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Getting to Belfast

Belfast skyline
Getting to Belfast couldn't be easier

Northern Ireland has three airports, two of which are in Belfast, sea crossings that happen regularly from England to Scotland and also has direct bus and train links from Dublin.

If you're coming from further afield, you can fly direct to Belfast from over 20 European cities and a number of North American locations.

Once you set foot in our city, you'll find out just how easy it is to get around. Belfast is a compact city meaning you can get around on foot, or if you need to get public transport around the city we have a metro bus service that stops right outside the Lanyon Building.


FLY TO
Belfast International Airport

Located 13 miles (21 Kilometres) northwest of Belfast.

Getting from the airport to the City

  • By Bus: The Airport Express Bus Service (Service 300) operates a regular service on weekdays and weekends. The bus leaves from the bus stop located opposite the terminal exit. More information
  • By Taxi: The International Airport Taxi Company, official taxi operator for the Belfast International Airport, are available for hire 24 hours a day 7 days a week outside the right hand door of the airport Exit lobby.  Only taxis approved by Belfast International Airport are permitted to use the taxi rank.  A list of sample fares is displayed in the exit hall of the terminal building. A taxi share scheme to Belfast is available for those who wish to use it. For bookings, contact the Belfast International Airport Taxi Company on +44 (0)28 9448 4353. For more information and to book online visit www.belfastairporttaxis.com.

For additional travel arrangements visit the Belfast International Airport Website

FLY TO
George Best Belfast City Airport

Located just three miles (5 kilometres) from Belfast City Centre.

Getting from the airport to the City

  • By Bus: The Airport Express Bus Service ( Service 600) operates every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday and every 40 minutes on Sunday from outside the airport to the Belfast Europa Bus Centre adjacent to the Europa Hotel, in the heart of the city. The service, Airport Express 600, operates between 5.45am and 9.25pm.
  • By Train: When travelling to the airport by train, you'll want to disembark at Sydenham train station. Translink operates a rail service (0600-2300) Monday-Saturday to Central and Victoria Street Stations every 20 minutes. The service is hourly on Sundays (0900-2200). Connections are available from Central Station to the rest of the rail network in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. A shuttle bus service operates between the airport terminal and the rail halt at Sydenham. Please go to the information desk and ask for the service. You'll be instructed to wait by the taxi rank where the shuttle bus will collect you.
  • By Taxi: Approved taxis operate from the Airport taxi rank outside the terminal building. Wheel-chair accessible taxis are available. The approximate cost of a taxi to Belfast City Centre from Belfast City Airport with our approved taxi provider is £10.00 (including £2 surcharge). All fares are subject to a £2 surcharge). For more information or to book a taxi, (028) 90 809080 or visit the Value Cabs website.

For additional travel arrangements visit the George Best Belfast City Airport Website

SAIL
Take the Ferry to Belfast

Fast ferry services including Stena Line and P&O Ferries make multiple daily crossings from Northern Ireland to ports in Scotland and England. The two main Belfast routes are from Liverpool and Cairnryan, both provided by Stena Line. An alternative route runs from Holyhead to Dublin, with excellent motorway connections between there and Belfast.

Stenaline Ferries  P&O Ferries

PUBLIC TRANSPORT
TAKING THE BUS AND TRAIN

Queen’s is a five minute walk from Botanic Train Station on the Bangor, Larne, Newry and Derry~Londonderry lines. Coach and bus services arrive at Great Victoria Street, which is also connected by rail (or alternatively is a ten-minute walk).

The Enterprise Train service runs from Dublin to Belfast with an average of 8 trains per day with an estimated travel time of 2h09. Trains from Dublin to Belfast depart approximately every 1h40mins. A regular bus service also runs from Belfast Europa station to Dublin city and Dublin airport.

All public transport in Northern Ireland is organised by the Translink company. Visit their website for more information on fares, timetables, journey planners and online ticket bookings. Below is a list of their main services:

  • NI Railways: Northern Irelands train service provider has services running from Portadown, Bangor, Larne, Derry / Londonderry, Portrush and Dublin.
  • Ulsterbus: Ulsterbus is a public transport operator in Northern Ireland and operates bus services outside Belfast, including Dublin.
  • Ulsterbus Goldline: Providing direct services to and from cities across Northern Ireland, including Derry / Londonderry, Coleraine, Newry and Armagh.
  • Metrobus: Providing travel throughout the greater Belfast area.

Student Discount

If you are aged 16-23 you can avail of the ylink card which offers 50% discount off all fares on both train and bus services provided by Translink.

BY CAR
Driving to Queen's

Queen’s is located in south central Belfast and as such is close to the both Northern Ireland’s main motorways, connecting it easily with the rest of Ireland.

Travel Times to Queen's

The table below highlights the distance and approximate journey times for a number of cities and towns across the north and south of Ireland.

Starting Point / Location Journey Distance (Miles / Kilometres)* Approximate Journey Time**
Dublin 103 / 166 1 hour 45 minutes
Derry / Londonderry 75 / 120 1 hour 30 minutes
Coleraine 57 / 91 1 hour 10 minutes
Newry 39 / 62 45 minutes
Antrim 20 / 33 30 minutes
Lisburn 9 / 14 20 minutes
Galway 230 / 370 3 hours 45 minutes
Enniskillen 81 / 133 1 hour 30 minutes

* All distances are based on a central starting position within the city/town named and on your final location being the main Queen's Campus (The Lanyon Building or McClay Library)
** All Journey times are approximate and are subject to traffic/road works and other potential delays. It is advisable that you check the conditions before commencing your journey and plan alternative routes accordingly.

SAT NAV address

If you are planning on driving to Queen's and have a SAT NAV available you can use the following address:

Queen's University Belfast,
University Road,
Belfast,
BT7 1NN,
Northern Ireland, UK

STUDENT BLOGS
Hear from our students

A Starter Guide for International Students at Queen's: Navigating Your First Steps - Rushikesh Mahajan, LLM Law and Technology, India

A Pakistani’s Comedy of Errors in Her Journey to Belfast - Rimsha Ali Siddiqui, MSc Marketing, Pakistan

Fuss Free Flights to Belfast! - Russell Unsworth, Chemical Engineering, UK

Guide to Moving to Belfast - Manasa Ramakrishna, Medicine, Canada

Guide to Getting to Belfast from GB - Tobias Hunter-Tod, Computer Science, UK

Moving from the USA to Belfast – a Practical Guide - Allison Linzing, Inclusion and Special Needs, USA