LNER route
A weekday LNER through train links London King's Cross with Teesside, calling at York and Thornaby before reaching Middlesbrough.
The Tees Transporter Bridge, the longest surviving transporter bridge in the world, about half a mile from the station.Photo: The joy of all things, CC BY-SA 4.0
Direct LNER trains between London and Middlesbrough began in December 2021. The current timetable has one through train each way on weekdays, running via York and on to Teesside, calling at Thornaby on the way.
At other times the usual approach is to take an LNER train to Darlington or York and change there for local connections to Thornaby and Middlesbrough.
Frequency: One train a day in each direction, Monday to Friday only (May–December 2026 timetable). There is no through LNER service at weekends.
Calling pattern: The Middlesbrough train calls at Peterborough, Retford, Doncaster, York and Thornaby.
Based on LNER's May–December 2026 timetable. Timetables change — check your train with LNER timetables or National Rail.
Between Peterborough and Retford the train runs over Stoke Bank, where the steam locomotive Mallard set the world steam speed record of 126 mph on 3 July 1938.
Coloured dots are calling points on this route; grey stations are served by other LNER routes.
One idea from each calling point. Open a station guide for more.
One of the finest surviving twelfth-century buildings in England, with a dramatic Early English West Front and the tomb of Henry VIII's first wife, Katharine of Aragon. Guided tours, including the upper levels and tower, can be booked.
A free museum on Grove Street covering the history of north Nottinghamshire from the earliest times to today. It is closed on Wednesdays in term time and on Sundays.
A free cultural hub on Waterdale combining the city museum, art gallery, library, the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry museum and a Rail Heritage Centre. Open Monday to Saturday.
The seat of the Archbishop of York, with a church recorded on the site since 627; most of the present Gothic building went up between 1220 and 1472. Allow plenty of time to take in the scale of it.
The barrage controls the river level and is home to a 300-metre white water course and a large high-ropes climbing course, with riverside walks for a gentler visit. Activities are for ages eight and over.
Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art opened in 2007 and has been part of Teesside University since 2014. It is hosting the Turner Prize in 2026 and shows the Middlesbrough Collection; it is closed on Mondays.
We researched this page using the sources below. They are listed for transparency and are not links; always check official websites for the latest details.
Check live times and fares with LNER, or compare prices on Trip.com. Book early for the best chance of a cheaper Advance fare.