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If you are visiting Tyneside for the Great North Run weekend next month then you may find this comprehensive guide to the Tyne & Wear Metro for the Great North Run weekend useful…

You can read the full Great North Run guide below…

The official travel advice for the Great North Run is as follows…

Travel guide
With road closures as well as limited parking, public transport is the best way to get to or from the Great North Run for both runners and spectators.

There will be extra bus services, Tyne & Wear Metro trains and Shields Ferry crossings over the River Tyne throughout the day to help you get around as quickly and easily as possible.

Race start – Newcastle upon Tyne

Travelling to the race start.

The race start is about a 15 minute walk from Haymarket Metro Station in Newcastle upon Tyne city centre.

There is both a Tyne & Wear Metro station (Haymarket Metro Station) and a bus station (Haymarket Bus Station) at Haymarket, as well as buses going to nearby Eldon Square Bus Station and many on-street bus stops.

Shuttle bus services will also be running to Haymarket (St Mary’s Place and Percy Street) and Barras Bridge from the finish area in South Shields – see the race start map here Great North Run Start and Finish Maps for details.

Parking is free all day on Sundays at the Tyne & Wear Metro stations marked with a “P” on the Tyne & Wear Metro map (except at Heworth Metro Station, which is £1.20 all day).

Tyne & Wear Metro trains, buses and traffic will be extremely busy, so please leave plenty of time to get to the race start.

Details of opening arrangements at Jesmond Metro Station and Haymarket Bus Station stations are shown on the race start map here Great North Run Start and Finish Maps.

Closing times may vary depending on the operational requirements on the day.

Advice for spectators

If you are seeing friends or relatives off at the start of the race, we recommend that you then head straight to South Shields if you want to try to see them finish.

Or, just choose one place to see them – at the race start, or somewhere on the route, or at the race finish.

If you are heading to the race finish…

Take the Tyne & Wear Metro from Haymarket Metro Station or Monument Metro Station to South Shields Metro Station – there will be a train every seven and a half minutes once the race has started.

Shuttle bus services will also be running from Haymarket and Barras Bridge to the finish area.

The Shields Ferry will operate extra crossings between North Shields and South Shields and will start at 8:45am.

Shuttle buses will connect North Shields Metro Station and ferry landing.

Race finish – South Shields

Getting home from the race finish…Tyne & Wear Metro, the Shields Ferry and buses will be very busy due to the number of people travelling, so please expect a significant wait on the way home.

Avoid the queues by having a meal or drink in South Shields before you head home.

South Shields Tyne & Wear Metro station is about a 15 minute walk from the finish line – there will be a train every seven and a half minutes after the race.

Shuttle bus services will run to Newcastle upon Tyne and South Shields.

The Shields Ferry between South Shields and North Shields will operate extra crossings and will run until 6:00pm.

Shuttle buses will connect North Shields ferry landing and North Shields Metro Station.

Details of the opening arrangements at Chichester Metro Station are shown on the race finish map here Great North Run Start and Finish Maps.

Closing times may vary depending on the operational requirements on the day.

You can see a summary of available ticket prices here…

If you are looking for hotel accommodation near the Great North Run finish line in South Shields our bed and breakfast best price and room availability is here Book Online.

Room information including photographs can be found on the Accommodation page of our website.

Last online booking received
Tuesday 9th June 2026, 13:55 BST
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