Car rental in Newcastle

Newcastle by car

Newcastle stands on the steep bank of the Tyne facing Gateshead, the two sides stitched together by a stack of bridges at different heights. Scotland is under an hour away by road, and Hadrian’s Wall country begins just upriver of the last suburb.

Driving in Newcastle

Newcastle is reached by A1, A1(M), A19, A69 and A167(M) Central Motorway. Newcastle has a low-emission zone. It is enforced by number-plate cameras rather than windscreen stickers: check that the car meets its emission standard before driving in. Parking in the centre is paid and marked by zone. Streets in the old centre are narrow, a smaller car is easier.

Where to park

Park and ride sites mostly lie north and west of the centre, because they serve commuters from rural Northumberland. The Metro Green Line serves Callerton Parkway and Kingston, and the Yellow Line serves Regent Centre and Walkergate, while a bus links Newcastle Great Park at Wide Open. Heworth, near Gateshead, is the only site south of the River Tyne.

Arriving by road

For most central destinations, leave the A1(M) at exit 69 onto the A184, which crosses Gateshead and enters the city over the A189 Redheugh Bridge. The A19 bypasses the centre to the east through a toll tunnel, so it is the wrong choice. The Gateshead flyover over the Tyne is down to one lane each way, which causes congestion.

From the airport without a car

The Tyne and Wear Metro Green Line starts at the airport and calls at South Gosforth before the city centre, then continues through Gateshead and Heworth to Sunderland. The X78 express bus is the alternative, going via Ponteland Road to Eldon Square.