The Great North Run starts in Newcastle and finishes 13.1 miles away on the South Shields seafront. That point-to-point shape is the whole hotel question. Stay near the start and you queue for a packed Metro back from the coast. Stay near the finish and you do the same journey in the morning instead.
The 2027 race is Sunday 12 September, starting at 10:50 on the Central Motorway (official event page). 63,000 people ran in 2026, and the Friday 5K and Saturday junior races fill the Quayside before Sunday. If you got a place in the September ballot, this is the week to book a room.
Where to stay, at a glance
| Area | Getting to the start | Getting back from the finish | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle city centre | 15–20 minute walk | Metro from South Shields, or the R1 shuttle bus | First-timers, train arrivals, a Saturday on the Quayside |
| Jesmond | 15–20 minute walk | Metro to Jesmond or West Jesmond | Quieter nights within walking distance |
| Gateshead | One Metro stop, or a walk over the river | Metro from South Shields | Riverside rooms when Newcastle is full |
| South Shields | Busy Metro into Newcastle | 15 minute walk from the finish | Runners who want the finish on their doorstep; supporters watching the end |
| North Shields / Tynemouth | Metro into Newcastle | Shields Ferry from South Shields | Avoiding the main Metro crush after the race |
| Durham / Sunderland | Train (Durham) or Metro (Sunderland) | Metro, with a change for Sunderland | Overflow when Tyneside is sold out |
Transport details are from the 2026 Travel North East guide and Nexus. Check the 2027 version before race weekend.
Newcastle city centre: closest to the start
The start is on the Central Motorway, a short walk from the hotels around Monument, Grey Street, Haymarket, and Central Station. Race morning is a walk, not a journey, and the 10:50 start means you are not up in the dark.
After the finish, South Shields Metro station is about 15 minutes’ walk away, and every train from there runs into the city centre. In 2026 the R1 express shuttle also ran between Bents Park, in the finish area, and Newcastle. Both get queues — Nexus tells runners to “be prepared to wait” — but you end the day in the city with the restaurants.
Central Newcastle hotels suit first-timers and anyone arriving by train. Newcastle is on the East Coast Main Line, about three hours from London King’s Cross. The Quayside is the most atmospheric part of the centre, but it is also where the Friday 5K and the Saturday Junior and Mini races take place — more than 13,000 children ran on the Saturday in 2026. Expect a lively Saturday, not a quiet taper.
Jesmond: walk to the start, quieter streets
Jesmond sits just north of the centre, and its Metro station is one of the three Nexus lists as nearest the start. Osborne Road and the streets around it have smaller hotels and guesthouses — a useful alternative to the big city-centre hotels.
You can walk to the start, and after the race the Metro from South Shields takes you back to Jesmond or West Jesmond. It is a good fit for groups who want a calmer Saturday night than the Quayside.
Gateshead: across the river
Gateshead Quays and the area around Gateshead Metro station are one stop from Newcastle Central. On race morning you can take the Metro or walk over the river, but leave extra time — the Tyne Bridge is part of the course, and the crowds build early.
It is the obvious overflow when central Newcastle is full, and the Metro from South Shields brings you back through Gateshead after the finish.
South Shields: at the finish
The finish is on the South Shields seafront, near Bents Park. Staying here means your bed is a walk from the finish line instead of a queue and a train.
The cost is the morning. You need to get into Newcastle on the busiest Metro day of the year, with tens of thousands of runners and supporters heading the same way. The late start helps, but leave very early. Your kit bag is not a problem: baggage buses near the start move to the finish area.
South Shields also suits supporters. Nexus says it is “almost impossible” to see a runner in more than one place, so pick the start or the finish, not both. If your supporters are choosing the finish, a South Shields base makes their day easy.
North Shields and Tynemouth: the ferry option
North Shields and Tynemouth are on the coast, on the opposite bank of the Tyne from South Shields, and both are on the Metro into Newcastle.
After the race, the South Shields ferry landing is about a 20-minute walk from the finish. In 2026 the Shields Ferry ran from 07:45 to 18:00 on race day with extra crossings, and the 552 shuttle bus linked Bents Park to the ferry and later to North Shields. That route skips the busiest Metro queues in South Shields. Treat it as an option to confirm when the 2027 travel guide is out, not a guarantee.
Durham and Sunderland: the overflow
If Tyneside is full, Durham is about 15 minutes from Newcastle Central by train and has its own hotel stock. Race-morning trains will be busy, so take an early one.
Sunderland is on the Metro, and the Great North Run Rover ticket has also covered Northern trains between Newcastle and Sunderland. On the way back from South Shields you change Metro lines at Pelaw.
How many nights?
Fewer than you might think. If you entered more than eight weeks before the race, your race number and timing chip arrive by post two to three weeks before (organiser FAQ). There is no expo queue to fit into Saturday.
- Within a few hours of Newcastle: Saturday night only.
- Further away, or flying in: Friday and Saturday, so you are not racing straight off a long journey.
- If you do not want a post-race train home: add Sunday night. Getting away from the coast with 63,000 finishers takes time.
The exception is overseas runners. The organiser cannot post run packs outside the UK, so they collect from the information point on race weekend.
If you are flying, Newcastle Airport (NCL) is about 20–25 minutes from the city centre on the Metro. A private transfer only makes sense for a group or awkward luggage.
What the weekend costs
Our Great North Run trip page uses an indicative £70 entry (the 2027 ballot fee), £95 a night, and £70 for UK travel. Change the nights and travel line to match your own trip.
| Scenario | What we are counting | Indicative total |
|---|---|---|
| One night, travelling from nearby | £70 + 1 × £95 + £70 | About £235 |
| Two nights | £70 + 2 × £95 + £70 | About £330 |
| Three nights (calculator default) | £70 + 3 × £95 + £70 | About £425 |
| Charity place | Registration + pledge + hotel + travel | The pledge, set by your charity, dominates |
Those are calculator defaults, not live hotel quotes. Race weekend is not a normal September weekend in Newcastle, and rooms within walking distance of the start are the first to go.
The organiser’s official travel and accommodation package provider is NIRVANA, with packages it advertises from £75 per person for accommodation and £10 per person for transport. We do not sell packages. Price theirs against your own hotel and travel before you choose.
Didn’t get a place?
The September ballot has been drawn, but there is a second chance. Unsuccessful entrants can enter a January 2027 ballot; the organiser has not published the dates yet, so sign up for the reminder on the event page. Charity places are the other route — the organiser says there are “many” available. New memberships for 2027–2028, which skip the ballot, are sold out.
If you are betting on January, book only a room you can cancel for free.
The traps
A non-refundable room before the January ballot. If you are not in yet, a fixed booking is a bet on the draw.
Planning to see your runner twice. Nexus says stations and trains are too busy to see a runner in more than one place. Agree on the start or the finish, and a meeting point.
Booking a tight train home on Sunday. Metro queues, ferries, and shuttles all take longer on race day. Book a later train, or stay Sunday night.
Expecting a quiet Saturday on the Quayside. The Junior and Mini races bring thousands of families to the riverside. Taper somewhere calmer if you need to.
What to do next
- Got a place? Book a free-cancellation room in central Newcastle or Jesmond now, or North Shields or Tynemouth if you like the ferry route.
- Set your nights on the Great North Run trip page to see the indicative total for your trip.
- Check the 2027 travel guide from the organiser and Nexus before race weekend. The transport details above are from 2026.
Weighing up other races in the region? The North East half marathon shortlist covers Sunderland, Gateshead, Kielder and more, and the Great North Run also sits on our UK autumn races list.