How to travel from Sunderland to Edinburgh, United Kingdom

The distance between Sunderland and Edinburgh is around 189km (118 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train which takes around 1h 50m.

3 routes found

We've found 3 different ways to get from Sunderland to Edinburgh by train, bus and car. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

👋 Also check out EdinburghSunderland if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
1
train
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train
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Train

Take the train to Newcastle and then to Edinburgh.

  • Duration1h 50m
  • Departshourly
  • Typical cost
    £25($29)
Operated by

LNER

💰 Cheapest
2
bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Edinburgh Bus Station.

  • Duration3hrs
  • Departstwice daily
  • Typical cost
    £10($12)
3
car
+

Drive

Drive to Edinburgh.

  • Duration2h 30m
  • Distance214km (133 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Sunderland and Edinburgh

There are several options for getting from Sunderland to Edinburgh by train, bus and car. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around £10 ($12) and will take around 3hrs. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and arrive in approximately 1h 50m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately £25 ($29).

The distance between Sunderland and Edinburgh is around 189km (118 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 163km (101 miles)

It takes around 1h 50m to get from Sunderland and Edinburgh by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 2h 30m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Sunderland to Edinburgh is to take the train which takes around 1h 50m and will set you back approx £25 ($29).

The cheapest way to travel between Sunderland and Edinburgh, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around £10 ($12) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Sunderland and Edinburgh. It typically takes around 1h 50m and departs hourly.

There are no direct train services that runs from Sunderland to Edinburgh. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Newcastle. These services run hourly and will take a minimum of 1h 50m.

Northern Rail, Nexus Rail, LNER, CrossCountry and TransPennine Express Service run train services between Sunderland and Edinburgh. Trains depart hourly and will take around 1h 50m, however, this may vary depending on the particular service and whether it runs express or stops all stations.

Bus travel

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Sunderland and Edinburgh. It typically takes around 3hrs and departs twice daily.

Yes there is a direct bus service that runs between Sunderland and Edinburgh with no changeovers required. The bus runs twice daily and takes 3hrs.

FlixBus run regular bus services between Sunderland and Edinburgh. Buses run twice daily and take around 3hrs on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Sunderland to Edinburgh. We recommend that you take the train to Newcastle and then to Edinburgh. instead which will take 1h 50m.

The closest major airport to Edinburgh is Edinburgh Airport (EDI) (EDI) which is approximately 11km (7 miles) from Edinburgh. Dundee Airport (DND) (DND) and Glasgow Airport (GLA) (GLA) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.

Drive yourself

Yes it is possible to drive from Sunderland and Edinburgh. The distance is around 214km (133 miles) by road and it will take around 2h 30m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Sunderland to Edinburgh is to take the train which takes, on average, 1h 50m and will usually cost around £25 ($29).

How do I get from Sunderland to Edinburgh

Compare travel optionsbetween Sunderland and Edinburgh

Transport options from Sunderland to Edinburgh
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train
1h 50m
£25($29)
hourly217km (135 miles)
Bus
3hrs
£10($12)
twice daily189km (118 miles)
Drive
2h 30m
£37($44)
on demand214km (133 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Sunderland and Edinburgh

Bus companies

Airports near Edinburgh

The following major airports near Edinburgh offer regular flights to various popular destinations within United Kingdom and internationally.

EDI
Edinburgh Airport (EDI)
International Airport
Distance
11km (7 miles) from Edinburgh
DND
Dundee Airport (DND)
Domestic Airport
Distance
57km (35 miles) from Edinburgh
GLA
Glasgow Airport (GLA)
International Airport
Distance
78km (48 miles) from Edinburgh