'We're ready': New station will open on the Northumberland Line this weekend

Northumberland Park will open on Sunday, 22 February, with the first service arriving at 8.10am.

It is the fifth new station on the Northumberland Line, which reopened in December 2024 – for the first time in 60 years. More than one million journeys have been made on the route so far. 

Passengers using Northumberland Park will be able to travel into Newcastle in around 10 minutes, with an off-peak single fare costing just £1.70. They can then easily reach a wide range of destinations on the wider rail network. 

It will also provide a convenient interchange point for passengers, allowing them to step off a Northern train and catch Tyne and Wear Metro services, which run to 60 different stations. 

They can use Pop Pay As You Go (PAYG) cards to travel on Northumberland Line trains and Metro services, but must tap in and out at each station to ensure they are charged the correct fare. 

Alex Hornby, Northern’s commercial and customer director, said: “We’ve been working hard to prepare for the opening of Northumberland Park and are looking forward to welcoming customers on board this weekend. 

“The Northumberland Line is having a really positive impact on the region and this new station will allow even more people to benefit from quick, convenient and affordable train travel that opens up a range of new opportunities.

“We’re delighted to see the line has become so popular and are exploring all available options to increase capacity, so we can provide more seats and space on board the busier services.”

Glen Sanderson, leader of Northumberland County Council, said: "We're so looking forward to this next station re-opening, marking the latest milestone in this hugely ambitious project which is exceeding all expectations.

"We're looking forward to meeting passengers at the new station from Sunday."

Martin Gannon, North East Combined Authority deputy mayor and cabinet member for transport, said: “I’m pleased to see that Northumberland Park station will finally open for passengers.

"This follows the mayor’s £10.9m investment to get Northumberland Park station completed so that passengers can now enjoy a simple, affordable journeys on the Northumberland Line and Metro alongside easy access to local bus and ferry services.

"The station is a short walk away from Cobalt Business Park so will be a real asset to commuters too.

“We know how transformative good transport links are for local people, and we’ll continue to invest in regional schemes that deliver positive outcomes and opportunities for residents.”

Cathy Massarella, managing director of Nexus, said: "This brand‑new station creates a direct link straight into the Tyne and Wear Metro, opening even more opportunities for tens of thousands of people across the region.

"From visiting the coast to quicker access to businesses based along the network, customers can now benefit from improved connectivity and help reduce congestion on the road. 

"With a Pop card, customers can tap in and out on the Metro and the Northumberland Line. I’d like to thank our partners at Northern and our colleagues in local authorities for working closely with us to deliver these integrated fares and a customer experience that really puts people first.

"This collaboration has helped ensure that today isn’t just the opening of a new station, but the opening of new opportunities for communities right along the route."

The Northumberland Line reopened to passengers in 2024, thanks to a project involving Northumberland County Council, the Department for Transport, Network Rail and Northern.

Services call at Ashington, Blyth Bebside, Newsham, Seaton Delaval, Manors and Newcastle, with a journey along the entire route taking around 35 minutes and a single ticket costing no more than £3.

In December, Northern introduced a new late service on the line, following calls from passengers who want more time to enjoy a night in Newcastle. It departs from Newcastle at 11.21pm on weekdays and Saturdays.

Services on Sundays were also extended, running through to the station at the MetroCentre so customers can travel directly to the popular shopping centre.

The final station on the line, Bedlington, is due to open to customers on Sunday, 29 March.

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,650 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.