The North York Moors without a car

New connections and diversion guidance checked 18 October 2026. Services change, so check the current timetable before you travel.

The short answer

You can reach Whitby, Pickering, Goathland, the Hole of Horcum, Helmsley, the Esk Valley villages, Robin Hood's Bay and Osmotherley by public transport. Services are thin, and Sunday and winter services are limited. The high moors and dales heads have no regular bus.

Getting here by train

The National Park Authority notes that LNER runs direct to Darlington, Northallerton and York, with connections to Whitby, Malton and Scarborough; other useful stations are Thirsk, Middlesbrough, Saltburn, Redcar and Seamer (National Park). London King's Cross to York takes about 2 hours, with around 30 direct LNER trains each weekday (LNER). Leeds to York takes from about 24 minutes on TransPennine Express, York to Malton from about 24 minutes and York to Scarborough from about 48 minutes (York to Malton, York to Scarborough).

Onward: the Coastliner 840 from Leeds, York and Malton to Pickering and Whitby; the Esk Valley line from Middlesbrough to Whitby; bus 28 from Scarborough to Pickering and Helmsley; the X93 from Scarborough or Middlesbrough to Robin Hood's Bay and Whitby; and bus 80 from Northallerton to Osmotherley.

York to Whitby without a car

For Coastliner 840, X93 and X4/X4A routes, see buses to and from Whitby.

By bus: Transdev’s Coastliner 840 runs via Malton, Pickering and Goathland. The winter timetable from 31 August 2026 has limited through journeys from York station; check the Coastliner 840 timetable for your date rather than assuming an hourly service.

By train: take TransPennine Express from York to Middlesbrough, then change to Northern’s Esk Valley line to Whitby. There are a few trains a day on the Esk Valley line, so plan both connections against the Esk Valley timetable.

Scarborough to Whitby without a car

Arriva’s X93 bus runs via Robin Hood’s Bay: check Arriva services before travelling. There is no railway between Scarborough and Whitby. The coast line closed in 1965 and its former route is now the Cinder Track.

The Esk Valley line

Northern runs from Middlesbrough to Whitby via Nunthorpe, Great Ayton, Battersby, Kildale, Commondale, Castleton Moor, Danby, Lealholm, Glaisdale, Egton, Grosmont, Sleights and Ruswarp. The current timetable runs from 17 May to 12 December 2026: a handful of trains a day, about six each way Monday to Saturday and four on Sundays. The end-to-end journey takes about an hour and a half (timetable, timetable PDF).

• Kildale: Captain Cook's Monument is 1.5 miles by the Cleveland Way, then on to Great Ayton station.
• Castleton Moor: a short uphill walk to shops, cafes and a pub.
• Danby: the Moors National Park Centre is about a 20-minute walk along a minor road.
• Lealholm: stepping stones on the Esk.
• Glaisdale: Beggar's Bridge of 1619 beside the station.
• Egton: the station is at Egton Bridge; Egton village is about 15 minutes' walk.
• Grosmont: change for the steam railway.
• Sleights: the salmon leap weir, with salmon running October to December.
• Ruswarp: the Cinder Track crosses the viaduct.

Station notes from the Esk Valley Railway stations page. Northern carries bikes free with no booking, up to two per train, first come first served (bikes), and dogs free, up to two per adult (dogs).

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway as transport

The steam railway calls at Pickering, Levisham, Newtondale Halt (a request stop), Goathland, Grosmont and Whitby; Pickering to Whitby takes about 1 hour 50 minutes. The 2026 season runs Saturday to Wednesday from 28 March to 15 July and from 12 September to early November, and daily in the summer holidays. Dogs are £3 per dog per day on standard services, on a short lead; bikes are £3 per bike in the guard's van, with room for two or three per train. Winter 2026 to 2027 services are not yet confirmed: check nymr.co.uk (opening times, FAQs, fares). See the railway guide and fares and timetable.

