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Newcastle was founded around 2,000 years ago as a Roman fort called Pons Aelius along Hadrian's Wall, a ruin of which still exists at
Segedunum, a short walk from Wallsend Metro station. The city developed into an important port and was at the centre of the Industrial Revolution during the 18th and 19th centuries. As heavy industry declined,
Newcastle's fortunes took a dip. The city has now re-invented itself as a cultural centre and Science City, and is possibly one of the trendiest places in the UK.
Get around
By bicycle
Newcastle is a reasonably cycle-friendly city. There are a number of places to lock a bike up in the
city centre and cycle lanes exist (though these are often shared with buses or taxis). A few Metro stations also provide secure storage for bicycles, but note that only fold-away bicycles are permitted on Metro
trains. Unless you're touring the UK on pedal power, the best use for a bike is to explore the Quayside, Ouseburn and Jesmond Dene areas, travel to out-of-town attractions or head off to more distant places such as
Whitley Bay and Seaton Sluice on the coast.
The Sustrans National Cycle Network Route 1 (East Coast) passes through Newcastle from the North to the South.
Bicyle hire:
* Tyne Bridge Bike Hire, The Guildhall (Quayside), NE1 3AF, +44 (0) 191 2772441, (info@tynebridgebikehire.co.uk), [23] 10AM-5PM (7 days in summer, weekends only in winter).
* Tyne Cycles, 19-20 Rudyerd Street, North Shields, NE29 6RR, +44 (0) 191 2562266, (tynecycles@aol.com).
By bus
City Centre
Quaylink services run every few minutes between the city centre and the Newcastle/Gateshead quayside. Single fares are 80p and the distinctive yellow livery makes the service easy to recognise.
Suburbs
There are 2 bus stations in the city, Haymarket with services to the north of the city and Northumberland. Eldon Square Bus Station mainly serves Gateshead, County Durham and Teeside. An
extensive and efficient network of bus routes radiate out of Newcastle into the surrounding towns and suburbs. Though the services are operated by several different operators they are coordinated by Nexus,
Tyne and Wear's transport authority. Maps and timetables can be found on the Nexus website, though it may be easier to use a personalised journey planner such as Transport Direct.
Bus operators include:
* Arrive Northumbria, 21 Bridge St, Blyth, ☎ +44 (0) 167 036 3300.
* Classic Coaches
, ☎ +44 (0) 1207 282 288, [30]. edit
* Go North East, 117 Queen St, Gateshead, ☎ +44 (0) 1207 282 288.
* Northumbria Coaches
, ☎ +44 (0) 1670 520577.
* Stagecoach in Newcastle, Shields Road, Walkergate, ☎ +44 (0) 871 200 22 33.
On foot
Newcastle city centre is relatively compact and is therefore easy to navigate on foot. Many areas are pedestrianised. Being on the banks of the River Tyne, some areas slope quite steeply. Buses and taxis are
fairly cheap and plentiful should this pose a problem.
Newcastle and Gateshead walking directions can be planned online with walkit.com walking route planner.
By metro
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The Tyne & Wear Metro is a fast, safe and reasonably cheap way of getting around the city and also to outlying suburbs and
surrounding towns including Whitley Bay, Tynemouth, North and South Shields, Sunderland and Newcastle International Airport.
There are two lines: the Green Line runs from Newcastle Airport to South Hylton (in Sunderland) and the Yellow Line runs
from St James Park to South Shields via a lengthy loop via the coastal towns of North Shields, Whitley Bay and Tynemouth.
Note that the east-west and north-south sections of the Yellow Line cross at Monument Station, so if, for example, you are
travelling from St James Park to South Shields, it is much quicker to transfer to the southbound Yellow Line at Monument
rather than riding along the entire route. The Green Line shares tracks with the Yellow Line for the majority of the section through central Newcastle and Gateshead.
Services run approximately every 6-10 minutes between 6:00 and 23:00. Single tickets range from £1.40 to £3.60
depending on the distance travelled, return fares and day passes are also available. Note that ticket machines currently only
accept coins (10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2) although change is given: the information counter at large stations can provide
change although if boarding at a smaller station outside of the city this service is not available; however, after 2010, all
stations will be fitted with new ticket machines that accept notes and credit/debit cards. Although there are no ticket barriers
at stations and hopping (riding without paying) is widespread, it is advisable to keep your ticket handy as trains and stations
are patrolled by ticket inspectors. After 2010, major stations will be fitted with automatic ticket gates.
Smoking is banned on the entire system, including open-air stations. However, this rule is often overlooked and it's not
uncommon to see people smoking on the trains, particularly late at night, despite the CCTV surveillance cameras.
By train
Regional rail services are regular and offer quicker access to nearby towns such as Durham, Sunderland, Hexham and Corbridge. Details are available from National Rail Enquiries or Northern Rail.
See
North East England has established is refered to as one of the most beautiful regions in Britain. And Newcastle is currently
becoming more and more of a popular tourist destination thanks to regeneration within the city and also its close proximity to
areas of outstanding natural beauty such as the Northumberland coastline and the Pennine hills.
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