Tens of thousands of football fans will be descending on St James’ Park in the coming days as the Newcastle stadium plays host to two international matches.
The Lionesses will be taking on France as part of their defence of the UEFA European Women’s Championship on Friday, as they play at St James’ Park for the very first time – tickets are still available here. On the other side of the weekend, the England men’s team will play at the stadium on Monday, June 3 in a pivotal clash against Bosnia and Herzegovina as anticipation builds for UEFA Euro 2024, with the 52,000-strong venue having sold out for the match.
With the city centre expected to be extremely busy on both match days, Newcastle City Council are working with the FA to provide ticketholders with key travel advice for getting to the stadium. There are a number of extra factors to take into account when it comes to potential delays, with major restoration works ongoing on the Tyne Bridge and Girls Aloud also set to play at the Utilita Arena on Friday evening.
The council has “strongly advised” that anyone travelling into Newcastle for the match opts for public transport, as St James’ Park has links to the Metro, National Rail network, and local bus networks. Here’s a full breakdown of advice for all types of transport to the stadium on the match days.
Driving
As mentioned, those heading to St James’ Park are advised not to travel by car, and are there will be no available supporter parking at the stadium. However, for those who are planning to drive, it is recommended that the trunk roads and other river crossing options outside the central area are used, such as the A1, A19, Tyne Tunnel and Scotswood Bridge.
However, National Highways has advised motorists heading into the city for the matches to allow plenty of extra time for their journeys as closures remain on the A1. Overnight full closures are scheduled on the A1 southbound between junctions 68 (Lobley Hill) and 65 (Birtley) from 8pm on Friday to 6am on Saturday, with traffic diverted away from the A1 at junction 69.
Signed diversions for the A1 southbound will be in place, with drivers advised to use the A184 eastbound towards the A194 (M). The closures are in place for safety reasons as National Highways works to investigate and repair a large void following the discovery of issues with mine workings in the area.
Park and Ride
If you want to drive part of the way to the stadium but avoid the busiest city centre area, the below sites are recommended by Newcastle City Council to park and ride. All parking costs £1.20 per space per day – visit the Nexus website for more information.
- Regent Centre – nine-minute Metro ride to St. James’ Park
- Bank Foot – 11-minute Metro ride to St. James’ Park
- Four Lane Ends – 11-minute Metro ride to St. James’ Park
Additionally, the Metrocentre also operates a Park & Shuttle service where supporters can park at the Metrocentre and use matchday shuttle buses direct to the stadium. Visit the GoNorthEast website for more information. Additional parking sites can in Newcastle can be found here.
Metro
St James’ Park is located within a five-minute walk to two Metro stations: St James’ and Monument. With enhanced services post-match and free travel for children under 11, supporters are strongly encouraged to travel via these services – Metro fares start from £1.80 (single) and £2.90 (all day) with Pop Pay As You Go.
You can take the Yellow line from St James’ Park into Newcastle city centre including Newcastle Central Station, or to Heworth, Northumberland Park and Four Lane Ends Park & Ride sites. You can take the Green line from Monument for links to Newcastle International Airport, or Regent Centre, Stadium of Light and Bank Foot Park & Ride sites.
National Rail
St. James’ Park is within a 10-minute walk of Newcastle Central Rail Station which is served by Lumo, LNER and Northern rail services. Newcastle Central Rail Station is located on the East Coast Mainline with connections to York, London Kings Cross, Edinburgh, Birmingham New Street and Liverpool Lime Street – those travelling by train are advised to check the National Rail website to plan your journey in advance and keep an eye on real-time travel updates.
Bus/Coach
Newcastle City Council advises visiting the Nexus website for bus routes and timetables from where you are if you’re taking the bus to the St James’ Park. If you intend to travel via coach, check out National Express.
Cycling
There are 35 bike stands available for cycle parking at the stadium, and the stadium is within a 10-minute walk from the city centre.