The Shields Ferry

The Shields Ferry is one of the most distinctive ways to travel between North Shields and South Shields, offering a short but memorable crossing over the River Tyne. Rather than looping inland by road or Metro, the ferry takes passengers straight across the water, giving a brilliant sense of the river’s scale, movement and history. It is practical, scenic and quietly atmospheric, especially when the piers, harbour activity and riverside buildings come into view.

The route has remarkable historic roots. Records show that a ferry service between North Shields and South Shields existed as far back as 1377, making it one of the oldest continuous transport links in the region. In the centuries that followed, ferries carried people, goods and livestock between the two sides of the Tyne, connecting communities in what were historically separate counties: Northumberland to the north and County Durham to the south. Steam packet services were operating by 1816, showing how the crossing developed alongside the industrial and maritime growth of the river.

By the 20th century, the Tyne had many ferry crossings, but road tunnels, bridges and changing travel patterns gradually reduced demand. Nexus took over the Shields Ferry in May 1972, after new legislation allowed passenger transport executives to carry passengers on inland waterways. The service that survives today is the last remaining cross-Tyne ferry, which makes it feel like both a working public transport route and a living piece of local heritage.

Today, the ferry is still a lovely part of a day out. The crossing itself is quick, usually taking around seven minutes, but it gives visitors a proper river journey with views of the Fish Quay, the mouth of the Tyne and the wider coastal landscape. The vessels currently associated with the service include Pride of the Tyne, which entered service in 1993 and was built at Swan Hunter in Wallsend, and Spirit of the Tyne, which joined later as a modern ferry for the route.

For visitors, the Shields Ferry works beautifully as part of a wider coastal itinerary. You can travel from Newcastle or Sunderland to South Shields, enjoy the seafront, then cross the Tyne by ferry to North Shields and continue on towards Tynemouth, Whitley Bay and the open top bus route. It turns a simple journey into something more memorable: part transport, part sightseeing trip, and part connection to centuries of Tyne history.