Great North Run 2022: What are the best ways to reach Sunderland, Newcastle, North Tyneside and Durham after the race?

Finishing the Great North Run is a brilliant achievement for thousands of people every year, but leaving South Shields after the event can be a task in itself!

With hotels expected to be full to capacity across the region, public transport operators across the North East are looking to ensure a smooth movement of people away from the coastal finish and back towards other towns and cities.

Nexus, the group who operate Metro services and the Shields Ferry advise that there will be queues to all destinations throughout the afternoon and encourage travellers to remain patient.

The Great North Run will take place on Sunday, September 11.

How can I get back to Newcastle from South Shields after the Great North Run?

Nexus have advised the best way to return to Newcastle after the race is by the Tyne and Wear Metro.

South Shields Metro station is about a 15 minute walk from the finish line with operators promising there will be a train leaving the station every seven and a half minutes.

It takes around half an hour for trains to travel from South Shields to Newcastle’s Central Station.

Shuttle buses will also link South Shields to Newcastle throughout the day. These will be running from Bents Park Road to Haymarket every ten minutes between 1pm and 5pm.

How can I get back to North Tyneside from South Shields after the Great North Run?

The Shields Ferry will be running additional services on the day of the race and will run until 6pm. Those looking to head away from North Shields Fish Quay can use a shuttle bus between the ferry terminal and North Shields Metro Station.

How can I get back to Sunderland from South Shields after the Great North Run?

The best option for getting back to Sunderland after the race is to get the metro from South Shields Interchange. Once passengers are heading towards Newcastle Airport, they should change at Pelaw and get on a train to South Hylton.

Northern Rail are also offering passengers the chance to travel on their services between Newcastle and Sunderland with a Great North Run Rover ticket.

How can I get back to Durham from South Shields after the Great North Run?

The best option to get back to Durham after the race is to return to Newcastle and use a Northern Rail service to Durham train station.

Trains between Durham and Newcastle take around 15 minutes, although this route is not covered by the Great North Run Rover ticket.

Alternatively, travellers could travel to Sunderland by Metro before getting a bus to Durham. This route would be covered by the Rover ticket.

What is the Great North Run Rover ticket?

Nexus have teamed up with local bus companies and Northern Trains to offer Great North Run Rover Tickets. These can be used on Metro services, the Shields Ferry, all buses across Tyne and Wear, Durham and Northumberland as well as Northern Trains between Newcastle and Sunderland.

These are available to buy online.