North East customers get extra Newcastle - Carlisle services

As part of the May timetable switch Northern will introduce an extra train each hour between the two cities, opening up new journey opportunities for customers on the route.

Anna Weeks, Regional Director at Northern, said: “We’re delighted to be able to strengthen the links between Newcastle and Carlisle – doubling the number of trains on weekdays and Saturdays and giving some stations on the route three trains per hour.

“The extra services provide excellent links along the line and will give our customers new commuting, business and leisure opportunities.”

As part of the train operator’s May timetable changes there will be a number of new services to provide new connection opportunities and more frequent services on existing routes.

As well as links between Newcastle and Carlisle, Northern has also introduced enhanced links between Hull and Scarborough, and the first direct services between Leeds and Chester and Sheffield and Gainsborough for many years.

The May 2019 enhancements – coupled with changes to timings – will not only add new journey opportunities, they have also been designed to build on the reliability and stability introduced during the timetable changes in December last year.

Anna added: “We are absolutely committed to providing the best possible rail service for our customers and our new timetables will see the introduction of new routes and services and strengthened links elsewhere in the region. We have also introduced some fantastic fares on the Tyne Valley – just £3 to travel between Newcastle and Carlisle – so our customers not only get better services, they also now get better value.

“We are working hard to provide a more reliable and punctual service and will deliver more than hundreds of millions of pounds of investment including the complete refurbishment of our fleet of trains, improvements at our stations and, of course, the retirement of our Pacer trains.”

Highlights of Northern’s timetable enhancements include:

New hourly service between

• Chester and Leeds (via Manchester Victoria)
• Sheffield and Gainsborugh (including weekday services for the first time at Gainsborough Central)

Hourly services between

• Blackpool North and Manchester Airport (via Piccadilly)
• Blackpool North to Hazel Grove (via Piccadilly)
• Preston to Manchester Victoria
• Hull to Scarborough

Other improvements

• Two trains per hour between Newcastle and Carlisle
• Three trains per hour between Harrogate and Leeds
• Faster journeys between Leeds and Lincoln

Full details of the improvements are available now via the Northern website and National Rail Enquiries.