take a look at the fares that you can expect to pay on the day: 

• Anytime Return - £261.40
• Off-Peak Return - £138.10.

The Off-Peak Return is valid after 09:30 on weekdays in both directions. There aren't any restrictions on weekends or Bank Holidays. 

How do I get the best Newcastle to Birmingham train fare?

Here at Railsmartr, we'll find you the best Newcastle to Birmingham train fare that we can. This is one journey where it's almost always essential to do split ticketing. 

So, why is that? Put simply, the 'through' Advance fares between Newcastle and Birmingham (a 'through' fare means that you just buy one ticket from A to B) are very expensive. However, if you buy a ticket to, say, York, then Birmingham, you can save a packet. Let's take a look at what we get if we want to travel a couple of weeks ahead: 

So, those are still pretty expensive, but how much are you saving with split tickets? Let's see how much the 12:41 train would otherwise be: 

So, it's expensive, but you're saving over 50%. Unfortunately, this is a route where it can be quite difficult to get a truly 'cheap' fare as the trains are small and the availability of Advance tickets can be quite low.  Can you get the fares any lower for a Newcastle to Birmingham train journey, though? Let's look two months ahead, instead. 

This is a little better. As you can see, the 12:36 train is both the cheapest and the fastest option. This is the general rule if you're looking for a cheaper Newcastle to Birmingham train. These trains go via Doncaster and usually leave at 06:23, 08:35, 10:35 and 12:36 on weekdays, returning at 08:30 and 19:27 from Birmingham. They also run on Saturdays at similar times, but the route is regularly affected by engineering work. 

What are the trains like?

Taking a direct CrossCountry Newcastle to Birmingham train? Then you can expect to travel on a Voyager or Super Voyager. They have four or five carriages, but they're often paired up to make an eight or nine-carriage service. In Standard Class, the seats are in a 2+2 layout:

If you're travelling with a lot of luggage, you should bear in mind that the overhead racks are extremely small. So, anything larger than a backpack will need to go in the stacks at the carriage ends. There's a large compartment for luggage in Coach D. Typically, you'll only find two tables per carriage as well, except in Coach B, where you'll find four.

Another thing to remember is that the windows on these trains have a film on them that makes receiving phone and data signals quite challenging. On many sections of the journey, you might find it difficult to do anything other than light browsing. In terms of power sockets, you'll find one at every window seat. Don't have a seat reservation? The unreserved carriage is Coach F. If your train has five carriages, then Coach B is unreserved, too.

It's possible to travel in First Class. You'll find seating in a 2+1 layout as well as light snacks and refreshments. Don't expect anything too substantial, though. Our top tip is that it's worth asking exactly what's available on board, as we had to specifically ask for a bacon roll in the morning when we sampled the service!

Is there anything else I should know?

The final thing we’d recommend is using the Railsmartr website to book your Newcastle to Birmingham train journey. We’re completely independent, so we’re happy to ‘tell you like it is’ when it comes to rail fares. Not only that, but we’ll show you the slower, but cheaper options that some websites won’t. Don't forget that we've got split ticketing, too!

We don’t charge any fees, either. That includes if you change your mind and want to travel on a different day. If your ticket is refundable, we’ll refund it fee-free.

_{^{All information on this page is issued without liability and was correct at the time of writing (20/02/24). All fares are for ONE adult without Railcard discount. Railsmartr is not responsible for any loss or disappointment incurred as a result of the information provided.}}