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. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. 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 November
Estimated hotel price
C$ 97
1 night at 3-star hotel
Sunderland in November
Estimated hotel price
C$ 97
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 Canada departs from Toronto and takes around 9h 55m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Sunderland, followed by Cross Country. The train journey from Sunderland to London takes 2h 50m and costs around C$ 90 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bristol, expect to pay about C$ 194 for a 5h 53m trip. Located 0.9 miles from the city centre, Sunderland Stadium of Light is the busiest station in Sunderland. Another popular train station is Sunderland Seaburn, located 1.7 miles from the centre.

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 keddy by Europcar, among others, in Edinburgh.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Sunderland, including Megabus, National Express and FlixBus. From Leeds, the bus ride to Sunderland takes 120 miles and will cost you around C$ 22. From Edinburgh, the ticket costs about C$ 30 for a journey of 155 miles. Sunderland’s bus station is located 0.2 miles from the downtown.

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 Canada departs from Toronto and takes around 9h 55m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Sunderland, followed by Cross Country. The train journey from Sunderland to London takes 2h 50m and costs around C$ 90 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bristol, expect to pay about C$ 194 for a 5h 53m trip. Located 0.9 miles from the city centre, Sunderland Stadium of Light is the busiest station in Sunderland. Another popular train station is Sunderland Seaburn, located 1.7 miles from the centre.

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 keddy by Europcar, among others, in Edinburgh.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Sunderland, including Megabus, National Express and FlixBus. From Leeds, the bus ride to Sunderland takes 120 miles and will cost you around C$ 22. From Edinburgh, the ticket costs about C$ 30 for a journey of 155 miles. Sunderland’s bus station is located 0.2 miles from the downtown.

Airlines serving Sunderland

Lufthansa
Good (7,220 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,352 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,818 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (9,069 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,682 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,582 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,609 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,974 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,327 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,226 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (895 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (867 reviews)
Malaysia Airlines
Good (315 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (1,129 reviews)
Ryanair
Good (5,370 reviews)
China Eastern
Good (312 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (1,442 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (2,066 reviews)
China Southern
Good (166 reviews)
easyJet
Good (2,081 reviews)
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Where to stay in popular areas of Sunderland

Most booked hotels in Sunderland

Hilton Garden Inn Sunderland
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
C$ 134+
Grand Hotel Sunderland
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
C$ 116+
Highfield Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (9.3, Excellent reviews)
C$ 108+

Renting a car in Sunderland

Expect to pay C$ 2.46 per litre in Sunderland (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 29.52 and C$ 39.36. The most frequently booked car type in Sunderland is Intermediate (Nissan Qashqai or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini rental cars (Smart Fortwo or similar) are, on average, 74% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Expect to pay C$ 2.46 per litre in Sunderland (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 29.52 and C$ 39.36. The most frequently booked car type in Sunderland is Intermediate (Nissan Qashqai or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini rental cars (Smart Fortwo or similar) are, on average, 74% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.