Travelling tips from Belfast to rest of Ireland

The fastest means of getting to Dublin, the capital of the Irish Republic and Ireland’s largest city, is the Enterprise Rail Service which departs from Belfast Central Station on East Bridge Street.

Train Timetable For Services Between Belfast Central Station and Dublin Connolly

Trains to Dublin Connolly Station leave at 06.50, 08.00, 10.30, 12.30, 14.10, 16.10, 18.10 and 20.10 Monday to Saturday. The service reduces to five trains on Sunday at 10.00, 13.00, 15.00, 16.00 and 19.00.

Most trains stop at Portadown, Newry, Dundalk and Drogheda. The 08.00 service stops only at Portadown and Newry.

The journey time is approximately two hours and both first-class and standard class seating is available. Enterprise trains feature a buffet car and a trolley refreshment service.

Hourly Coach Service Between Belfast and Dublin City Centres

An hourly coach service, number 200, operates to Dublin from the Europa Buscentre on Great Victoria Street departing on the hour on a 24-hour basis.

Services between midnight and 5.00 am when the Buscentre is closed leave from Glengall Street which runs between the Europa Hotel and the Grand Opera House.

These coaches provide a direct link between Belfast and Dublin Airport where they stop before travelling on to Busaras, Dublin’s main coach terminal on Store Street in the city centre.

It takes just over two hours to travel on Service 200 between Belfast and Dublin Airport while the city centre to city centre journey time is approximately two hours forty minutes.

Full details of both Service 200 and the Enterprise rail service can be found on the website of Translink, Northern Ireland’s public transport operating company.

Aer Arann Provides Cheap Flights to Cork from George Best Belfast City Airport

Tourists wishing to travel from Belfast to Cork can do so in 40 minutes on flights operated by Aer Arann. These leave George Best Belfast City Airport at 08.40 and 20.10 Monday to Friday and 16.10 on Sunday. There is no Saturday service.

Details of other air services to and from Northern Ireland can be found here.

Travellers heading for the resort town of Killarney in County Kerry can also fly to Cork and use the airport bus service to Parnell Place Bus Station to connect with Bus Eireann coaches to Killarney.

Internal Irish Air Services From Dublin Airport

A network of internal Irish air services operates from Dublin Airport

Cork–Ryanair and Aer Arann
Galway–Aer Arann
Ireland West (Knock)–Aer Arran. This is the closest airport to the popular tourist town of Westport in County Mayo.
Kerry–Ryanair. This airport is close to both Killarney and Tralee.
Sligo–Aer Arann
Waterford–Aer Arann
Shannon (for Limerick)–Aer Lingus

People travelling from Belfast to Dublin Airport to join these flights can use either the number 200 express coach or Aircoach services provided by Ireland’s Aircoach company.

Aircoach Services Depart From Outside Jurys Inn on Great Victoria Street

Aircoach services depart on an hourly basis from the area outside Jurys Inn on Great Victoria Street and take approximately two and a half hours to reach the airport.

The first departure of the day is at 6.30 and the final service is at 20.30. Aircoach has a booking office in the Great Northern Mall which links Great Victoria Street with the Europa Buscentre.

Irish Rail Provides Train Services From Dublin to Tourist Destinations

All of the above tourist destinations can also be accessed by rail via Dublin on the services of Irish Rail (Iarnrod Eireann).

Sligo trains depart from Connolly, the arrival station for Enterprise train services from Belfast.

However, other destinations require travellers to transfer to Heuston Station. The simplest way to do this is to use the LUAS, Dublin’s tram system.

Trams depart from Connolly Station every 10 minutes and take approximately 15 minutes to reach Heuston.

Bus Eireann Offers a Comprehensive Route Network Across Ireland From Busaras

Bus Eireann operates a comprehensive route network from Busaras, Dublin’s main coach station, which serves most of Ireland’s main tourist destinations. Busaras is also served by the LUAS tram system.

Details of Bus Eireann and Irish Rail services can be accessed through the CIE website where tickets can be purchased and railway seat reservations made.