December Timetable Changes

From Sunday 14 December, there will be important updates to services across the North East as part of a wider East Coast Main Line timetable change.

These improvements will bring more frequent trains and better connections on some routes, while others may now require a change of train.
 

What’s changing

Newcastle – Morpeth/Chathill 
We'll be adding double the number of Sunday trains to support growing demand in and around Morpeth. This route will also be separated from others and run between Newcastle and Morpeth/Chathill.
If you’re travelling to or from Carlisle, you’ll now need to change at Newcastle.

Hexham – Newcastle
This becomes a stopping train between Hexham and Newcastle.
For journeys beyond Newcastle, there’s a new through train from Carlisle to Middlesbrough, offering connections from Hexham, Prudhoe and Metrocentre to the Durham Coast.

Carlisle – Newcastle / Middlesbrough 

• Between Carlisle and Newcastle, there will be a semi-fast train service calling at key stations along the route with improved evening services, Monday to Saturday.
• The stopping train, which calls at all/most stations between Carlisle and Newcastle, will now extend to Middlesbrough, calling at Sunderland, Hartlepool, Stockton, Thornaby and Middlesbrough. The extension to Middlesbrough means there will be trains every hour, rather than every two, creating a through link between Carlisle and Middlesbrough.
• Between Carlisle and Newcastle, more trains will now call at Brampton, Bardon Mill and Wetheral.
  Between Newcastle and Middlesbrough, services will run hourly instead of every two hours, giving better east–west connections.

Newcastle – Ashington (Northumberland Line)
A new late train will run from Newcastle to Ashington, and on Sundays, the train will extend to the Metrocentre for added convenience.
During 2026 two new stations will open on the Northumberland Line, Bedlington and Northumberland Park. We'll share details of openings when confirmed. 

Bishop Auckland/Darlington – Saltburn
Some trains have been retimed, with later last departures from Bishop Auckland.

Middlesbrough – Whitby
An extra morning train and a retimed final train make it easier to travel for work, leisure, or a day by the coast.

Changes to other train operators and routes in the area

The rail industry has announced the biggest timetable change on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) in more than a decade, which will provide more trains, thousands of extra seats per day and quicker journeys, as part of a wider set of timetable changes across the network this December.

Launching on Sunday 14 December 2025, the new timetable is the result of £4billion invested on the ECML over the past decade, including the East Coast Upgrade, and will:

• Improve connectivity between London and Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland, including reductions in journey times to long distance services;
• Bring additional LNER services on Sundays between Bradford Forster Square and London King’s Cross;
• Enable a new hourly fast service with between Leeds and Sheffield, and additional services between Middlesbrough and Newcastle;
• Increase TransPennine Express services between Newcastle and Edinburgh Waverley to eight trains per day in each direction Monday-Saturday and seven trains in each direction on Sundays;
• Deliver more frequent East Midlands Railway services between Nottingham and Lincoln, doubling from one train per hour to two trains per hour Monday to Saturday, providing over 2,000 extra weekday seats and 2,500 extra Saturday seats;

Crucially, the new timetable will grow capacity with more than 60,000 extra seats across the route each week, and deliver better connectivity, including faster services from London to Edinburgh (just over four hours) and London to Leeds (just over two hours).

Find out more about the rest of the UK rail network at NationalRail.co.uk 

Where to check train times

• The Northern app
• Our online journey planner
• Or other national journey planners such as NationalRail.co.uk

From Sunday 14 December, we’ll be introducing a number of exciting improvements across Yorkshire, Humberside and the East Midlands – including new services, more seats, and better weekend travel options.

These changes will make it easier to get around the region, with faster journeys, more consistent timings, and extra capacity on some of our busiest routes.
 

What’s changing

Leeds – Sheffield (via Wakefield Westgate)
A brand new fast train service launches on 27 December running all week. There will be extra trains running on 20–21 December on this route for Christmas shoppers.
This adds over 30,000 extra seats each week and helps ease demand on both local stopping and long-distance trains.

York – Harrogate – Leeds
Additional morning peak train introduced to replace the LNER service which will no longer be running. 

Sheffield – Huddersfield
A new late evening train will run, giving customers more flexibility for evening travel.

Sheffield – York (via Pontefract)
We’re reinstating the Sunday trains, with two trains each way, improving weekend connectivity.

Sheffield – Hull – Scarborough
Sunday trains retimed to provide better onward connections across the route.

Leeds – Lincoln
Standardised departure times from Lincoln for a more consistent and reliable timetable.

Sheffield – Doncaster
An additional evening peak train added to support busy commuter periods.

Ravensthorpe
Ravensthorpe station will close as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade. A replacement bus service will operate to Dewsbury for onward train connections.

Please note: Some trains will be temporarily adjusted at times to allow for planned Transpennine Route Upgrade works.

Changes to other train operators and routes in the area

The rail industry has announced the biggest timetable change on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) in more than a decade, which will provide more trains, thousands of extra seats per day and quicker journeys, as part of a wider set of timetable changes across the network this December.

Launching on Sunday 14 December 2025, the new timetable is the result of £4billion invested on the ECML over the past decade, including the East Coast Upgrade, and will:

• Improve connectivity between London and Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland, including reductions in journey times to long distance services;
• Bring additional LNER services on Sundays between Bradford Forster Square and London King’s Cross;
• Enable a new hourly fast service with between Leeds and Sheffield, and additional services between Middlesbrough and Newcastle;
• Increase TransPennine Express services between Newcastle and Edinburgh Waverley to eight trains per day in each direction Monday-Saturday and seven trains in each direction on Sundays;
• Deliver more frequent East Midlands Railway services between Nottingham and Lincoln, doubling from one train per hour to two trains per hour Monday to Saturday, providing over 2,000 extra weekday seats and 2,500 extra Saturday seats;

Crucially, the new timetable will grow capacity with more than 60,000 extra seats across the route each week, and deliver better connectivity, including faster services from London to Edinburgh (just over four hours) and London to Leeds (just over two hours).

Find out more about the rest of the UK rail network at NationalRail.co.uk 

Where to check train times

• The Northern app
• Our online journey planner
• Or other national journey planners such as NationalRail.co.uk

Most services across the North West will remain largely the same, with only a few small changes to help improve punctuality and reliability.

What’s changing

Service retiming
A small number of trains have been retimed to support better punctuality and improve overall reliability.

Request stops
Stations at Pleasington, Hapton, and Burnley Barracks will no longer operate as request stops – trains will now call automatically at these stations.

Sunday timetable
The reduced Sunday timetable will continue on some routes. Click here for further details.

Temporary train length changes
A small number of off-peak trains will run with fewer carriages while we carry out essential maintenance and repairs to our train fleet.
We’ve focused these adjustments on trains that usually have plenty of seats available, to minimise the impact on customers.
Routes affected:

• Headbolt Lane – Blackburn
• Southport – Manchester Oxford Road / Stalybridge
• Liverpool – Manchester Oxford Road
• Manchester Piccadilly – Buxton

Changes to other train operators and routes in the area

• Avanti West Coast will be running additional trains between Liverpool and London. There will also be a reduction to some services to Blackpool and from Manchester, Chester and Holyhead.
• East Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway will improve connections at Crewe.
• Transport for Wales will offer more trains across the TFW network.

Find out more about the rest of the UK rail network at NationalRail.co.uk 

Where to check train times

• The Northern app
• Our online journey planner
• Or other national journey planners such as NationalRail.co.uk

Over the Christmas and New Year period, there will be some changes to trains. Full details can be found at https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/christmas-engineering