Getting Around Whitby
Whitby is a compact town, and despite the hills it is easy and rewarding to walk around. Most of what a visitor wants to see sits within a short stroll of the harbour, so you can cover a great deal of the town on foot. If the climb to the Abbey looks daunting, you can reach it via Green Lane rather than taking the steps.
Rail
Whitby railway station is central in town, which makes it a convenient arrival point and a useful landmark for orienting yourself. The station has a staffed ticket office and ticket machines, along with step-free access to both platforms. Note that there are no toilets or waiting room at the station, so plan accordingly if you are waiting for a connection.
Trains wind through the moors from Middlesbrough, calling at places including Nunthorpe, Great Ayton, Castleton Moor and Grosmont, and some services start further afield from Newcastle or Carlisle. The Esk Valley line is the scenic rail route into town.
In summer, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway runs steam trains from Pickering via Levisham, Newtondale and Goathland to Grosmont, where most terminate; a couple per day continue into Whitby. These services may appear on the National Rail website, but that information is not definitive, so check directly with the NYMR if you are planning a trip on them.
Buses and Coaches
Whitby bus station sits next to the railway station, so arriving by coach or bus puts you in the same central spot as the train.
Several useful routes serve the town:
- Coastliner 840 runs from Malton via Pickering and Goathland. To reach Whitby from Leeds or York, take the service heading for Scarborough and change at Malton.
- Arriva Bus X93 / X94 runs along the coast from Scarborough, with the X94 continuing inland via Guisborough to Middlesbrough.
- Arriva Bus X4 runs from Middlesbrough along the coast via Redcar, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Loftus, Staithes, Runswick Bay and Sandsend.
Buses follow the main road, which runs a mile or so inland from the coast for the most part. That means they can get you to Sandsend and Robin Hood's Bay, but there is limited coast access otherwise.
Park and Ride
In summer all routes into Whitby are congested and parking in town is impossible. Day-trippers should use the Park and Ride on Guisborough Road, which is open from April to October daily from 8AM to dusk. Your bus ticket covers the parking fee.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Over a dozen taxi firms serve the town, so you have plenty of choice for short hops, late evenings, or trips out to the surrounding coast and moors.
Getting There by Road
From Scarborough and East Yorkshire, follow the A171 along the coast. From Teesside and the North East, either take the A171 or the slower coastal A174.
The roads to Whitby across the moors are scenic but have sharp bends and steep gradients. In winter they are treacherous and may be closed. One popular route from the south is the A64 past York to Malton, then the A169 north through Pickering and over the North York Moors. Be aware that there is a steep plummet down into the village of Sleights just before reaching Whitby.
For traffic and travel reports, listen to This is the Coast on 213.360 MHz.
Getting from the Airport
The practical approach is to arrive by rail or coach: trains reach Whitby through the moors from Middlesbrough, with some services starting from Newcastle or Carlisle, and buses connect the town with Scarborough, Middlesbrough, Malton, Leeds and York. From Leeds or York, take the service heading for Scarborough and change at Malton to reach Whitby by bus.