Getting Around Corbridge Without a Car

Corbridge is small enough to cross on foot in a few minutes, and it has something many Northumberland villages have lost: a railway station and a choice of buses to both Hexham and Newcastle. With a little planning you can commute, shop and visit the Roman Town without a car. This guide covers the train, the buses, fares, cycling, walking and taxis, along with the accessibility points worth knowing before you travel.

Timetables change, so always check live times on National Rail Enquiries and the operators' own websites before setting off.

The train: Corbridge station

Corbridge station is on the Tyne Valley line between Newcastle and Carlisle, and all trains are run by Northern. It sits south of the River Tyne on Station Road (NE45 5AY), so from the village you cross the seven-arched bridge to reach it. Visit Corbridge puts the walk from the station to the village centre at about half a mile.

The basic pattern is roughly one train an hour in each direction between Newcastle and Hexham, with some extra trains at peak times. The journey to Newcastle Central takes around 40 minutes, and Hexham is only a few minutes away in the other direction. Most Corbridge trains start or finish at Hexham, so for Carlisle and the stations along Hadrian's Wall you will usually change there, although some Sunday trains run through to Carlisle. A few services continue east beyond Newcastle towards Middlesbrough.

The station is unstaffed and has no ticket office. Tickets are sold from card-only machines (contactless is accepted, cash is not), and Northern runs a penalty fare scheme, so buy a ticket or a promise-to-pay notice before you board. National Rail lists eight parking spaces at the station, none of them accessible bays, so if you are driving to the train it is often easier to use the free village car park on the south side of the bridge, which is on the way.

Best for:

The two platforms are linked by a footbridge. The Newcastle-bound platform is reached by a gentle ramp, but the platform for Hexham and Carlisle is reached only by stairs. If you are coming home from Newcastle with a pushchair, heavy luggage or a wheelchair, plan for that before you travel.

Buses to Hexham and Newcastle

Several bus routes serve Corbridge, and between them they give the village more frequent links to Hexham and Newcastle than the train alone.

• Go North East 10 runs between Hexham and Newcastle via Corbridge, Prudhoe, Crawcrook, Ryton, Blaydon and the Metrocentre. In Corbridge it stops on Station Road, near the village car park, and on Hill Street.
• Go North East 684 runs between Hexham and Newcastle Eldon Square on a different line, via Ovington, Wylam, Heddon-on-the-Wall and Throckley. English Heritage notes that it runs all year and is a handy way to reach Corbridge Roman Town.
• Go North East X85 is a faster Hexham to Newcastle service through Corbridge. It is mainly a commuter route with a very limited timetable, so check it carefully.
• Stagecoach 685 runs between Carlisle, Brampton, Hexham and Newcastle, and also calls in Corbridge.

The main stops for the 684, X85 and 685 are by The Angel on Main Street. The stop on the north side serves eastbound buses towards Newcastle, and the stop opposite serves westbound buses towards Hexham and Carlisle. Other stops in the village include Market Square, Bridge End, Prior Terrace and Corchester Lane.

The Hadrian's Wall Country Bus, now numbered 122 by Go North East, does not come to Corbridge. It runs from Hexham to Haltwhistle and the Wall forts, so take a train or bus to Hexham and change there. Go North East currently lists it as running daily all year, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

Fares and passes

Since January 2025 the North East Combined Authority has capped adult single bus fares at £2.50 across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and County Durham. It has extended the cap until at least March 2027, and shorter journeys can cost less. People aged 21 and under pay a £1 single fare, and adult and young person's day tickets cover buses, the Metro and the Shields Ferry across the region. A small number of services, such as tour buses, are excluded, so check the North East Combined Authority's fare cap page or ask the driver if you are unsure.

Older person's bus passes are valid outside the weekday morning peak and all day at weekends and on bank holidays, and Go North East says disabled persons' passes are valid at any time. Check the exact weekday start time with the operator. Rail fares are separate, so check Northern for tickets and railcards.

Cycling

Hadrian's Cycleway, National Cycle Network Route 72, runs along the Tyne Valley through the Corbridge area on its way between the Cumbrian coast and the North Sea. The charity that manages the network (formerly Sustrans, now the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust) describes the route as mainly country lanes and quiet roads, with a mix of on-road and traffic-free sections. Westwards it follows lanes towards Hexham, and eastwards it heads for Ovingham, Wylam and the riverside routes into Newcastle. Follow the blue NCN 72 signs rather than relying on a single map, as the signed line can change.

The B6530 east of the village has advisory cycle lanes, put in after a campaign by local cyclists. There is cycle storage at the station, and Northern carries bikes on its trains, although space is limited, so you may want to avoid the busiest commuter trains.

Walking

Most of what you need in Corbridge is within a short walk of the Market Place. Beyond the village:

• The station is about half a mile from the village centre, across the bridge.
• Corbridge Roman Town is about half a mile north-west of the village centre, on Corchester Lane. English Heritage puts the walk from the station at around 25 minutes. Our guide to walks around Corbridge includes a riverside route there from the bridge.
• Hexham is roughly four to five miles away on foot, depending on the route, and some of the routes follow the River Tyne for part of the way. It makes a good one-way walk with the train or bus back.
• Hadrian's Wall is about three miles north. The direct road route there is busy and has no footpath, so use the published field paths instead.

Best for:

The riverside paths south of the bridge are low-lying and have flooded in the past. Check the Environment Agency's flood warnings for the Tyne after heavy rain, and turn back if a path is under water.

Taxis

Several private hire firms based in Corbridge and Hexham cover the village. Visit Corbridge advises phoning them and booking in advance rather than expecting to find a cab waiting, particularly if you are meeting an early or late train. Walkers finishing on Hadrian's Wall often book a taxi back down to the village rather than walking the busy road.

Accessibility at a glance

• National Rail rates Corbridge station as having step-free access to the platforms in one direction only. There are no lifts, and there are no accessible parking bays at the station.
• The station is unstaffed. If you need help, book Northern's Passenger Assist service in advance.
• If you need help boarding a bus, or want to check that a particular service is wheelchair accessible, contact Go North East or Stagecoach before you travel.

Somewhere to wait

If you have time before a train, The Dyvels Inn is on Station Road, and The Valley restaurant occupies the Old Station House beside the platform.

Spotted a timetable change or a transport detail we should update? Get in touch.