I'm a Geordie living in Switzerland and loving it; however, getting back home to visit the folks in Newcastle can be tricky. We see flights from Geneva direct in the winter, but nothing from Zurich all year around, which is where we live.

Does anyone know some affordable airline that I might have missed? Am I destined to fly to Edinburgh or Manchester?

From the end of March, Swiss will be flying from Zurich (instead of Basel) to London City Airport. One option would be to take this flight into LCY, then take the East Coast Rail Line from Kings Cross London to Newcastle; takes 3 hours (direct) and not too expensive if you book in advance.

Have just come back from Newcastle went with Lufthansa over Dusseldorf paid 226fr and it was really easyIve also been with easyjet from Geneve but when you put the price of the train on not cheap

See this thread for a similar discussion. There may be some useful ideas.

Swiss cancels London City to Basel route

I'm from Middlesbrough area and Manchester and train direct home is my only option. Getting to the north east from Zurich easily is impossible would love it if they brought in Zurich to Newcastle flights

Small world, am from Middlesbrough too. Yeh manchester is the only way to go, then train or convince someone nice to pick you up!

Another fellow Teessider here (although I have never had a 'parmo') so maybe I am not a proper one.

My M & D flew in from Manchester to Geneva last time they came over.

KLM via Amsterdam might be an option....although it will cost a bit more.

Edit...see they also fly to Durham - but that's a LOT more expensive.

Thanks for the replies! Very helpful.

Oh and nice to see some fellow north-easterners on the forums too

Durham has an airport now?!

When I was home last week went and had my passport renewed in Durham (so it even has a passport office)and moneywise you cant beat Lufthansa in 35 years in CH have never flown so cheap

Kittster Teesside airport was stupidly renamed Durham Tees Valley airport. It's near darlo but Durham sounds posher I suppose

But Newcastle is closer than Teesside... Maybe it was to attract more international students to Durham?

To attract visitors full stop

Come to Teesside

Or

Come to Durham

Which sounds better

Teesside airport is actually close to Durham

By car it might be but I always got the metro in to town and then the train to Durham, was really quick.

EasyJet fly Basel to Edinburgh, although not every day. A bus takes 20 mins to Waverley Station for a direct train to Geordie-Land.

I'm from Middlesbrough and over the years have tried pretty much all routes. Geneva - Newcastle. Basel - London City and train. Basel - Manchester.

I found the best was Basel - London City and train (book everything well in advance)

Next best, Basel - Manchester and then drive over or train (but the transpennine is SLOW)

Geneva - Newcastle is OK - just such a long and tedious train journey to Geneva.

Maybe if everyone from the North East wrote to the airlines they'd finally fly Zurich or Basel to Newcastle or Teeside!

WHAAAT! Its the finest delicacy in all the northern land! i.e. its good for holding while stumbling home after a night at The Crown/Southfields :P

My mum lives equally between Newcastle and Edinburge and I go to see her quite regularly.

BMI fly to Edinburgh although it's very expensive, then you can get a train. alternatively go to Newcastle via Düsseldorf on Lufthansa or Amsterdam on KLM.

I've also gone to Manchester and taken a train. If you stick to Trans Pennine Express and book online you can get some good deals. Just leave a good size gap between plane and train (bag claim can be very slow at MAN although TPE will allow you to take a later train up to 3 hours)