Life in Newcastle

The weather in Newcastle can be quite variable:

• during summer months, temperatures are mild and between 18-21 degrees Celsius
• in winter, the average temperatures are generally 2-8 degrees Celsius.

Newcastle receives less rain than a lot of the UK, but a waterproof coat can be very useful throughout the year. The wind can also make the temperatures feel a bit colder, especially in the winter.

The UK observes several national (bank) holidays. Find out when they are here.

The University and many organisations may close on national holidays. Others might have reduced or different opening/operating hours than normal.

The University also closes for several days during Christmas and New Year.

A Geordie is someone who is from the Tyneside area of the North East. The local people in Newcastle are Geordies and their spoken dialect is also known as Geordie.

Why are they called Geordies?

No one knows for sure. Most people think that the name comes from one of the explanations below:

• it was the name given to the workers of the railway pioneer George 'Geordie' Stephenson
• it was a term for a pitman derived from the use of Stephenson’s 'Geordie’ lamp

in the 18th century the Scottish and Northumbrian people supported James Stuart to become King rather than King George 1st. In an uprising that supported James Stuart, all Northumbrian towns declared their allegiance to him. The city of Newcastle upon Tyne, was the exception. They closed their gates to them. It is believed that James Stuart’s supporters named the residents of Newcastle ‘Geordies’ as they supported King George.

You can find out more about the history of the people of Newcastle at the England North East website.

The Geordie accent and dialect

As one of the most distinctive British accents, it includes lots of words that are unique to the North East. It can be a difficult accent to understand! Find out more about the Geordie accent and it's origins via:

• the England North East website
• our Geordie Phrases blog post which can help you learn some of the most common phrases

The Metro is identified by the yellow sign and a big black 'M'.

There are many types of tickets including:

• a season ticket, handy if you plan to use the metro regularly. This covers travel for a set length of time
• single journeys, which you can buy a ticket at a machine at the station
• If you're aged 16-21 you can buy a Pop Blue card. This gives you special discounted fares - £1 for a single or £2.20 for all day. This card can also be used on buses. 
• If you are over 21 the Pop Pay as You Go card enables you to access cheaper fares on the metro than the standard fares. 

Follow the steps on screen:

• select the station you'd like to go to
• select adult and single or return then
• pay by cash, card or contactless

The Metro has an app, which you might find useful to use. In the app you can see a live timetable and if you have an android mobile phone can buy tickets in the app.

There are a few bus companies that provide a service in and around Newcastle.

When boarding the bus you will need to:

• get on at the front and tell the driver where you'd like to go
• they will tell you the price and you can pay by cash or card

If you plan to use the bus regularly you can also buy a season ticket. These will cover travel for a set length of time at a discounted price.

Local bus providers all have apps you can use to plan your journeys. You also be able to buy tickets in their apps too.

Newcastle Central station is in the city centre. It's on the east coast mainline and can connect you to lots of places around the UK. As train travel can be expensive, we recommend:

• booking tickets in advance
• saving money by buying a railcard

More information about rail travel, including how to buy tickets is available on the National Rail website.