Sunderland travel guide

Sunderland Tourism | Sunderland Guide

You're Going to Love Sunderland

With a population of 177,965, Sunderland is a must-see destination in England, United Kingdom. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Sunderland has to offer.

Where to Eat in Sunderland

If you’re looking for affordable options, San Marino at Hanover Place (San Marino at Hanover Place) and House of Zen Seaburn (Whitburn Road) are great picks.

When to visit Sunderland

Sunderland in April
Estimated hotel price
$61
1 night at 3-star hotel
Sunderland in April
Estimated hotel price
$61
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Sunderland

Plane

Although Sunderland doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Newcastle Airport (UK) (NCL), which is located 15 miles from Sunderland. The shortest flight to Sunderland from the United States departs from Washington, D.C. and takes around 10h 30m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Sunderland, followed by Lumo. The train journey from Sunderland to London takes 2h 48m and costs around $58 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bristol, expect to pay about $191 for a 4h 53m trip. Located 0.9 miles from the city center, Sunderland Stadium of Light is the busiest station in Sunderland. Another popular train station is Sunderland Seaburn, located 1.7 miles from the center.

Car

Another option to get to Sunderland is to pick up a car rental from Edinburgh, which is about 101 miles from Sunderland. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Europcar, among others, in Edinburgh.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Sunderland, including FlixBus, Megabus and National Express. From Edinburgh, the bus ride to Sunderland takes 155 miles and will cost you around $13. From Manchester, the ticket costs about $32 for a journey of 210 miles. Sunderland’s bus station is located 0.2 miles from the city center.

Plane

Although Sunderland doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Newcastle Airport (UK) (NCL), which is located 15 miles from Sunderland. The shortest flight to Sunderland from the United States departs from Washington, D.C. and takes around 10h 30m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Sunderland, followed by Lumo. The train journey from Sunderland to London takes 2h 48m and costs around $58 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bristol, expect to pay about $191 for a 4h 53m trip. Located 0.9 miles from the city center, Sunderland Stadium of Light is the busiest station in Sunderland. Another popular train station is Sunderland Seaburn, located 1.7 miles from the center.

Car

Another option to get to Sunderland is to pick up a car rental from Edinburgh, which is about 101 miles from Sunderland. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Europcar, among others, in Edinburgh.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Sunderland, including FlixBus, Megabus and National Express. From Edinburgh, the bus ride to Sunderland takes 155 miles and will cost you around $13. From Manchester, the ticket costs about $32 for a journey of 210 miles. Sunderland’s bus station is located 0.2 miles from the city center.

Airlines serving Sunderland

Lufthansa
Good (4,689 reviews)
KLM
Good (846 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,573 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,607 reviews)
Air France
Good (979 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,600 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,113 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,441 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (923 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (834 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (512 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (726 reviews)
Malaysia Airlines
Good (185 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (766 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (976 reviews)
China Eastern
Good (55 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (977 reviews)
Eurowings
Good (194 reviews)
easyJet
Good (1,439 reviews)
Ryanair
Good (3,414 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in popular areas of Sunderland

Most booked hotels in Sunderland

Highfield Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 1309 reviews)
$91+
The Moorings
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 462 reviews)
$69+
Grand Hotel Sunderland
4 stars
Good (7.9, 5525 reviews)
$89+
Roker Hotel, BW Premier Collection
4 stars
Good (7.8, 2458 reviews)
$80+
Holiday Inn Washington
3 stars
Good (7.8, 2344 reviews)
$71+
Travelodge Sunderland Central
3 stars
Good (7.8, 42 reviews)
$53+

Renting a car in Sunderland

Expect to pay $7.15 per gallon in Sunderland (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $85.85 and $114.47. Mini (Smart Fortwo or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Sunderland, while also 38% cheaper than other types, on average.

Expect to pay $7.15 per gallon in Sunderland (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $85.85 and $114.47. Mini (Smart Fortwo or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Sunderland, while also 38% cheaper than other types, on average.