Published: 11 June 2026
Northern Explorer: Unlimited Rail Travel Across the North of England from £35
Northern is the state owned train operator running extensive rail services across the North of England. They have just launched a new day ticket that I thought I would share as I thought it could be useful for some people.
The Northern Explorer ticket allows you to travel on any Northern train, at any time; weekdays, weekends, peak & off-peak – for a fixed daily price of £35.
Furthermore, if more than one of you are travelling together and/or you want a ticket to cover consecutive days, the ticket price is even more competitive. For example 4 people travelling together on a 4 day pass will pay the equivalent of £24.38 a day.
| 1 Person | 2 People | 3 People | 4 People | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Day | £35 | £60 | £90 | £110 |
| 2 Day | £60 | £120 | £170 | £220 |
| 3 Day | £90 | £170 | £250 | £310 |
| 4 Day | £110 | £220 | £310 | £390 |
Children (5-15 years old) travel at half price but the child discount cannot be applied to a multi-person ticket where an adult fare is included.
Where can I travel on Northern Rail?
The Northern network is pretty extensive covering around 500 stations inside the area broadly (clockwise) between Hull, Chester, Carlisle and Newcastle. However there is some overlap between operators in this area (especially TransPennine) so if you do go for this, remember that this ticket can only be used on Northern operated services. I personally find the trains rather basic compared to the more modern TransPennine carriages but Northern serves many places that others do not.
Here is the map but for a more detailed pdf version, click here.
Is the Northern Explorer Ticket Good Value?
Of course, this is an extremely interesting ticket if you want to have a day exploring Lancashire, Yorkshire or Cumbia and want the flexibility to be able to jump on and off trains without bothering with purchasing tickets.
However, the great thing here is that this is actually a fantastic way of buying what is effectively an open day-return ticket – especially so if you are travelling on a long day-return trip, such as to a sporting event, and even more so if you were with a group of friends.
- Carlisle to Doncaster: the cheapest way of getting there is an anytime return for £80.30 (compared to £35 for the Northern Explorer). Advance fixed tickets are actually even more expensive.
- Leeds to Chester: an open return actually costs £80.30 (so £45 more than the Northern Explorer). For advance fixed tickets, the cheapest options for a journey tomorrow appear to be £18.00 each way, so £36.00 return – again more expensive unless you have a railcard.
Who Is the Northern Explorer Ticket Best For?
- Football fans
- Rugby league supporters
- Rail enthusiasts
- Tourists wanting to explore the North
- People making long-distance day trips across the Northern network
- Groups travelling together
Any ideas for a day trip on Northern Rail?
A days sightseeing
- Skipton → Carlisle (Yorkshire Dales & Ribblehead Viaduct)
- Carlisle → Barrow (Solway Coast & Irish Sea)
- Barrow → Lancaster → Skipton (cross over the Pennines back onto Yorkshire)
West Coast to East Coast
- Ravenglass → Carlisle (Cumbrian Coast)
- Carlisle → Hexham (Cheviots)
- Hexham → Whitby (Home of Dracula plus you can enjoy some Fish & Chips)
- Then return back to Cumbria
Join The Great Race Across the North
To promote the Northern Explorer tickets, Northern are running a fun competition to see who can visit the most Northern railway stations in a single day. The event takes place on 25 July 2026 and to enter you can apply here.
A couple of things to mention
Note there is no service operated by Northern between Darlington and York, although there are 4-5 trains an hour operated by other companies. This means that some journeys such as Manchester to Newcastle are significantly more challenging using Northern Rail and if this is broadly your intended route, then this ticket is probably not for you.
Unfortunately, railcards cannot be used with this ticket. Most railcards get 1/3 off train journeys so a railcard may be a better solution for some people. See our article on railcards here.
Should I Buy a Northern Explorer Ticket?
The Northern Explorer certainly won’t be the cheapest option for every journey, particularly if you already have a railcard or can book advance tickets well in advance. However, for flexible travel, long-distance day trips and group outings, it can offer excellent value.
The ticket is particularly attractive for football supporters, railway enthusiasts and travellers wanting to explore multiple destinations in a single day without worrying about individual ticket costs.
While the Northern network has a few limitations (especially between Darlington and York), the new Northern Explorer ticket opens up hundreds of stations and some spectacular scenery for a fixed daily price. For the right journey, it could save a significant amount of money and provide a fun way to explore the region.
