Northumberland Line fares announced as customers are told they can travel from Ashington to Newcastle for less than £3

A key priority for the new passenger rail project is ensuring real value for money for journeys, making it quick and affordable for customers to travel between Northumberland and Newcastle.

The maximum off-peak single fare (for the full line from Ashington to Newcastle) will be less than £3, with an innovative approach to pricing to enable customers to combine peak and off-peak tickets to get the best value travel. Cheaper fares for customers aged 21 and under will start from £1 single.

The rail line will be open from Summer 2024 and it is set to transform accessibility to employment, training and leisure for residents in south east Northumberland, as well as opening up a raft of new opportunities for education and travel.

Northern, which will operate the service, has confirmed a full range of rail-only tickets will be available.

Rail-only fares will be available through all established rail ticketing channels including online, via retail apps and at stations and season and flexi-season tickets will be available to ensure that there’s an affordable ticket for everybody.

Jason Wade, regional director for Northern, said: “Bringing new rail services to the North East as part of the Northumberland Line is something we’re thrilled to be a part of and we’re honoured to be able to connect communities along the route.

“Northern will be operating all passenger services on the line and we will provide a timetable that will help those communities connect with employment, education and other opportunities that will have a positive impact for the region.”

Glen Sanderson, Leader of Northumberland County Council, said: “In this day and age, being able to travel on a brand new rail line for just over £1 provides real value for money.

“It was always a priority that fares would be attractive, especially for young people who will benefit from increased education and training opportunities as a result of the Line opening.

“Tickets will go on sale in the coming months as we work towards opening this summer in this truly transformational project.”

Meanwhile, a paper to be presented to the region’s Joint Transport Committee (JTC) by Metro operator Nexus on March 19th highlights that young people are among those benefiting the most, with those 21 and under being able to buy single tickets for travel anywhere on the Northumberland Line and Metro system from just £1.

Nexus has worked closely with the County Council and Northern Trains to identify a set of integrated fares.

Rail Minister Huw Merriman said: “This Government’s restoration of the Northumberland Line will have a transformative effect on communities in the North East and is part of the Government’s plan to improve local transport across the country.

"Fares starting from as little as £1 will help make this new rail line even more attractive to passengers, especially for the many young people living in the area, providing them with better access to education and job opportunities across the region."

Young people aged 21 and under will have access using “Pop Blue” to single trips priced at £1 for travel anywhere on the Northumberland Line and Metro system, with daily caps of £1.70 for children under 16 and £2.20 for young people aged 21 and under.

Young people can get hold of a Pop Blue smart card free of charge from the website www.nexus.org.uk, where it is easy to add and top-up credit.  Pop Pay As You Go cards are also available from the website for adults who want to combine travel on the Northumberland Line with Metro.”

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.