Special New Year’s Day Trains Return on Esk Valley Line

Northern will once again operate special New Year’s Day services between Darlington and Whitby, providing a seasonal rail link along the scenic Esk Valley route. The trains are being run to cater for increased leisure travel on January 1, offering passengers an opportunity to visit the North Yorkshire coast and surrounding towns without relying on road transport.

The New Year’s Day services will operate on a semi-fast basis and will not call at all intermediate stations. By skipping selected stops, the trains are designed to offer faster journey times between the two end points, making them particularly attractive to day-trippers and walkers heading for Whitby and the North York Moors. As with previous years, the limited-stop pattern is intended to balance speed with access to key stations along the line.

Northern has become known for running these special services over the New Year period, as regular Sunday timetables do not always extend to January 1. The trains are expected to be popular, and passengers are advised to check calling patterns in advance to ensure their station is served. The operator has confirmed that normal ticketing arrangements apply, allowing travellers to use standard rail tickets and railcards on the special services.

Links to the special services are as follows:

2E01 0923 Darlington to Whitby (RTT)

2E02 1125 Whitby to Darlington (RTT)

2E03 1420 Darlington to Whitby (RTT)

2E04 1625 Whitby to Darlington (RTT)

Image: Northern