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, Bistro 21 (Aykley Heads House Aykley Heads) and Restaurant 1744 @ Redworth Hall Hotel (Redworth) are great picks. For delicious green meals, The Cellar Door (41/42 Saddler Street) and The Curious Mr Fox (Framwellgate) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Durham.

When to visit Durham

Durham in August
Estimated hotel price
$186
1 night at 3-star hotel
Durham in August
Estimated hotel price
$186
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 30 km from Durham. The shortest flight to Durham from New Zealand departs from Auckland and takes around 35h 55m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Durham, followed by Cross Country. The train journey from Durham to London takes 2h 48m and costs around $113 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Exeter, expect to pay about $378 for a 6h 13m trip. The train station in Durham is called Durham, and is located 0.4 km from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Durham is to pick up a car hire from Edinburgh, which is about 166 km from Durham. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Europcar, among others, in Edinburgh.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Durham, including FlixBus, Megabus and National Express. From Manchester, the bus ride to Durham takes 338 km and will cost you around $41. From Nottingham, the ticket costs about $31 for a journey of 354 km. Durham’s bus station is located 1.2 km from the city centre.

Plane

Although Durham doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Newcastle Airport (UK) (NCL), which is located 30 km from Durham. The shortest flight to Durham from New Zealand departs from Auckland and takes around 35h 55m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Durham, followed by Cross Country. The train journey from Durham to London takes 2h 48m and costs around $113 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Exeter, expect to pay about $378 for a 6h 13m trip. The train station in Durham is called Durham, and is located 0.4 km from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Durham is to pick up a car hire from Edinburgh, which is about 166 km from Durham. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Europcar, among others, in Edinburgh.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Durham, including FlixBus, Megabus and National Express. From Manchester, the bus ride to Durham takes 338 km and will cost you around $41. From Nottingham, the ticket costs about $31 for a journey of 354 km. Durham’s bus station is located 1.2 km from the city centre.

Airlines serving Durham

Lufthansa
Good (4,682 reviews)
KLM
Good (849 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,550 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,620 reviews)
Air France
Good (983 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,592 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,121 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,456 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (925 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (830 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (507 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (722 reviews)
Malaysia Airlines
Good (184 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (769 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (968 reviews)
China Eastern
Good (54 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (983 reviews)
easyJet
Good (1,441 reviews)
Eurowings
Good (194 reviews)
Ryanair
Good (3,427 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Durham

Average rates range from around $147 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $191 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Durham

Most booked hotels in Durham

Hotel Indigo Durham
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
$234+
Travelodge Durham
3 stars
Excellent (9, Excellent reviews)
$97+
Lumley Castle Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$168+
Radisson Blu Hotel, Durham
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
$231+
Delta Hotels by Marriott Durham Royal County
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
$215+
Ramside Hall Hotel, Golf And Spa
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
$222+

Hiring a car in Durham

Expect to pay $3.06 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 $36.68 and $48.91. The most frequently booked car type in Durham is Intermediate (Nissan Qashqai or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Peugeot 208 or similar) is, on average, 74% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Expect to pay $3.06 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 $36.68 and $48.91. The most frequently booked car type in Durham is Intermediate (Nissan Qashqai or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Peugeot 208 or similar) is, on average, 74% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.