Getting here
The North East benefits from excellent rail, road, ferry, and air links making it one of the best-connected cities in Great Britain.
With an international airport just 20 minutes by Metro from Newcastle city centre and 55 minutes by Metro from Sunderland, frequent rail services from across the country, an international ferry port, and a central location on the UK road network, the North East is ideally located for delegates from around the UK and the world.
International air and sea routes
Air
Newcastle International Airport has direct connections to over 80 destinations, with daily connections to worldwide hubs, including Amsterdam, Dubai, Dublin, Frankfurt, London, and Paris.
The airport is served by many airlines, including Emirates, British Airways, KLM, Air France, Jet2, easyJet and Lufthansa, providing direct links from top international and UK destinations.
It’s also an award-winner for its work towards net zero emissions, including woodland planting on the surrounding land as well as the installation of a solar farm and EV charging infrastructure.
The route from the airport to the city centre is one of the fastest in Europe, taking only 23 minutes on the Tyne & Wear Metro. Metro trains run every 12 – 15 minutes. Taxis to the city centre cost around £17.
For full details of airline routes to and from Newcastle International Airport visit www.newcastleairport.com
Sea
North Shields International Ferry Terminal links the region with Northern Europe, with daily crossings to and from Amsterdam operated by DFDS.
Shuttle buses take around 30 minutes to travel from the terminal to Newcastle Central Station, where you can connect by rail or bus to County Durham, Northumberland and Sunderland.
For full details of DFDS ferry routes to and from North Shields International Ferry Terminal visit www.dfdsseaways.co.uk
UK travel
Rail
The region has excellent rail links, with Morpeth, Durham, Newcastle and Berwick all on the East Coast Main Line connecting to London in the south and Edinburgh to the north. Train operators LNER, Lumo, Northern, Transpennine Express, Grand Central and Cross Country all run services here.
We work closely with:
- LNER – the primary rail operator for the main east coast mainline.
- Lumo – a service travelling exclusively on the East Coast of the UK between London & Edinburgh, calling at Stevenage, Newcastle and Morpeth. 100% electric train service offering great fares.
- Northern – connecting Sunderland, Newcastle, Northumberland and Durham as well as destinations further afield.
Road
North East England is well-connected to the rest of the UK by a network of major roads, including the A1(M) which directly links it to London, the South, and Scotland.
The A69 connects us with historic Carlisle, Hadrian’s Wall sites and the Lake District, with visitors from the West of England, South West and Wales arriving via the M6.
Want to travel more sustainably? Megabus, National Express and Flix coaches run services here from the length and breadth of the country.