After an unforgettable night on Tyneside yesterday, Newcastle United have secured their place in the final of the Carabao Cup - with legions of fans planning to come and support them.
The Magpies are all set to head to London's Wembley Stadium on Sunday February 26, where they will face off against either Manchester United or Nottingham Forest. Although tickets for the epic match are yet to go on sale, supporters have already vowed to make their way down to Wembley for the momentous occasion.
If you're one of thousands hoping to travel to London to cheer our lads on, there are a few ways you can get there. Here's everything you need to know about how much you can expect to pay and how long your journey will take whether you're taking the train, bus, plane or car to Wembley Stadium - be aware that while the prices mentioned below were correct at the time of writing, they will be subject to change based on demand and availability.
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Getting to Wembley by train
Travelling by train has long been the favoured way to get from Newcastle to London for speed and convenience - however, numerous strikes by train staff in recent weeks could make travellers understandably concerned about this option. So far, the only industrial action by the RMT Union announced for February is Wednesday 1 and Friday 3.
No further walk-outs have so far been confirmed for February and tickets are currently on sale for the Wembley weekend, but it's worth checking in regularly with National Rail's Journey Planner in the lead-up to your trip if you do go ahead and book. If you’re planning to travel on Friday evening, trains are roughly every 30 minutes and tickets currently cost anywhere between £30 and £80.
Some tickets from Newcastle to London have not yet been released for Saturday, February 25 - of the ones that are available so far, prices for a single traveller without a railcard range from around £44 to £90 depending on the time you travel. Coming back on, for example, Sunday evening, the prices have a similar range, so you’re looking at paying anywhere from £90 to £200 for the whole journey.
It takes up to three and a half hours to get from Newcastle to London King’s Cross, and then a further 35-50 minutes to get from the station to Wembley depending on which tube line you take, so bear this in mind if you’re planning to travel on the Sunday to leave yourself plenty of time to get to the stadium. You can book your train tickets on the Trainline website.
Getting to Wembley by bus
If you would rather save some money and potential strike headaches by avoiding the train, there is the option to travel by bus instead. Anyone hoping to choose this method of travel should be aware that it takes roughly eight hours, so be prepared for a long journey.
National Express, the official coach supplier for Wembley, offers regular coach trips from St James Boulevard in Newcastle city centre to various London locations including Victoria coach station, with prices varying from around £17 to £34 one-way, so you’re looking at about £34 to £68 for the whole journey.
Megabus offers slightly cheaper prices for Newcastle to London, travelling from John Dobson Street with several coaches leaving each day. On Saturday 25, for example, there are seven Megabuses making the journey with prices ranging from about £9.99 to £24.98 one-way.
Seats look to be selling out fast with both companies, so be sure to book soon. You can book your trip via the National Express website or the Megabus website.
Getting to Wembley by plane
There is, of course, a quicker way to get to London than by rail - and while many may have discounted it in the past due to the higher price, in some cases travelling by plane can actually work out cheaper than going by train. If you’re considering this option, it’s worth bearing in mind the environmental impacts of travelling by air, with CO2 emissions far greater than if you opt for rail.
If a flight is looking like your only option, British Airways offers direct flights from Newcastle Airport to London Heathrow, with the journey taking approximately 90 minutes. It takes around a further 80 minutes to travel from Heathrow to Wembley Stadium via tube, so you will also need to build this into your journey time.
According to Skyscanner, return flights going out on Saturday 25 and returning on Sunday 26 will cost you between £250 and £500 in total. Flying out on Friday 24 instead works out generally cheaper, with return prices ranging from around £160 to £350.
Getting to Wembley by car
Driving from Newcastle city centre down to Wembley via the A1 and M1 takes around five hours, though this could be up to six hours at peak travelling times. The trip is around 280 miles in total.
If you’re planning to take your vehicle with you to the Stadium, knowing where you will be able to park and how much it will cost you is as important as the journey itself. The Wembley Stadium website has urged people to only use official stadium car parks, but advises to book early as these will quickly fill up - these spots are likely to be available after tickets go on sale.
On event days, parking in one of the Stadium’s four car parks will have a flat rate tariff of £40 per car per day according to the Wembley Park website. The Stadium warns that street parking should be avoided, as the local Brent Council will have restrictions on this on event days which could see you land a costly ticket.
The Stadium also advises people to steer clear of ‘pop-up’ car parks taking advantage of the demand on event days, as these are not likely to have the correct insurance in place and therefore you won’t be covered if something happens to your car. They are also not patrolled by security, meaning that car crime such as break-ins or theft could be more likely.
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