Newcastle, England — Travel Tips
Getting There By Air
A range of low cost, charter and scheduled airlines offers flights to Newcastle, including British Airways, Flybe, easyJet, Ryanair and Jet2.com.
Newcastle International Airport
Tel: 0871 882 1121 or 1131 (flight information).
Website: www.newcastleinternational.co.uk
Newcastle International Airport is situated 11km (7 miles) northwest of Newcastle city center and is the main airport in the region.
Airport facilities
Facilities include currency exchange offices, ATMs, car rental, a large shopping complex and a wide choice of bars and restaurants. There are three airport lounges, with the Cheviot Lounge available to all passengers. The British Airways Lounge has a business center including internet access.
Transport to the city
Regular bus and Metro services connect the airport with the city. Signposted off the A1 which runs north to south past Newcastle and Gateshead, the city is an easy 15-minute drive from the airport. Taxis can be booked on arrival at the airport.
Approximate flight times to Newcastle
From London is 1 hour 15 minutes.
Getting There By Road
Main roads are designated by a letter, followed by up to four numbers: 'M' (motorway), 'A' (major road) and 'B' (minor road). Traffic drives on the left and drivers must be at least 17 years old. The speed limits are 113kph (70mph) on motorways, 97kph (60mph) on single-lane main roads and 48kph (30mph) in built-up areas. Overseas driving licenses and International Driving Permits are valid for up to one year. Insurance is mandatory. Overseas visitors bringing their own cars should bring registration documents and check with their insurance company as to whether a Green Card is needed.
Emergency breakdown services
AA (tel: 0800 887 766 or 0845 788 7766 from mobile phones) and RAC (tel: 0800 828 282).
Routes to the city
The A1 runs north to south past Newcastle, linking to the city center via the A184 (from the south) then the A167 (just the A167 from the north). The latter then becomes the A167M motorway running right through the city center. The A69 runs west to Carlisle.
Driving times to the city
From Leeds – 2 hours; from Manchester – 2 hours and 30 minutes; from Birmingham – 3 hours; from London – five hours.
Coach services
National Express (tel: 0871 781 8181; www.nationalexpress.com) operates regular coach services connecting Newcastle with various destinations in the UK including London. The main coach station in Newcastle is on St James' Boulevard in the west of the city though the budget coach operator Megabus stops beside the railway station on Neville Street.
Getting There By Rail
Rail Services
Trains to Newcastle arrive at Newcastle Central Station located in the heart of the city center on Neville Street, with all the main sites and shops within easy walking distance.
Rail Operators
East Coast (tel: 0845 722 5111; www.eastcoast.co.uk) offer London-Edinburgh rail services via Newcastle, completing the journey to the north-east in about three hours. Northern Rail (tel: 0845 000 0125; www.northernrail.org) operates an east-west service linking Newcastle to Carlisle in about 1 hour 45 minutes, before continuing north west. First TransPennine Express (tel: 0845 600 1671; www.tpexpress.co.uk) offers direct services to Leeds in about one hour 40 minutes and Manchester in two hours and 45 minutes. For timetable information contact National Rail Enquiries (tel: 0845 748 4950; www.nationalrail.co.uk).
Getting Around in Newcastle, England
Public Transport
The city's excellent Metro (tel: 0191 203 3333; www.nexus.org.uk) network is the easiest way to get around with stops at most places of interest. It connects the airport with both Newcastle and Gateshead city centers as well as destinations further afield such as Whitley Bay, South Shields and Sunderland. An extensive bus network (which includes Quaylink electric buses) provides services for destinations not covered by the Metro.
Various day saver tickets are available for both the Metro and the buses and there are also Transfare, Explorer, Day Rover and Network Traveltickets that allow unlimited travel across the network.
The last Metro service finishes around 2300, but some night bus services are available on the busier routes. See the Metro website for more details or Traveline North East (tel: 0871 200 2233; www.traveline.org.uk) provides comprehensive timetable and fare information for all local bus, Metro, train and ferry journeys throughout the northeast.
Taxis
There are numerous taxi ranks throughout the city and, particularly at night, there seems to be a constant flow of taxis ferrying passengers around town so there is never too long a wait. However, the weekends do get very busy, so for those who want to avoid queuing, it is worth pre-booking a taxi at peak times. Try Central Taxis (tel: (0191) 271 6363), Noda Taxis (tel: (0191) 222 1888) or Grosvenor Cars (tel: (0191) 240 4242).
Driving in the City
It's relatively straightforward to drive around Newcastle, although parking can be expensive. The city is compact enough to explore on foot.
Car Hire
Avis (tel: 0870 608 6350; www.avis.co.uk), Europcar (tel: (0191) 261 083; www.europcar.co.uk) and Hertz (tel: 0870 8502655 or 0870 8502653; www.hertz.co.uk) all have offices at the airport, in the city or both.
Bicycle Hire
There are several cycle paths in and around the town though inexperienced cyclists should beware of heavy traffic and cycling outside town is the preferable option. Newcastle Tourist Information Center stocks a variety of cycling guides including the free Tyneside Cycling Map and can advise on cycle hire.
