We are looking forward to hosting you in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, in July 2023! Newcastle is a welcoming visitor destination in the North East of England, with centuries-old history and heritage, impressive architecture and vibrant cultural life. Below you will find important information about organising your trip to Newcastle, including accommodation, visas and transport. Delegates are responsible for organising their own travel and accommodation for the MSA Newcastle Conference, but please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Venue
The MSA 2023 Conference is hosted by Newcastle University. The majority of the conference activities will take place at the Newcastle Helix site in the city centre.
Accommodation
We have partnered with a number of hotels in Newcastle city centre which are offering discounted room rates for our conference delegates, available on a first come, first serve basis. You can explore the range of options on our Accommodation Website.
There are also budget options available at the Newcastle Quayside and Newcastle Central Travelodge hotels, both less than 30 minutes walk from the conference venue.
We have also agreed an offer for MSA delegates at Northumbria University's Claude Gibb student accommodation - £180 GBP for four nights (Monday-Friday), including breakfast. Book here.
Childcare
Neither Newcastle University nor the MSA are able to provide childcare services, but we'd like to help facilitate this and are collecting information about trusted local providers. Please get in touch with us at conference@memorystudiesassociation.org if you would like to discuss childcare. We also recommend that you contact your hotel in Newcastle to enquire about the options they may offer.
Visas
All conference delegates who need a visa to enter the United Kingdom are advised to arrange this as early as possible.
Please be aware that the visa application process differs from country to country and can often take several months (including long waiting times for appointments). We would encourage all delegates to look into the visa requirements for travel to the UK: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.
If you require a letter of invitation in support of your visa application, please send a request to conference@memorystudiesassociation.org. We will send an electronic copy in PDF format; printed signed originals can be sent via post if required.
The invitation letter from the conference organisers is not an official invitation to enter the UK. Delegates are expected to organise and pay for all their visa expenses.
Transport
It is quick and easy to get to Newcastle upon Tyne, which has an international airport, fast and frequent rail connections, an international ferry terminal and a number of major road routes
Getting to Newcastle by air
Newcastle International Airport (NCL) provides great links to the rest of the UK, Europe and beyond with direct flights to and from over 80 destinations.
The airport is located less than 8 miles outside of Newcastle city centre and there are a number of transport options to take you into Newcastle city centre.
The airport is only 25 minutes away by Metro. Airport Metro Station is located just outside the airport itself and has regular services to Newcastle city centre. Metro trains run every 6-12 minutes, and a single Metro ticket between Airport and Newcastle city centre costs £3.70 or £5.40 for an all-zone day ticket.
Bus services, car hire and taxis are also available at the airport.
Other accessible airports include Edinburgh (EDI) and Leeds Bradford (LBA) (both 2 hours 20 minutes away by train) and Glasgow (GLA) and Manchester (MAN) (both 3 hours away by train).
Getting to Newcastle by train
Newcastle Central Station is in the heart of the city and there are regular and direct routes from London, Edinburgh and Leeds, and many other UK cities.
London North Eastern Railway and Lumo offer frequent and direct services linking London Kings Cross to Newcastle in under 3 hours.
You can plan your train journey and search for the best deals through the National Rail website.
Getting to Newcastle by road
Travel by coach to Newcastle is possible from across the UK with Megabus or National Express.
If you are driving to Newcastle, the city is conveniently linked via the A1 (M) to London, the South, Scotland and major routes across the country. The A69 heads west and connects Newcastle with historic Carlisle, Hadrian's Wall sites and Hexham as well as the Lake District and, via the M6, to the South, Wales and the West of England.
Getting to Newcastle by sea
The International Ferry Terminal at North Shields is the North of England's main sea link with Northern Europe. DFDS operates daily crossings to and from Amsterdam. The Ferry Terminal is located only 8 miles (11 km) east of Newcastle city centre.
Shuttle buses operate from the terminal in North Shields to Newcastle Central Station and are scheduled to coincide with the ships' arrival and departure times. Travelling from the North Shields Ferry Terminal to Newcastle City Centre takes around 30 minutes and will cost as little as £3.80 for an adult single fare.
You can find more information about how to plan your visit to the North East here: https://newcastlegateshead.com/plan-your-visit
You can also find maps of the city centre and the region here: https://newcastlegateshead.com/plan-your-visit/maps
