How to Get to Belfast from Dublin

Located 167 kilometers from Dublin, Belfast is a visit not to be missed. Whether for its nature, its museums of recent history, the charm of the city or its gastronomic culture, the capital of Northern Ireland will conquer you.

Although Dublin has much to see and do, if you spend a few days in the area a visit to Belfast is a must. In this article I tell you the best options to go from Dublin to Belfast, don't miss it!

The advantage of hiring an organized tour to visit Belfast from Dublin is to completely forget about the preparations. You only have to worry about enjoying your trip, listen to the guide and know the most emblematic places of Belfast.

In a 12-hour tour that includes transfers, an expert guide who will help you learn about the recent past and conflicts that this city has experienced, as well as free time to enjoy on your own is undoubtedly the best option to discover all the secrets of Belfast in a short time and in a super comfortable way.

In addition, if you decide to make this journey with an organized tour, another important advantage is that it allows you to visit places between the two cities, such as those I tell you below.

Don't miss the treasures of the route: the Giant's Causeway

The Giant's Causeway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and when you see it, you'll understand why.

It is located on the east coast of County Antrim and is a landscape of thousands of basalt columns that cooled millions of years ago. It looks otherworldly and has given rise to a multitude of legends.

Since it is a tourist attraction, there are many options for visiting the Giant's Causeway from Dublin, but the best option is to choose a tour that includes it.

Crossing the Carrick-a-Rede Bridge

Another cool stop sometimes offered by organized tours on the Dublin to Belfast route is the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, which has been suspended between County Antrim and Carrick Island for more than 250 years.

The distance covered by the bridge is only 20 meters, but you have to cross it 30 meters above the sea... Do you dare?

Interesting facts

• Price: 84 euros per person.
• Duration of the trip: 12 hours.
• What will you see: the wall of La Paz, the Titanic museum, the Giant's Causeway and other complementary stops that are usually a surprise.

If you like to drive and create your own route you can rent a car, although I recommend that you only choose this option if you have experience behind the wheel: it is not so easy to get used to driving on the left.

Both in Ireland and Northern Ireland you have the service of the best car rental companies that are also based at the airport, so you can rent your car from the moment you land in Dublin:

• Sixt.
• Europcar.
• Avis.

If you need information on how to get from the airport to Dublin, I'll give you a hand. And if you want to make your own travel plan, remember that near Dublin there are very interesting places, but you can also visit Wicklow or the Cliffs of Moher. They are places close to Dublin and certainly leave an impression.

Interesting facts

• Price: about 50 euros per day.
• Travel time: about two hours on the A1 freeway.
• What you will see: whatever you decide, although with the disadvantage that you will have to be focused on driving.

There are three bus companies that travel between Dublin and Belfast. The trip takes about two hours and some of them offer direct routes, making them a very convenient alternative.

The changes between each company are regarding the places where the stops are located and intermediate stops. Whichever one you choose, I advise you to book on their website before you go. This way you ensure your seat and avoid possible mishaps:

• Aircoach: has two stops in the center of Dublin (one on O'Connell Street and one on Westmoreland Street) and two stops at Dublin Airport, in terminals 1 and 2. They travel directly to Belfast, so they are quite fast (less than two hours) and depart every hour.

• Bus Aireann: it stops in the center of Dublin (at Busáras bus station) and at the airport, and also has buses available every hour. The difference is that it makes more stops on the way to Belfast, so if you plan to go all the way, it will be a bit heavy.

• Translink: uses the Dublin Busáras stop and arrives at the Europa Buscentre bus station in Belfast. It has buses available all hours and offers both direct services and services with intermediate stops, so if you decide on this company pay attention to the details of the trip.

Interesting facts

• Price: about 10 euros.
• Duration of the trip: about 2 hours.
• Is it direct: you have two options, direct buses or buses with stops.

The train is also a good option to travel from Dublin to Belfast, because it is a means of transport in which you can quietly enjoy the scenery, especially if you book your seat next to the window. Some areas along the route have breathtaking scenery.

Trains depart from Connolly Station in the center of Dublin and travel to Belfast Central Station, so you can start your journey as soon as you get off the platform (to give you an idea, from this station you reach Belfast City Hall in less than ten minutes walk).

Once there, you can customize your itinerary and enjoy some of the most interesting attractions the city has to offer:

• Book tickets for Titanic Experience and SS Nomadic in Belfast. Visit the world's largest exhibition about this ship and its tragic end.
• Book a seat on the Belfast sightseeing bus. An excellent option to visit in a short time and comfortably the most emblematic places of the city if you are traveling on your own.
• Book a guided tour of Belfast. If you have arrived on your own but you like to listen to everything the professional guide has to tell you, this is definitely your plan.

Interesting facts

• Price: from 19 euros.
• Duration of the trip: about two hours.
• Is it direct: No, the trip has intermediate stops.

Do you want to see all the information in this post compared? Take a look at this table. Here you have all the data to be able to decide the way to travel that best suits your plans.

Now you have all the information, which means of transport do you choose? Whatever it is, I wish you a good trip and enjoy this special journey.