Northern timetable changes implemented in May include direct railway routes between Newcastle and Whitby on Sundays for more passengers
The update to Northern timetables in May will include direct routes between Newcastle and Whitby on Sundays for more passengers.
Northern national timetable updates take place every May and December and most of the services will see no change in May, with some targeted adjustments taking place to help with punctuality and reflecting on feedback from customers.
In the North East, more customers will be able to travel between Newcastle and Whitby on Sundays without changing trains, and there will be some small tweaks to the timetables on other lines.
In Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, trains running between Sheffield and Lincoln will now call at all stations along the route on Sundays.
In the North West, there will be some small changes on a few routes to help with punctuality.
There are several tools available to help customers plan their journeys including the Northern app which gives customers access to real-time updates, purchase tickets, and receive notifications about service alterations and National Rail Enquiries journey planner which is where you can check for timetable changes, engineering works and plan journeys.
Toby Higgins, head of business performance at Northern, said: “We've listened to feedback from our customers and have focused on improving reliability when the May timetable change takes place.
“Whilst there won't be widespread changes to times, I'd advise customers to check before they travel as some services will leave a few minutes earlier than they do now to help with overall punctuality.”
Full details of all of the changes taking place across the Northern network can be found on Northern’s website.
CrossCountry has also confirmed its updated timetable and will be introduced on Sunday, May 17, 2026, reflecting customer demand on services across Britain.
Customers will see additional services between Reading and Newcastle via Birmingham, new direct connections to the New Forest, and new express journeys, with fewer station stops, to and from Reading. These include the 7.32am and 10.33am Birmingham to Reading service, the 9.43am Reading to York, the 2.35pm York to Reading, and the 6.45pm Reading to Newcastle services.
Long-distance customers will also benefit from additional services between Reading, Birmingham, York and Newcastle, which will improve rail connectivity between the North East, Yorkshire, the East Midlands and the Thames Valley.
Additional services are being introduced to prioritise connections between the West Midlands and Reading, with fewer station calls. These services also deliver more direct journeys between Reading and the North East/Yorkshire without travelling through London.
Shiona Rolfe, CrossCountry’s managing director, said: “Our May 2026 timetable lets us better match supply with demand, provide more services on our key long‑distance corridors and restore much‑valued regional between the North East, the Midlands and the South West.
“We’ve made these changes based on clear customer needs and strong stakeholder feedback from across the country. We will continue to review our services to provide reliable journeys for the communities we serve.”