The quickest way to get to the city centres of Newcastle and Sunderland is via the green metro line at 5,10 gbp. A slightly cheaper, but significantly less frequent and longer journey, is by bus at 2,50 gbp.

You can also hire a car from one of the many car hire companies at the airport.

Metro

The Green Line runs through the whole of Newcastle city centre and continues across the River Tyne to the coastal city of Sunderland.

The metro station is about 80 metres to the left of the terminal and is clearly signposted.

Official information can be found on the website:nexus.org.uk/metro. We describe our personal experiences of travelling around the city in our guide to Newcastle.

Fares

The airport is in Zone C, so to travel to the city centre in Zone A, you’ll need a 3-zone ticket. This is the most expensive fare, so even if you’re travelling to Sunderland, you’ll need to buy a 3-zone ticket.

• 2,50 gbp – a single-journey fare via the POP Card; however, this card is only available via a mobile app, which is geo-restricted and can only be downloaded on a UK mobile phone
• 5,10 gbp – a 90-minute single ticket from a ticket machine; not valid on buses
• 7 gbp – All-day ticket (valid on the metro and the Shields ferry across the entire metro network; not valid on buses)
• 7,50 gbp – a day ticket for the whole of Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and County Durham; valid on the Underground, buses and the Shields ferry, and can only be purchased from a ticket machine (select the “TNE Day Saver” option). Not valid on trains, but when travelling by bus, you can also use this ticket to Hadrian’s Wall or to Durham.

There are several ways to pay for your fare:

• Via the Pop mobile app (Google Play / App Store) – currently only available for download on mobile phones registered in the UK
• A single-use 90-minute paper ticket from a ticket machine

Detailed information on fares can be found on the official website atnexus.org.uk/ticket-information.

Timetable

The underground service from the airport runs every 12 minutes throughout the week.

The journey to Newcastle city centre takes 21 minutes and to Sunderland city centre around 50 minutes.

• The last train from the airport to the city centre is at 23:07 (all later trains only go as far as Regent Centre station, where the depot is)
• First train from Central station to the airport – 5.53 am on weekdays; 6.21 am on Saturdays; 6.41 am on Sundays
• Hotel recommendation near Central station – Hampton by Hilton Newcastle ***

Search for connections:nexus.org.uk/timetables.

Book a hotel in Newcastle city centre

Buses

On the main road, about 150 metres to the left of the terminal (location on google.com/maps), you’ll find the X78 bus stop.

The route connects the town of Ponteland with Newcastle city centre (Eldon Square). The fare is cheaper than the metro and costs 2,50 gbp for a single journey. You pay the driver using your own contactless card.

It’s a good idea to take the bus if you don’t plan to travel around the city much by public transport and want to save as much as possible on your journey.

• Price– 2,50 gbp (you can also buy a day ticket valid for all modes of transport for 7,50 gbp)
• Frequency– every 30 minutes
• Journey time– 20 minutes
• Timetable: nexus.org.uk/timetables/x78

Bus route 777 also stops right outside the terminal, running once every 60 minutes to the town of Morpeth, north of Newcastle.

When travelling towards Newcastle, the 777 terminates at Kingston Park Shops underground station in the northern suburbs, so this service is not suitable for travelling to the city centre. A ticket costs 2 gbp and can be paid for by contactless card to the driver.

Night transport

During the night, you can get to the airport from Newcastle city centre on the787 bus.

The bus departs from the Newgate Street stop and takes 30 minutes to reach the airport. You can purchase a ticket for 2,50 gbpusing your own contactless card from the driver.

Check the timetable at:nexus.org.uk/timetables/787.

Car hire

If you’d like to explore the countryside and coastline of East Anglia or southern Scotland, hire a car directly at the airport.

Car hire desks are located in the arrivals hall.

Newcastle Airport is home to many well-known and local car hire companies, and the lowest prices for a week’s hire start at 250 gbp.

Compare prices and book a car

You’ll find the car hire counters in the domestic arrivals area, right next to the exit from the terminal leading towards the metro station.

Taxi / Uber

The official taxi service at the airport is provided by Arrow Cars, which charges very high fares.

The Uber mobile app offers better value for money from the airport; a journey to the city centre will cost you around 30 gbp.

Arrow Cars taxis have a rank directly in front of the terminal, whilst Uber picks up passengers near the bus stop, about 50 metres from the airport building.

Train

There is no railway line to the airport; the nearest station is 8 miles away in Newcastle city centre, which you can reach by underground.

From Newcastle, you can take the train to towns such as Middlesbrough, Edinburgh, Carlisle or Durham.

The best way to check timetables and buy tickets online is via the Trainline website.

Train tickets – Thetrainline.com