Northern Ireland is a beautiful place to visit, and many people travel there every year. If you’re wondering how to travel from the UK mainland to Northern Ireland, we have the answer!
There are two ways to travel from the UK mainland to Northern Ireland – by plane or ferry. In this blog post, we will discuss the pros and cons of each method of travel and help you decide which is best for you. So what are you waiting for? Start planning your trip today!
Traveling by Plane
There are two airports in Northern Ireland – Belfast International Airport and George Best Belfast City Airport.
Both airports offer a variety of flights from a range of destinations, including the UK mainland, Europe, and North America. If you’re looking to hire a car for your trip, both airports have a number of rental car companies available.
The main advantage of traveling by plane is that it’s the quickest and easiest way to travel from the mainland UK.
The flights are usually quite affordable if you book in advance, and the airports are well-equipped with everything you need, including restaurants, shops, and travel agencies.
We often have large families visiting our accommodation from Scotland and England, who happily co-ordinate hire car rental from Belfast International airport – it’s roughly 45 minutes from our house and cottage.
Traveling by Ferry
If you’re looking for a more scenic way to travel to Northern Ireland, then taking the ferry may be the option for you. There are a number of different ferry routes available, depending on where you’re traveling from.
The main advantage of taking the ferry is that it’s a more relaxed way to travel, and there are plenty of things to do onboard while you wait for your journey to end. You’ll be able to enjoy a meal or drink at one of the onboard restaurants and cafes, shop in the shops, or even take advantage of some entertainment options like a cinema screen showing films throughout the day.
A ferry crossing from Stranraer (Scotland) to Belfast will take just over two hours – not bad at all. You have to weigh up the amount of driving if you’re travelling from England as part of this journey.
The Holyhead (Wales) to Dublin crossing takes 3 hours and 15 minutes – with a journey time from Dublin to Ballycastle of roughly 3 hours.
There has been a Holyhead to Belfast crossing which takes either 6 hours (daytime) or 8 hours (night time), which is roughly the same length of time for a crossing between Liverpool and Belfast. The great thing about these crossings is that you can do them at night – you essentially just sleep in a comfortable cabin and wake up in Belfast. It’s our recommended choice and we advise that you book early and pay the little extra for a cabin.
We’re dog and pet friendly accommodation, so travelling by ferry is your best method for bringing along your dog (or dogs!). The ferries offer separate kennels for your crossing – again make sure to book ahead and consider this in your journey.
If You’re Traveling By Car Once You’ve Arrived in Northern Ireland
There are plenty of great places to visit once you arrive in Northern Ireland, but how do you get around? If you haven’t hired a car from one of the airports yet, don’t worry!
There are many rental companies located throughout the country that will provide everything from basic cars for those who want something simple and cheap, all the way up to high-end luxury vehicles with extra features.
When traveling by ferry, you can travel with your car if you wish. Many people choose this option as it allows them to explore Northern Ireland independently.
It’s a long crossing, but gives you the opportunity to take a cabin for an over-night journey so you can wake up refreshed and ready to hit the road! The cabins are comfortable and can be booked here.
What is it Like Traveling Around Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland is a beautiful country, with plenty of sights to see and things to do. The best way to travel around the country is by car, so that you can stop wherever takes your fancy and get a real feel for what life in this amazing place has to offer!
Don’t forget to make a stop in Belfast and take a look at some of the history related to the building of the Titanic at the Titanic Museum and ‘The troubles’. There are some great walks, scenery and eateries in the city.
The coast road is a must-drive. You can tick off site after site including the Giant’s Causeway and Carrick-A-Reed rope bridge that are fantastic experiences. For those of you looking for activities and things to see then there’s just too much to list! We’re in love with Ballycastle town, but then we’re completely biased. Take a look at our quick guide to Ballycastle for more information. We’ve also written here about Ballycastle Beach.
There are fantastic beaches along the North Coast of Northern Ireland and if you’re from England then you’ll be shocked at just how easy it is to drive – you won’t need a special licence or anything and you should be fully insured for driving in NI as it’s just the same as the mainland UK. We drive on the left as ‘normal’!
Head on over!
We hope you enjoy Northern Ireland. It’s a fantastic country with so much to offer and the people are friendly, funny and helpful! When it comes to a tourist town like Ballycastle, the locals appreciate the importance of tourism and welcome visitors from afar.
We’ve created this travel blog because we love our wee town, travel there whenever possible and want all of our friends from around the world to come visit us too 🙂
Want to book ahead and get the whole family under one roof? Our large house sleeps 16 and cottage sleeps 7 – at just over £20 per person per night they can be booked separately or together. Book here.
