Durham Passport Office: Freemans Reach
North East England's passport office, for fast track and premium same-day appointments. Any UK applicant can book it.
Durham HM Passport Office: address and opening hours
Address
Freemans ReachRiverside PlaceDurhamDH1 1SLOpening hours
- Monday to Friday: 8:30am to 5pm
Appointment only, no walk-ins. You book the appointment, apply and pay online at gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently. Every office charges the same fees, and you can choose any of the 7 UK passport offices.
Source: HM Passport Office, passport offices, checked 25 October 2026.
In one paragraph
Freemans Reach, Durham DH1 1SL. Five minutes from Durham railway station. Fast track £192, premium same-day £239.50. Appointment only, booked through gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently.
Address and Catchment
Freemans Reach
Riverside Place
Durham DH1 1SL
- Durham, Tyne and Wear (Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland)
- Northumberland, Tees Valley (Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Stockton, Darlington)
- North Yorkshire (when Peterborough is full)
- Scottish Borders (when Glasgow is full)
Durham is small for a city, and Freemans Reach is unmistakable: a large modern office complex on the west bank of the Wear, opposite the cathedral. The route from the station is downhill and signposted.
Booking a Durham Appointment
HM Passport Office does not publish waiting times by office. The booking step shows live appointment slots at all 7 offices, and you can choose any of them. You can book Durham wherever you live, so it is worth checking if your nearest office has no slot before your travel date.
Appointments can be booked up to 3 weeks ahead and last up to 10 minutes. Changing one is free more than 48 hours ahead; a missed appointment is not refunded. Source: gov.uk, Get a passport urgently, checked 25 October 2026.
Getting There
| From | Mode | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Newcastle | LNER / Northern to Durham | 15 minutes |
| Middlesbrough | Northern to Durham | 40 minutes |
| York | LNER to Durham | 50 minutes |
| Leeds | LNER to Durham | 1 hr 20 min |
| Edinburgh | LNER to Durham | 1 hr 40 min |
| London King's Cross | LNER to Durham | 3 hours |
| Birmingham | CrossCountry to Durham | 3 hr 30 min |
From Durham station, exit on the city centre side, walk down the hill past the bus station and across Framwellgate Bridge. Freemans Reach is on the right, about 5 minutes total.
Service Tiers and Fees
Adult fee. Child £156.50. About 1 week to courier delivery.
Adults only. Collect within 4 hours of appointment.
Where to Wait During Premium Same-Day
The 4-hour collection window is short for a long round trip but plenty for a city visit. Durham offers some of the best wait-time options in the UK passport office network:
- Durham Cathedral. Free entry, world heritage site, 10 minutes from the office. Easily fills 90 minutes if you actually look at the building.
- Riverside walk. The path along the Wear, past the cathedral and back via Prebends Bridge, is about 30 minutes and one of the prettiest urban walks in England.
- Cafes and pubs. Durham city centre is small and walkable. Plenty of places to sit, work on a laptop, or have lunch within 5 to 10 minutes of the office.
- Hotels for overnight. Premier Inn Durham, Radisson Blu Durham (right next to Freemans Reach), and the Marriott Royal County are all walking distance. Useful if you have an early appointment from the south or want flexibility on collection.
What to Bring
- PEX reference from your application confirmation email
- Current or expired passport
- No printed photos: the urgent service takes a digital photo when you apply online
- For child applications: any documents the online service asks you to bring
- For name changes: marriage certificate, deed poll, court order