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Travel - International
AIR: There are frequent direct flights to Belfast from London’s Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted airports as well as other major regional UK airports. Airlines that serve Northern Ireland from the UK include British Airways, RyanAir, EasyJet and BMI British Midland. From North America, Aer Lingus operates flights from Boston and New York Shannon and Dublin. Other major airlines operate services from the USA and Canada to Belfast via London, Glasgow and Manchester. There are also direct charter flights from Toronto to Belfast.
Belfast International Airport (BFS): Located 29km (18 miles) northwest of Belfast city centre. Airport information: (tel: (028) 9448 4848; website: www.bial.co.uk). Facilities include bureau de change, ATMs, duty-free/tax-free shop, a variety of catering facilities including an ‘international food court’, bar and coffee shop; general shops, nursing mothers’ room, facilities for the disabled, children’s play area and emergency medical services. There is also an executive lounge at the airport, which costs £12 to use and is run by the Fitzwilliam International Hotel nearby (tel: (028) 9442 2033; fax: (028) 9442 3500; e-mail: reception@fitzwilliaminternational.com). Train: There is at present no direct rail link to Belfast International Airport, but trains run from Londonderry (Derry), Coleraine, Portrush, Ballymoney, Ballymena and Belfast to Antrim (10km/6 miles away) from where a taxi may be hired, or a shuttle bus can be taken to the airport. There are eight services running daily from Monday to Friday. Trains to and from Dublin are via Belfast Central Station, which has its own Airbus stop. A rail timetable is on display at the main exit from the terminal. Bus: Airbus (Ulsterbus) runs to the city centre Mon-Sat every 40 minutes and Sun every 30-60 minutes (tel: 028) 9066 6630). Airporter Derrydirect coaches (tel: (028) 7126 9996) travel to the airport from Londonderry (Derry). Taxi: Travel time to city centre – 25 minutes. Taxis are available for hire outside the main airport building. Fares are displayed at the exit from the terminal or are available from the information desk. Car hire: Europcar, Avis, Hertz, Budget, Cosmo Thrifty, National Car Rental and Dan Dooley are represented at the airport. Private car: The M1 provides the main link with Fermanagh and the west of the Province whilst forming part of the journey to and from Dublin and the east coast of Ireland. The M2 is the airport’s main link with the centre of Belfast and to Londonderry (Derry), 116km (72 miles) to the northwest. There is nearby car parking for short and long stays. Access is from the M1 and M2 (parking is available) or train to Antrim and then taxi.
The small Belfast City Airport (BHD) (tel: (028) 9093 9093; website: www.belfastcityairport.com) at Belfast Harbour is handy for flights to most regional airports. Regular train and bus services run to the city centre.
Note: For approximate durations of a selection of domestic flights from Belfast, see Travel in the main United Kingdom section.
Departure tax: None.
SEA: Four ferry companies operate direct services between mainland Europe and Ireland. Irish Ferries (tel: (08705) 171 717) operates between between Cherbourg and Rosslare (approximate travel time – 19 hours). Brittany Ferries operates the Roscoff–Cork route with one departure per week in each direction from April to September only (travel time – 14 hours). For more information contact Brittany Ferries in Cork (tel: (00353) 21 427 7801). P&O Irish Sea run ferries between Cherbourg and Rosslare. The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company’s Seacat (tel: 01624 661 661; website: www.steampacket.com) runs a seacat crossing from Douglas (Isle of Man) to Belfast (travel time – 2 hours and 45 minutes).
When travelling via Great Britain to Northern Ireland there is a choice of five services across the Irish Sea: Stena Line (tel: (00353) 1204 7700) operates frequent daily services between Stranraer (southern Scotland) and Belfast, (travel time – 1 hour 30 minutes); P&O Irish Sea (tel: (0870) 242 4777) offers frequent daily services between Cairnryan (southern Scotland) to Larne, (travel time – 1 hour 45 minutes) and between Fleetwood and Larne (travel time – 8 hours). In addition there are frequent crossings between Troon and Larne (travel time – 4 hours) and Heysham and Belfast (travel time – 4 hours) by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company’s Seacat. An overnight service and daily services are offered on the Liverpool to Belfast route and Liverpool to Dublin route by Norse Merchant Ferries (travel time – 7 hours and 30 minutes). For more information call Norse Merchant Ferries (tel: (028) 9077 9090). Irish Ferries also offer services between Rosslare and Pembroke (travel time – 3 hours and 45 minutes), Rosslare and Cherbourg or Roscoff (France) and also Dublin and Holyhead.
