Coach and Minibus Hire in the United Kingdom

Newcastle Minibus Hire for Northumberland and the Quayside

Newcastle is a friendly, walkable city with a famous night out on the Quayside, and right on its doorstep lies some of England's wildest coast and countryside. A minibus with a driver takes your group to Hadrian's Wall, Alnwick or Holy Island and back in time for dinner.

The Tyneside Clean Air Zone

Most of Newcastle city centre sits in a Class C Clean Air Zone, and so do four of the river crossings, the Tyne Bridge among them. Private cars aren't charged, but minibuses are, unless they meet Euro 6 (diesel) or Euro 4 (petrol); otherwise there's a charge for each day. That's why we raise emissions with the operator at the booking stage.

Ford Transit minibus cabin with blue and grey seats
Ford Transit minibus cabin with blue and grey seats

Stopping in the city

There are two coach bays on Pilgrim Street, where a vehicle can stay up to 15 minutes and can't come back to the same bay within the hour. Coaches may also set down and pick up on yellow lines but never wait there, so gather everyone before the driver arrives.

For longer waits there's the Ord Street coach park in Newcastle and Gateshead's Oakwellgate coach park across the river, which can be booked.

Flying into Newcastle

Places your group will want to see

  • St James' Park Stadium Tour — Newcastle United
  • Grey Street and Grainger Town — Georgian city centre
  • Angel of the North — Gateshead, beside the A1
  • Discovery Museum — Blandford Square
  • Newcastle Castle — Castle Keep and Black Gate
  • Great North Museum: Hancock — Natural history and Hadrian's Wall gallery
  • BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art — Gateshead Quays
  • Newcastle Quayside and the Tyne bridges — Riverside with the Millennium, Swing and Tyne bridges

Where groups usually stay

  • Newcastle Airport area
  • Jesmond
  • Central Station / Neville Street
  • Quayside / Gateshead Quays
  • City centre / Grey Street / Grainger Town

Arriving by ship

Airport and ferry arrivals

Newcastle International is about 10 miles from Grey's Monument, around half an hour. A minibus has its own paid car park there, for vehicles under 2.9 m tall, and if your flight runs late the driver can sit it out at Callerton Parkway's waiting zone, which costs nothing for the first hour and a half. Coaches of 22 seats or more must book terminal access at least a day ahead.

Arriving by ferry at North Shields? The Port of Tyne terminal is about 25 minutes east of the centre.

Northumberland days

Beamish and Durham are each around half an hour, perfect half-days. Alnwick Castle is about 45 minutes, and Bamburgh a little further up the coast. Holy Island is reached by a tidal causeway, and the council publishes safe crossing times daily, so the day is planned around the tide, with the spare half hour the council recommends.

Your questions

Will our minibus be charged in the Clean Air Zone?

Only if it misses the standard. Minibuses are included in Tyneside's zone, so meeting the standard is something we raise with the operator when you book.

Can we visit Holy Island on any day?

Only at safe crossing times, which change daily and with the weather. Your itinerary will be built around the tide tables.

Is the Tyne Tunnel a problem for a group trip?

Not at all. Cameras read the number plate as you drive through, so nobody stops at a barrier, and settling the toll afterwards is the operator's job.

More trips we can arrange

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