(14 Jul 2013, 10:35 am)tyresmoke wrote Not sure what the GNE fares are but here's some fares from Arriva...

Middlesbrough-Newcastle £5.70 (rtn £6.70)
Middlesbrough-Durham £5.20 (rtn £6.70)
Durham-Newcastle £3.50 (rtn £5.80)
Durham-Chester £2.70 (rtn £4.80)
Chester-Newcastle £2.70 (rtn £4.80)

At last, some direct comparisons. The GNE fares are:

Middlesbrough - Newcastle £6.80 (rtn £7.30)
Durham - Newcastle £3.95 (rtn £5.50)
Durham - Chester £3.15 (rtn £4.40)
Chester - Newcastle £3.15 (rtn £4.40)

[A comparative fare between Durham and Middlesbrough won't exist as GNE do not operate a direct service between those destinations. (As if I really needed to point that out to you all ) ]

From this we can see that single fares are cheaper on Arriva, but return fares are cheaper on GNE with one exception: the Newcastle to Middlesbrough fare.