Tickets now on sale for customers planning to use new Northumberland Line station

Customers planning to use a new station on the Northumberland Line can now buy tickets for their journeys, ahead of the opening next week.

Blyth Bebside – the fourth station built on the line – will open on Sunday, 19 October and the first service is due to depart at 8.23am.

Customers will be able to travel to Newcastle in under 30 minutes, paying just £2.10 for an off-peak single ticket and £4.20 for a return.

Tickets can now be bought on the Northern website and app, from ticket vending machines and over the counter at station ticket offices.

It comes after the Northumberland Line reopened to passengers – for the first time in 60 years – in December 2024. Since then, they have used it to make more than 650,000 journeys.

Services, which are run by Northern, have proved to be very popular during weekends and school holidays. But the train operator has also seen a growing number of commuters and students using weekday services in recent months.

The number of journeys made on the route by passengers using peak-time and season tickets rose by almost 50% between April and September in 2025.

Paul Henry, programme manager for the Northumberland Line, said: “We’ve been working hard to get ready for the opening of Blyth Bebside and are excited that the wait is almost over.

“People will soon be able to make the most of our affordable and reliable services, whether they’re travelling into Newcastle for work and taking a trip to enjoy a day out in Blyth.

“We’re delighted to see the Northumberland Line is proving to be so popular, as it has been used to make more than than 650,000 journeys so far.”

Glen Sanderson, Leader of Northumberland County Council, said: "Everyone involved with this project should feel incredibly proud to see another station opening next week.

"The number of passenger journeys has been amazing so far, and the opening of Blyth Bebside brings the completion of the whole project that step closer.

"We're looking forward to even more people enjoying the benefits of the line in the very near future."

Rail minister Lord Peter Hendy said: “The opening of Blyth Bebside is a major milestone, connecting thousands of people across the North East, unlocking growth and transforming communities.

“With over half a million people already using the Northumberland Line, this government is backing the restoration of this key service every step of the way, delivering on our Plan for Change promise to build a modern, reliable transport system that Britain needs and deserves.”

The rail line opened to passengers on December 15 in 2024, thanks to a project involving the Department for Transport, Network Rail, Northumberland County Council and Northern.

Services currently call at Newcastle, Manors and at new stations in Seaton Delaval, Newsham and Ashington, with a journey along the entire route taking around 35 minutes.

More than 16 miles of track has been renewed as part of the project. The signalling system has been upgraded and 24 level crossings have been modified to improve safety.

The train operator runs two daytime services an hour on the Northumberland Line from Monday to Saturday and one train per hour in the evenings and on Sundays​.

The maximum peak-time single fare – for the trip from Newcastle to Ashington – is £3 and a return trip costs £6. An off-peak single for the same journey is £2.60 and a return is £5.20.

Customers, who are required to buy a ticket before they board, are being reminded they can avoid waiting in line by purchasing them on the Northern website or app.

They can also buy Pop Pay As You Go (PAYG) cards, which allow them to tap in and out when they switch between Northumberland Line trains and Tyne and Wear Metro services.

Work on stations in Northumberland Park and Bedlington is ongoing and they are due to open to customers in 2026.