Planning a Trip

Visitor Information

The Belfast Visitor & Convention Bureau welcome center is at 47 Donegall Place, Belfast (tel. 028/9024-6609; www.discovernorthernireland.com). In addition, there are more than 30 tourist information centers (TICs) scattered around the province, most of which are open year-round. The obliging personnel will make sure you see the highlights. Local accommodations may be booked in any TIC, and most are hooked up to online reservations systems that can secure reservations throughout all of Ireland and the United Kingdom. To make your own reservations anywhere in Ireland using a credit card, you can call the free-phone number (tel. 0800/6686-6866).

Getting to the North

By Air -- Belfast has two airports -- Belfast International Airport (tel. 028/9448 4848; www.belfastairport.com) and Belfast City Airport (tel. 028/9093-9093; www.belfastcityairport.com). Continental (tel. 800/231-0856; www.continental.com) offers scheduled flights from New York to Belfast International.

There is service into both airports by a range of carriers, including British Airways (tel. 800/403-0882; www.britishairways.com) from Birmingham, Edinburgh, London/Heathrow, and Manchester; bmi (tel. 08702/642229 in Britain; www.flybmi.com) from London Heathrow; and easyjet (tel. 0871/244-2366 in Britain; www.easyjet.com) from Liverpool, London, and many cities in continental Europe. Service to City of Derry Airport (tel. 028/7181-0784; www.cityofderryairport.com) is provided by British Airways from Glasgow, Dublin, and Manchester; and by Ryanair (tel. 0871/246-0000; www.ryanair.com) from London Stansted.

By Ferry -- Ferry services into Belfast include Norse Merchant Ferries (tel. 0870/6004321 in Britain, or 01/819-2904 in Ireland; www.norsemerchant.com), which takes 8 hours from Liverpool, and the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co. (tel. 0162/466-1661; www.steam-packet.com), which takes 2 hours and 45 minutes from Douglas, on the Isle of Man (summer service only). In addition, Stena Sealink (tel. 08705/707070; www.stenaline.com) operates fast craft (105 min.) and ferry service (3 hr., 15 min.) from Stranraer, Scotland, to Belfast, and from Larne to the port of Fleetwood in the north of England; P&O European Ferries (tel. 0870/242-4777; www.poferries.com) from Fleetwood, Troon, and the Scottish port of Cairnryan to Larne.

By Cruise Ship -- Cruise ships call at the deepwater facilities at Lisahally or at Queen's Quay in the city center. For the latest information on cruises to Derry Port, contact the Cruise Development Officer, Derry City Council, 98 Strand Rd., Derry BT48 7NN (tel. 028/7136-5151; fax 028/7126-4858), or contact the tourist office.

By Train -- Trains on the Irish Rail (tel. 1850/366222; www.irishrail.ie) and Northern Ireland Railways (tel. 028/9024-6485) systems travel into Northern Ireland from Dublin's Connolly Station daily. They arrive at Belfast's Central Station, East Bridge Street (tel. 028/9089-9411). Monday to Saturday, eight trains a day connect Dublin and Belfast; on Sunday, five. The trip takes about 2 hours. Trains for Derry, Larne, Bangor, and Portadown depart from Great Victoria Street Station (Glengall St.; tel. 028/9043-4424).

By Bus -- Ulsterbus (tel. 028/9066-6630; www.translink.co.uk) runs buses from the Republic to Belfast and towns across Northern Ireland. Belfast has two bus stations: The main Europa Bus Centre is behind the Europa Hotel and near the Great Victoria Street Station, while the Laganside Bus Centre, mainly used for buses into the surrounding counties, is on Oxford Street. The express bus from Dublin to Belfast takes under 3 hours and runs hourly Monday to Saturday, less frequently Sunday.

By Car -- You can easily reach Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland. Odds are you'll find it hard to identify the border at all since the big border crossings are long gone. Main roads to Northern Ireland from the Republic include N1 from Dublin (which is regularly under extensive construction), N2 from Monaghan, N3 from Cavan, N14 and N15 from Donegal, and N16 from Sligo. Important note: If you are renting a car and taking it across the border, make certain that all your insurance coverage is equally valid in the North and in the Republic. Don't forget to check any coverage provided by your credit card as well.

Getting Around

By Train -- Belfast is the hub for Northern Ireland Railways (also known as Translink) tel. 028/9066-6630, with two principal rail stations: Great Victoria Street Station, on Great Victoria Street, and Belfast Central Station, on East Bridge Street. Most trains depart from Belfast Central. The three main routes in the North's rail system are north and west from Belfast to Derry via Ballymena; east to Bangor, tracing the shores of Belfast Lough; and south to Dublin via Newry. For example, the Irish Rover pass is for use both in the Republic of Ireland and in the North.

By Bus -- Ulsterbus (tel. 028/9033-3000; www.ulsterbus.co.uk) runs daily scheduled service from Belfast to major cities and towns throughout Northern Ireland. From the Laganside Bus Centre, Donegall Quay, Belfast (tel. 028/9032-0011), buses leave for destinations in the North, including Belfast International Airport and the Larne ferries, as well as the Republic. Bus service in the North is thorough and will get you to most towns of any size, although small villages are less well served.

By Sightseeing Tour -- From June to August, Ulsterbus operates full- and half-day coach tours from the Europa Bus Centre, Glengall Street, Belfast. They run to places such as the Glens of Antrim, Causeway Coast, Fermanagh Lakelands, Sperrin Mountains, the Mountains of Mourne, and Armagh. There are also tours to specific attractions, such as the Giant's Causeway, Old Bushmills Distillery, Navan Centre in Armagh, and the Ulster-American Folk Park in Omagh. For more information, visit or phone the Ulsterbus/Translink tourism office at the Europa Bus Centre, Glengall Street (tel. 028/9066-6630).

By Car -- The best way to travel around the Northern Ireland countryside is by car. The roads are not always in great condition (although this is largely the result of ongoing construction programs that will ultimately improve them) but they are well signposted. Your biggest problem will be other drivers -- Northern Ireland has an appalling record of road accidents, and many people drive far too fast here -- but the same attention to safety you exhibit when driving at home will bear similar rewards here. Generally speaking, distances between towns and villages here are quite small. If you want to rent a car, Avis (tel. 028/9024-0404), Budget (tel. 028/9023-0700), Europcar (tel. 028/9031-3500), and Hertz (tel. 028/9073-2451) have offices in Belfast, and most have branches at the airports. If you rent a car in the Republic, you can drive it in the North as long as you arrange the proper insurance.