Castle Hill Hospital bus from Pocklington: X56 starts 9 Nov

A new bus will run straight from York, Pocklington and Market Weighton to Castle Hill Hospital from Monday 9 November. The X56 runs Monday to Saturday, roughly hourly through the day, and carries on to Cottingham and Hull Interchange.

Until now there has been no direct bus between Market Weighton, Bishop Burton and the hospital. Patients from the western side of the district had to change at least once. East Yorkshire Buses announced the route, which is paid for by East Riding of Yorkshire Council through its Bus Service Improvement Plan. (East Yorkshire Buses, 3 October 2026)

The route

The X56 serves these stops in order:

• York Railway Station, York Merchantgate and Osbaldwick
• Wilberfoss Post Office
• Pocklington, at the East Yorkshire depot
• Market Weighton, at the Griffin
• Bishop Burton, at the Altisidora
• Castle Hill Hospital, inside the grounds and at Gate 3
• Cottingham South Street, Setting Dyke (Ledbury Road) and Anlaby Road Stadium
• Hull Interchange

Between Bishop Burton and the hospital the bus runs non-stop. Between the hospital and Anlaby Road it is limited stop, calling only at the stops listed above. The operator says the route gives direct journeys to Hull Royal Infirmary as well; on the timetable the nearest stops are Anlaby Road Stadium and the Silver Cod on Anlaby Road.

How long it takes

East Yorkshire Buses says the trip from Pocklington to Castle Hill takes “around 45 minutes”. That is at least 38 minutes quicker than the fastest current bus connection, it says, and typically about an hour quicker, with no change.

Its published timetable is a little slower than that headline:

On Saturdays every Pocklington to Castle Hill journey is timed at 51 minutes.

First and last buses

These are the times at the hospital, from the operator’s timetable.

On weekdays, 11 journeys from the Pocklington direction reach the hospital and 12 leave it heading west. Some start or finish at Pocklington rather than York. There is no Sunday service.

The early 6.06am departure from Pocklington reaches the hospital at 7.01am. The operator says the route is meant for NHS staff as well as patients and visitors, and that it should ease pressure on the hospital’s car parks.

What changes on the X45

The X56 builds on existing routes rather than replacing them. East Yorkshire Buses says the short X45 journeys between York and Pocklington will now carry on to Market Weighton. At the Hull end, it says links between Castle Hill, Cottingham, Hull Royal Infirmary and Hull Interchange are being improved.

Fares had not been published when we checked on 25 October. The operator says full fare and journey planning information will follow on its website.

What it means for you

• If you have regular appointments at Castle Hill, check the X56 times against your appointment before 9 November. The first weekday bus from Pocklington arrives at 7.01am and the next at 9.01am.
• If you are visiting, the last weekday bus back towards Market Weighton and Pocklington leaves the hospital at 6.30pm, and 6.23pm on Saturdays.
• If you hold an older person’s or disabled bus pass, the usual pass rules apply. From 1 April 2027 East Riding passes will also work before 9.30am on weekdays; we have set out that change.
• Tell the operator what does not work. East Yorkshire Buses says it will watch how the journeys are used and wants feedback on journey times and the times of day people most need to travel.

Driving instead? Our roadworks page lists what is shut on the A1079 corridor and around Cottingham this week.

Sources

• East Yorkshire Buses, new direct bus link from York, Pocklington and Market Weighton to Castle Hill Hospital, 3 October 2026, with the full Monday to Friday and Saturday timetables. Journey times above are worked out from those timetables.