Northern Ireland’s only inhabited island is Rathlin, a few kilometres off the north coast. There are frequent passenger boats between Ballycastle and the island.
At peak holiday times a sailing/regulation ticket is required as well as a travel ticket. Check when booking. It is always advisable to book a return journey before leaving home.
RAIL: There are four main rail routes from Belfast Central Station: north to Londonderry via Ballymena and Coleraine, north east to the port of Larne, east to Bangor along the shores of Belfast Lough; and south to Dublin, in the Irish Republic, via Newry. The Belfast–Dublin non-stop express takes approximately two hours. There are eight trains daily in both directions (only five Sunday). The busiest times are holiday weekends and the first and last trains Friday and Sunday, when it is best to reserve seats. Freedom of Northern Ireland passes are available for unlimited travel on trains and buses (costing £12 for one day; £30 for three days and £42 for seven days to be used within eight days of purchase) and are available from main Northern Ireland railway stations.
For information on timetables for all rail services, contact Translink for Northern Ireland Railways Information Centre, Central Station, East Bridge Street, Belfast BT1 3PB (tel: (028) 9066 6630).
ROAD: Bus: Northern Ireland has an excellent bus network and there are particularly good bus links between those towns which are not served by rail. Translink operates both Citylink, which provides services in Belfast, and Ulsterbus, which is responsible for all other services in Northern Ireland.
Belfast has three main bus stations: Great Victoria Street, Newtonabbey and Laganside. Centrelink buses (service 100) provide links between Belfast’s principal rail and bus stations as well as main shopping centres and the Waterfront Hall. In total, Citybus operates over 60 different routes in and around the capital, including two express services between Glengormley and Newtonabbey and the centre, and eight nightlink services that depart from Donegal Square West, Fri-Sat 0100-0200.
Ulsterbus operates a comprehensive network of services across the rest of the country including some scenic routes such as the Antrim Coaster (Belfast–Antrim Coast–Portrush–Coleraine), the Lakeland Express (Enniskillen–Belfast) and the Orchard Express (Belfast–Portadown–Armagh). For more information on any of these services, timetables or prices contact Translink (tel: (028) 9066 6630; website: www.translink.co.uk).
Traffic regulations: Traffic drives on the left. The speed limit is 30mph (48kph) in towns and cities unless signs show 40mph (64kph) or 50mph (80kph). On country roads the limit is 60mph (96kph); on dual carriageways, trunk roads and motorways 70mph (112kph) unless signs show otherwise.
Breakdowns: If the car is rented, contact the rental company. Members of the continental equivalent of the Automobile Association (AA) (tel: (0800) 887 766) can contact their 24-hour breakdown service. The Royal Automobile Club (RAC) (tel: (0800) 828 282) provides a similar service. They can be contacted from their roadside phones or from any call box. Non-members should consult the Yellow Pages for breakdown services.
Parking: Permitted where there is a blue ‘P’ sign, which indicates a car park in towns or a lay-by at the roadside outside towns. Drivers can park elsewhere on the street except when there is a single yellow line, when parking is permitted only at the times shown on the yellow signs nearby; or when there is a double yellow line which prohibits all parking. Control Zones, which are usually in town centres, are indicated by yellow signs ‘Control Zone. No Unattended Parking’. An unattended car in a Control Zone is treated as a security risk. Never park on zigzag markings near pedestrian crossings. In some towns the centre may be sealed off at certain times, particularly overnight. Alternative routes will be signposted.
Taxi: Available at main stations, ports and Belfast Airport and are also bookable by telephone in larger towns and cities.
Car hire: The main firms – Avis, Hertz and Europcar – all operate in Northern Ireland and have desks at Belfast International Airport with cars available on the spot. There is also a host of smaller firms.
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
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