Start your journey in Sunderland. Sunderland is a city in North East England. A former coal-mining, shipbuilding industrial town, Sunderland has undergone a transformation in the last few decades and has worked hard to shake-off the grim image it often inspired. The banks of the River Wear, at one time covered in shipyards, is now adorned with expensive apartment blocks, the National Glass Centre, and the impressive Stadium of Light. The creation of the University of Sunderland in 1992 has helped to turn Sunderland into a young, vibrant city with a great nightlife.

Starting in Sunderland, you can be in Middlesbrough in just 35 min with Megabus. Book today from just £6.14 with easyBus.com.. Middlesbrough (population 150,000) is a large town in the North East of England. It's always been industrial, and grew rapidly in the 19th century. From 1974 to 1996 it was part of a new county, Cleveland; this was then abolished and Middlesbrough was re-assigned to North Yorkshire. The difference is nominal since Middlesbrough is a "unitary authority" and not governed by a County Council.