Key buses

The X93 changes to a revised timetable on 2 November 2026: check Arriva before travelling. Moorsbus fares in 2026 were £10 for an adult Moors Rover and £15 for a family.

Fares and passes

England's £3 single bus fare cap runs until March 2027 on participating operators. (Traveline, National Park). In North Yorkshire the older person's bus pass is valid at any time except 6am to 9am Monday to Friday, and not on the Whitby park and ride or tour buses (North Yorkshire Council). Moorsbus accepts passes.

Car-free days that work

• Whitby to Robin Hood's Bay. Walk the Cleveland Way, 6.9 miles by the National Trail, then return on the X93 in about 15 minutes. See Whitby to Robin Hood's Bay.
• Goathland and Mallyan Spout. Take the steam railway in season or the Coastliner 840 (Monday to Saturday) to Goathland. The Rail Trail from Grosmont to Goathland is 3.5 miles (NYMR). See Mallyan Spout.
• Hole of Horcum. Start from the 840 stop at Saltergate; the circular is 5 miles. Check the return bus times before you set off. See the Hole of Horcum walk.
• Esk Valley station to station. Walk from Kildale to Captain Cook's Monument (1.5 miles) and on to Great Ayton station. Plan both ends around the train times.
• Helmsley and Rievaulx. Take bus 28 or 31X to Helmsley, then the 2.5-mile walk to Rievaulx Abbey (English Heritage walking guide). See Rievaulx Abbey.
• Danby. Take the train to Danby, then walk about 20 minutes to the Moors National Park Centre. In winter it opens daily from 2 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, 10.30am to 4pm, closed 24 and 25 December, then at weekends only to 7 February 2027. (National Park)

Hard without a car

• Rosedale Abbey: the Monday bus only, plus Moorsbus in season.
• Hutton-le-Hole: no regular service confirmed outside the Moorsbus season.
• Sutton Bank: Moorsbus only, at weekends in season.
• Farndale, Westerdale, Danby Dale and the high moors: no regular bus.
• Helmsley on a Sunday outside the Moorsbus season.
• Osmotherley on Sundays.

Plan My Day marks every place reachable by bus or train.

New York and Scarborough connections and Coastliner diversion guidance checked 18 October 2026: Transdev 840, Coastliner updates, Esk Valley Railway timetable and Arriva services. Check live departures and service notices before travelling.

Without a car: FAQs

Can you visit the North York Moors without a car?

Yes. Whitby, Pickering, Goathland, the Hole of Horcum, Helmsley, the Esk Valley villages, Robin Hood's Bay and Osmotherley can all be reached by public transport. Services are thin, Sunday and winter services are limited, and the high moors and dales heads have no regular bus.

Which bus goes to the Hole of Horcum?

The Coastliner 840 from Leeds, York, Malton and Pickering to Whitby stops at Saltergate, beside the Hole of Horcum. Only selected journeys continue over the moor to Whitby; check the dated winter timetable and diversions. Check the return times before you set off.

How do I get from York to Whitby by public transport?

Take the Coastliner 840 from York through Malton and Pickering over the moor to Whitby. You can also take the train to Middlesbrough and change to the Esk Valley line, or the North Yorkshire Moors Railway from Pickering in season.

Do buses run on Sundays in the North York Moors?

Only a few. The 840 is infrequent on Sundays, the 31X and Hodgsons 80 have no Sunday service listed, and a Sunday service on the 28 outside the Moorsbus season is unconfirmed. Moorsbus ran at weekends and bank holidays from 3 April to 27 September in 2026. Check the current timetable.

Can I take a dog on the trains?

Yes. Northern carries dogs free, up to two per adult, on the Esk Valley line. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway charges £3 per dog per day on standard services, and dogs must be on a short lead.

Is there a £3 bus fare in North Yorkshire?

Yes. England's £3 single bus fare cap runs until March 2027 on participating operators. Moorsbus has its own fares: an adult Moors Rover was £10 and a family ticket £15 in 2026.