New train route links seaside town famous for sea glass beach and dolphins to UK capital
ON TRACK New train route links seaside town famous for sea glass beach and dolphins to UK capital
THE seaside town of Seaham in County Durham is getting new direct links to London Kings Cross for the very first time.
The train route will link the quaint coastal town with the UK capital from this winter.
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New direct trains will link London to Seaham for the first time
Credit: Alamy
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The town in County Durham is known for its sea glass that washes up on the beach
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Grand Central recently secured approval from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to launch four daily direct trains each way, from December 2025.
Anyone from the south looking for a coastal escape in the north can expect great things from Seaham.
The town in County Durham has a mile-long shingle beach and on it you'll be able to collect sea glass, which is scattered along the shore.
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The treasure is man made glass which has ended up in the sea, where it is then shaped by the water over several years and is eventually washed up on the shore.
There's more sea glass in Seaham than in other beach destinations because during the Victorian era, it had a glass bottle factory where waste was put into the sea.
It's not uncommon to see dolphins jumping out of the water in Seaham either.
One visitor to Seaham Beach said: "Dolphins and glass beads... what could be better?"
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They added: "Staying on the beach gave us a prime viewing of the pod of dolphins that swam along the coast catching fish."
There's even a mole sanctuary - a designated patch of land that lets the little subterranean rodents live peacefully in the soil.
The English seaside town with no arcades or rides but named the best in the UK
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If you're lucky, you can spot dolphins off the shore
Credit: Alamy
Seaham is a popular spot for holidaymakers and when we chatted to some travel influencers about their best UK beach spots, the coastal town came up trumps.
It was praised for its golden sands and craggy rock pools, which are particularly fun for toddlers.
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Currently, getting from London Kings Cross to Seaham includes changes at Hartlepool, Newcastle, Northallerton and Thornaby.
According to TrainTickets.com, the cost of a ticket from London to Seaham can be as little as £27.50 when booked in advance.
On the day fares can be as much as £200 at peak times.
The journey takes three hours 46 minutes at the very least - so the time is expected to shorten with the direct journey.
Further along the coast, you'll find one of the top trending beach destinations in the world.
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And check out the best-rated UK seaside towns for families picked by our experts – including Britain's sunniest beach & stays from £26.
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