Car Hire in Newcastle

Part of our guide to car hire in the United Kingdom.

Driving and Parking in Newcastle: What You Need to Know

• Clean Air Zone: The Newcastle and Gateshead Clean Air Zone covers the city centre and the routes over the River Tyne, including the Swing Bridge, the High Level Bridge and the Redheugh Bridge. It charges older taxis, vans, buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles that fall below the emissions standard. Private cars are not charged, so no sticker, permit or payment applies to a hire car.
• Tyne Tunnel tolls: The Tyne Tunnel is tolled and operates 24 hours a day. From 1 May 2026 the Class 2 toll, which covers cars, is £2.60, or £2.34 with a pre-paid account. Payment options and deadlines are set by the operator at tt2.co.uk, so check them before you cross.
• City centre driving: The centre combines one-way streets, bus lanes and busy junctions near the Quayside, so set the satnav before you move off. Drive on the left throughout, and at roundabouts give way to traffic from the right and travel clockwise.
• Parking: The council runs around 30 city centre car parks. Several are open 24 hours a day, including Grainger Town Multi Storey (NE1 4DN), St James (NE1 4NF) and Forth Banks (NE1 3RH). Quayside Multi Storey (NE1 2AQ) is open 7am to midnight, Oxford Multi Storey (NE1 8BS) is open 8am to midnight, and Eldon Garden (NE1 7RT) closes at 10pm Monday to Saturday. Charges are set by the operator, so read the signage at the entrance before you leave the car. Never park on double yellow lines.
• Bus lanes: Bus lanes run on many main roads, and the hours are shown on the sign at the start of each lane. Contraventions are enforced by penalty charge notice.
• Speed limits: Limits are in miles per hour: 30 mph in built-up areas unless signed otherwise, with 20 mph zones common on residential streets, 60 mph on single carriageways, and up to 70 mph on motorways and dual carriageways. Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving is illegal.
• Best time to drive: Weekday commuter periods in the morning and late afternoon are the slowest times on the approaches to the city and the Tyne crossings. Mid-morning, early afternoon and weekends are easier for crossing the city.
• Driving on the left: If you normally drive on the right, collect the car at a quiet time and take the first few minutes slowly. The driver's seat is on the right, and the most common mistakes are at roundabouts and when turning out of a car park onto a main road, so keep to the left and give way to traffic from the right.
• Public transport and car together: Many visitors use public transport for the city centre and collect a car for Northumberland, Hadrian's Wall and Durham, which avoids driving and parking in the centre.

Top Places to Visit from Newcastle by Car

• Durham — about 16.5 miles south, in roughly 24 minutes, usually by the A1(M). Durham Castle and Cathedral were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, and the cathedral, begun in 1093, is regarded as one of Europe's finest examples of Norman architecture. It houses the relics of three saints: Cuthbert, Bede and Oswald. The castle was the seat of the Bishops of Durham until 1837, when it passed to Durham University.
• Housesteads Roman Fort — about 31 miles west, in roughly 38 minutes. English Heritage describes it as Britain's most complete Roman fort, standing on the Whin Sill escarpment and flanked by stretches of Hadrian's Wall. The postcode is NE47 6NN, about 4 miles from Bardon Mill. Parking is run by Northumberland National Park, at £5 for up to three hours and a maximum of £10 for the day.
• Alnwick — about 33 miles north, in roughly 39 minutes, usually by the A1. Alnwick Castle is the second-largest inhabited castle in the UK and the family home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland. It appeared as Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films. The Alnwick Garden holds about 4,000 plants, a Grand Cascade and a Poison Garden, and Barter Books lies a short walk from the town centre.
• Bamburgh — about 49 miles north, in roughly 56 minutes. The castle stands on the Whin Sill outcrop, and the fortress is recorded as first built in 547 AD. It sits above a long sandy beach with a Blue Flag award, with views out to the Farne Islands, and the nearby dunes are a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

When is the Best Time to Hire a Car in Newcastle?

Peak season: Demand rises over the school summer holidays, from late July to the end of August, and again around Christmas and Easter, when visitors arrive for the city and the Northumberland coast. Bank holiday weekends tighten availability in the same way, and the most popular vehicle classes are the first to go.

Shoulder season: Spring and autumn outside school breaks are steadier. Weekday availability is generally good, and day trips to Durham, Alnwick, Housesteads and Bamburgh are easy to plan around the weather.

Low season: January, February and the quieter weeks of November are the least busy. Winter hires suit day trips and business travel, but allow extra time on the A1 and the main approach roads on weekday mornings.

Advance booking: Book several weeks ahead for school holidays and bank holiday weekends, and as soon as your dates are fixed for any hire that has to match a flight or a train arrival. Free cancellation means booking early carries no penalty if plans change, and the balance is paid at the desk on collection, so nothing is charged in full at the time of booking.

Before you drive away: Photograph the vehicle thoroughly at collection and again at return, including all four sides, the wheels, the windscreen and the interior. Dated photographs give you a clear record of the condition you received, and they are the quickest way to settle any question about marks that were already there.

Fuel: Confirm the fuel type shown on your booking confirmation before you refuel, and ask at collection which fuel policy applies to your hire, so that you return the car as the supplier expects.

How Payment Works for Car Hire in Newcastle

Payment is made in two steps. A rental prepayment confirms your booking online, with Instant Confirmation from the supplier. You then pay the balance directly to the supplier on arrival, when you collect the car.

The price and vehicle class shown at booking are the terms you receive at the desk. Because the full rental amount is not charged at the time of booking, you keep flexibility if your plans change, and cancellation is free.

The supplier may place an excess hold on the main driver's credit card at collection, so check that the card in the driver's name has enough available limit. The amount is shown in your booking confirmation.

Car Hire Suppliers in Newcastle

Car hire in Newcastle is available through the following supplier.

• Green Motion

Car Hire Pick-Up Locations in Newcastle

Your booking confirmation from eCarBookers locks in your price and your vehicle class before you arrive. You pay the balance at the desk on collection, and the terms confirmed at booking are the terms you receive. Always confirm your hire in advance to guarantee your price from the moment you collect the keys.

• Newcastle Airport (NCL)