TransPennine Express: Tickets, Timetables and Facilities

Buy TransPennine Express tickets with Omio

Search, compare and book TransPennine Express tickets online with Omio. TransPennine Express operates routes across the north of England and Scotland, offering inter-region travel between a number of major towns and cities, including Manchester, Leeds , Liverpool , Newcastle , Glasgow and Edinburgh. By using the Omio website or app, you’ll be able to compare a wide range of TransPennine Express routes and find the cheapest tickets available for your journey. To help plan your trip, you can compare times from the TransPennine Express timetable in an easy display.

TransPennine Express: Company Information

TransPennine Express (often known as TPexpress for short) is a major train operator connecting the biggest cities in the north of England and Scotland. Previously operated by First TransPennine Express, the service is now fully owned by FirstGroup. Coverage includes Greater Manchester, Merseyside, the North East, Yorkshire and Cumbria in England; and Motherwell, Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland. TransPennine Express runs three main lines out of Manchester—the North Route, the South Route and the Scottish Route—and is one of the main train companies for the north of Britain. TransPennine Express runs more than 300 services every day and transports almost 30 million people a year.

TransPennine Express: Stations and Destinations

Fells and serene waters in the Lake District. Source: Unsplash

From coastal resorts and national parks to brilliant cities and lively towns, TransPennine’s vast rail network allows you to visit some of Britain’s most popular places—which can all be booked with Omio.

Major cities include Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Hull, Sheffield and York. On the coast, you can visit Cleethorpes, Morecambe and Scarborough. For the Lake District, trains run to Kendall, Penrith and Windermere.

Other destinations include Carlisle, Darlington, Doncaster, Durham, Huddersfield, Lancaster, Meadowhall, Middlesbrough and Preston.

For travel abroad, there’s also the TPExpress train to Manchester Airport, which can be reached on all three main routes.

TransPennine Express: Popular Routes

Reach exciting cities across the north of England and Scotland with quick, easy and direct TransPennine Express trains.

Hop across the Pennines from Manchester Piccadilly to Leeds and combine two of England’s most dynamic cities in a dual city break. While it’s mostly a commuter service during the week, it’s a great way to visit both places in a short space of time—the journey takes just one hour.

Other popular tourist routes include Manchester Piccadilly to Glasgow Central (3.5 hours), Leeds to York (30 minutes), Newcastle to Leeds (1.5 hours) and Huddersfield to Manchester Piccadilly (45 minutes). For those travelling up from London, it’s worth noting that Manchester and Leeds are the main transport hubs for travel further north, meaning you may have to transfer here.

Popular routes:

• TransPennine Express trains from Manchester Piccadilly to Leeds
• TransPennine Express trains from Manchester Piccadilly to Glasgow Central
• TransPennine Express trains from Leeds to York
• TransPennine Express trains from Newcastle to Leeds
• TransPennine Express trains from Huddersfield to Manchester Piccadilly

TransPennine Express: Offers and Fares

TransPennine has a wide range of offers and fares available across its timetable.

For the best prices, search for an Advance ticket on Omio. The further you book in advance, the more likely you are to save on your TPexpress ticket. For the best chance of finding cheap fares, travel outside peak times and make use of Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak tickets. TransPennine Express Off-Peak times generally run outside of standard commuter hours. So, between 9.30 am and 4 pm and after 9 pm

If you’re after flexibility, book an Anytime Day Single—which can be bought before and on the day you intend to travel. In addition to Standard Class, TransPennine Express offers First Class on all trains. Book in advance with Omio for the best chance of a cheap ticket. For more advice on ticket types, check out our Train Ticket Guide.

TransPennine Express: Train Types

TransPennine Express uses a range of trains across its three routes. The fleet is mostly modern, with the operator recently investing £500 million into new trains and services.

Currently, the Stadler UK Light ‘Class 68’ and the newer CAF ‘Nova 3’ operate from Liverpool to Scarborough and Manchester Airport to Redcar. Meanwhile, CAF Civity ‘Nova 2’ operate on the Scottish Route from Manchester to Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Hitachi AT300/ 802/2 ‘Nova 1’ carry passengers between Liverpool and Edinburgh, as well as between Manchester Airport and Newcastle. Siemens ‘Desiro’ can be found across all routes.

All trains carry the distinctive light-blue and silver livery.

TransPennine Express: Travel Across the North of England

Whether you need to travel from east to west, or north to south, TransPennine Express trains will have you there in no time. From Manchester Piccadilly to Newcastle, the average train time is two and a half hours.

Travelling cross country?
Liverpool Lime Street to Hull takes just under three hours. The South TransPennine Route runs from Manchester to Doncaster and Cleethorpes via Sheffield. Meanwhile, the North TransPennine Route covers Liverpool and Manchester to Leeds, Hull, York, Scarborough, Middlesbrough and Newcastle. There’s more coverage on the Scottish Route, which runs up through Cumbria before entering Scotland. Carlisle, Lancaster and the Lake District are the main English destinations on this line.

Docks and skyline in Liverpool. Source: Unsplash

First TransPennine Express connects some of the UK’s greatest cities, with beautiful art, brilliant museums and breathtaking sights at practically every stop.

Art: There’s no shortage of world-class art on First TransPennine Express routes. For abstract and contemporary work, visit the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Newcastle and Tate Liverpool in Liverpool. For historic art, The Whitworth in Manchester has one of the finest collections in the north of England, while the Ferens in Hull is known for its collection of European masters.

Museums: With major museums at every turn, you won’t have to travel far for culture in this part of the world. Top picks include the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow, and the National Railway Museum in York. Travelling with kids? Try the Royal Armouries in Leeds and Edinburgh’s National Museum of Scotland.

Top sights: Whether you love hiking, history or a day on the beach, the TransPennine Express has a destination for you. Take the Scottish Route all the way to Edinburgh and stroll along the Royal Mile up to the city’s iconic medieval castle. Prefer the great outdoors? Just take the train to Kendall, Penrith or Windermere, and explore the pastoral beauty of the Lake District. If the beach is more your thing classic seaside town Scarborough, on Yorkshire’s northern coastline, is the perfect stop.

TransPennine Express: FAQs