This page puts together some advice on how to get around NI using public transport and how to get in and out of NI using either local airports or other connections via ferry.
Using local public transport
Public transport in NI is run more or less exclusively by a government-funded organisation, Translink. Translink itself has six different types of services
- Town services (smaller buses)
- Metro – frequent bus corridor services in and around Belfast
- Glider – Bus Rapid Transit in and around Belfast
- Ulsterbus town/city to town/city bus services
- Goldline long-distance coach services
- Northern Ireland Railways
You can plan a route at https://www.translink.co.uk/.
For Metro and Glider services, you can roughly assume that between about 6am and 11pm, a service will turn up pretty soon. For all other services, you should consult the journey planner or a printed timetable.
Ticketing is a bit of a mixed bag at present. For an overview check out this page. Basically, if you’re going to be taking the same journey quite often, you’ll want to look into a day/week/monthly or multi-journey travel card. If you’re just travelling around and want to stay flexible, the iLink card is worth a look, as is the mLink app. Beware though that the iLink card needs to be ordered online and delivered before you start travelling.
Buying single tickets for multiple modes, i.e. a single from Newtownards to Lisburn (changing from bus to train in Belfast) is currently not possible – it may be better to buy some kind of day pass for that. On the bright side, there are very few advance discounts except on some Goldline services and the Enterprise train to Dublin, so you don’t need to buy tickets in advance. Tickets you can buy online are under the “Quick Buy Tickets” link on Translink’s website.
A ticketing tip for the Enterprise Dublin-Belfast service (and only in that direction): you can buy tickets online from Irish Rail and also reserve a seat. You can also use their website to book through journeys from other parts of Ireland.
Stations in Belfast and other places
Belfast has two main railway stations: Lanyon Place and Great Victoria Street. More or less all services stop at Lanyon Place, but it is further away from the centre of the city (10-15m walk, depending on where you want to get to). There is a free shuttle bus. Great Victoria Street is soon to be replaced by Belfast Grand Central Station which will allow more services to call there and integrate bus services from the Europa Bus Centre. Great Victoria Street is beside Europa with longer-distance bus services departing in all directions.
In general, never ever assume that bus stations are close to railways stations in NI, it is unfortunately rarely the case. The journey planner will keep you right, and does allow planning integrated journeys.
Getting to the airports
A good overview from Translink can be found here.
Belfast International
Belfast International is served by the frequent bus service 300a from Belfast and the 109a from Lisburn or Antrim.
George Best Belfast City Airport
City Airport is served by the 600 bus service. You can also take a train to Sydenham, but it’s a bit of a walk and involves footbridge. There is a free courtesy shuttle bus available though.
City of Derry Airport
There are bus services that stop near or at the airport, but no frequent service like in Belfast. Use Translink’s journey planner to see your options.
Dublin Airport
For Dublin airport there are a range of services. There is a Bus Éireann (Irish bus service)/Goldline cooperation: more here and services from Aircoach.
Ferry Services to Scotland, England and France
Frequent ferries sail to Scotland from Belfast and Larne. A once-a-day and once-a-night service operates from Belfast to Liverpool which is very time effective (Liverpool being only a couple of hours from many places in the UK, including London). Or if you go via Dublin there are ferries to Holyhead (Wales) which is well connected and even all the way to Cherbourg in France. All of these ferries take foot passengers.
Belfast port has a bus service that connects well with most of the ferry times. Larne Port has a railway station. There are a number of through ticketing options for getting to Scotland and the UK:
- Hannon Coach for Glasgow
- Ulsterbus/Scottish Citylink/National Express
- British Rail ticket from Belfast to main stations in the UK (with bus connection from Cairnryan to Ayr Railway station in Scotland)
There used to be through tickets via Liverpool but these were unfortunately discontinued. Through tickets via Dublin/Holyhead continue to be available, with the advantage being the railway station is right at the port. In Liverpool you have to take a short metro connection, with the metro station itself being a shuttle-bus away or 20 minute walk.