Public transport in Newcastle is provided by the metro, numerous bus routes and a single ferry service.

It is also easy to get around the city centre on foot. Taxis and the Uber app are widely available.

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Fares and tickets

Transport in Newcastle and the surrounding towns is operated by Nexus, which issues day or multi-day tickets valid for various modes of transport.

In addition, each transport operator – the metro and buses – issues its own day tickets or single-journey tickets.

Below, we describe the tickets that tourists are most likely to use.

All-day tickets

All day tickets are valid only on the calendar day in question and not for a full 24 hours.

• TNE Day Saver – a ticket for the counties of Tyne and Wear (see map), Durham (see map) and Northumberland (see map); can also be used for journeys between individual counties
  • 7,50 gbp for adults (no discount for children)
  • Valid on the metro, all city and regional buses within the county, the Shields ferry and on trains on the Sunderland–Newcastle–Blydon route
  • Available from ticket machines at underground stations, from bus drivers or via the Go North East / Arriva / Stagecoach mobile apps
  • Further information: nexus.org.uk/tne-day-saver
• Explorer North East – valid across the wider Tyne and Wear area (see map), Durham (see map) and Northumberland (see map), as well as on city buses in Carlisle, the Teesside area and parts of North Yorkshire
  • 13,80 gbp For adults
  • 7,20 gbp For children under 15
  • Valid on the underground, all city and regional buses within the district, the Shields ferry and on trains on the Sunderland–Newcastle–Blydon route
  • Tickets can be purchased from ticket machines at underground stations, from the bus driver or via the Go North East / Arriva / Stagecoach mobile apps
  • Further information: networkonetickets.co.uk/explorer
• Metro Day Ticket – fare valid for the Newcastle metro network only
  • 4,80 gbp for 1 zone
  • 6,10 gbp for 2 zones
  • 7 gbp for 3 zones (for example, for journeys to the airport, the beaches or Tynemouth Castle)
  • Children under 11 travel free on the metro
  • Valid on the metro only
  • Tickets can be purchased from ticket machines at underground stations
  • Further information: nexus.org.uk/metro-day-ticket

Single-journey tickets

If you’re only travelling once a day over a short distance, it’s not worth buying an all-day ticket.

However, if, for example, you’re going to take the metro more than once, it’s worth buying an all-day metro ticket or even an extended ticket covering the areas around Newcastle.

• Metro
  • 3,20 gbp 2,20 gbp with a card or the POP* app
  • 4,30 gbp for 2 zones / 2,50 gbp with a card or the POP* app
  • 5,10 gbp for 3 zones / 2,50 gbp with a card or the POP app*
  • You must purchase a paper ticket from a ticket machine; see the Metro section for details
  • *The POP app is only available for UK mobile phones and the POP card can only be ordered to a UK address
• Buses
  • 2,50 gbp for a single journey of any length / you must always buy a new ticket when changing buses
  • You pay for your ticket to the driver using your own contactless card or cash
• Trains
  • The price varies depending on the distance
  • You can buy a ticket from a ticket machine at the station or via thetrainline.com

Metro

Newcastle has two metro lines – the yellow and green lines.

As the metro is the backbone of the city’s public transport system and the most convenient way for tourists to get around, we have produced a separate, detailed chapter on the Newcastle Metro.

Buses

At first glance, the bus system is a little confusing, as the individual routes are operated by over 10 different transport operators.

For example, there are no comprehensive maps of all the bus routes in Newcastle on any website.

Routes and timetables

You can search for journeys combining all transport operators and the metro via the websitelivemap.nexus.org.uk.

Timetables are available at stops, and if you are looking for timetables for individual routes, you will need to visit the website of the relevant transport operator.

The following companies operate the largest number of routes in Newcastle:

• Go North East
• Arriva
• Stagecoach (mostly suburban and regional services)

The following routes are most useful for tourists:

• AD122 – runs from Hexham or Haltwhistle railway stations to Hadrian’s Wall
• 684 – runs from Newcastle city centre to Hexham (slower than the train, but the TNE Day Saver ticket is valid on this service)
• 21, X21 – run from Newcastle city centre to Durham(significantly slower than the train, but the TNE Day Saver ticket is valid on these services)
• 306 – connects Tynemouth and Whitley Bay underground stations with Tynemouth Castle, Whitley Bay and Long Sands beaches
• 308, 309 – take you from Whitley Bay metro station to St Mary’s Lighthouse
• 50– runs from South Shields underground station to Ocean Beach Pleasure Park

How to pay your fare

You can always buy a ticket from the driver using your own contactless card or cash.

If you have purchased one of the all-day tickets, you must always show it to the driver when boarding.

Passengers must board via the front door only.

Stops

All bus stops are request stops.

If you wish to alight, you must press the red ‘stop’ button well before reaching the bus stop.

When boarding, you must wave to the approaching bus.

The central station for most city and suburban routes is called Eldon Square and is located next to Haymarket Underground station.

Ferry

In the suburbs near the mouth of the River Tyne where it flows into the North Sea, there is a ferry service operating between the towns of North Shields and South Shields.

The ferry carries foot passengers only. Ferries run once every 30 minutes from approximately 6.45 am to 7.45 pm.

On Sundays, ferries run only between 10.15 and 17.45.

You can find the timetable atnexus.org.uk/ferry/timetable.

Ticket prices

Single tickets can be purchased on board the ferry for 2,50 gbp and can only be paid for by card.

All-day Metro tickets, as well as Tyne and Wear Day Rover and TNE Day Saver tickets, are also valid on the ferry.

Trains

Trains are mainly used for travel from Newcastle to neighbouring towns. They are not suitable for travel within Newcastle itself.

You can take the train on the following routes, for example:

• towards Hexham and Haltwhistle, where you’ll change to the AD122 bus to Hadrian’s Wall
• towards Durham
• towards Sunderland

You must always buy a single ticket for the train; for the lowest price, book at least one day in advance via thetrainline.com.

TNE Day Saver, Tyne and Wear Day Rover or Explorer North East day tickets can only be used on trains on the Sunderland – Newcastle – Blaydon route.

For example, these tickets are not valid on routes to Durham or Hadrian’s Wall.

Taxi / Uber

Within Newcastle city centre, there are plenty of taxis on the streets, with several taxi ranks. The largest one is in front of the railway station, where you’ll always find a large number of taxis.

You can always pay by card or in cash, and fares are strictly charged according to the meter.

A cheaper and more convenient option is theUber app, which has very good coverage in Newcastle, and you’ll usually wait no longer than 10 minutes for a car.

Shared scooters

Neuron, currently the largest shared mobility operator, mainly operates scooters, which can be found throughout the city.

To be honest, though, Newcastle isn’t really a very suitable city for riding a scooter. Cycle paths are practically only along the River Tyne and are intended more for leisurely rides.

The streets in the city centre are very narrow and, above all, quite hilly.

To use the scooters, you need to downloadthe Neuron mobile appand register on it.

• 1 gbp – unlocking a scooter
• 0,18 gbp – 1-minute ride