Are you looking for the best way to travel from Dublin to Belfast?
Dublin is the Republic of Ireland’s historic capital, located on the country’s east coast at the mouth of the River Liffey. The city is densely packed with centuries-old buildings, notably the 13th-century Dublin Castle and the towering 1191 St .Patrick’s Cathedral.
To educate visitors about the city, there are a variety of outstanding museums that highlight Dublin’s rich history and distinctive culture.
Dublin, a UNESCO City of Literature, is the birthplace of Nobel laureates and literary greats. The city has many museums and monuments dedicated to highlighting its illustrious literary legacy, including a museum devoted to writers and the craft of writing.
Meanwhile, the Trinity College Library’s iconic Long Room is home to the Book of Kells, a must-see attraction in Dublin.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your newly acquired information and museum hopping, visit one of the city’s green spots. The beautiful St Stephen’s Green and the sprawling Phoenix Park, which is home to the Dublin Zoo, are among Dublin’s parks.
To round off your day, stop by one of the Dublin’s numerous pubs for a pint of Guinness or some fine Irish whiskey.
Dublin is best experienced in a few days and serves as an ideal jumping-off point for touring the rest of Ireland. From Dublin, other cities such as Cork in the south, Galway in the west, and Belfast in the north are easily accessible.
Belfast, the capital city of Northern Ireland, is approximately two hours from Dublin. The city, previously infamous for its turbulent history, has transformed itself into a vibrant, modern city over the last few decades.
Belfast, like the rest of Northern Ireland, has been transformed by the peace process and power-sharing administration. The number of visitors continues to grow year after year, and for good reason. A warm welcome, a wicked sense of humour, and an enthralling history are all to be expected when you visit.
The Northern Ireland capital, despite its small size, has a lot to offer visitors. There are stunning museums, historic castles, and imposing cathedrals, Michelin-starred restaurants, quaint traditional taverns, live music, shopping districts, art spaces and parks.
Additionally, the Black Mountain ridge walk provides great views of the surrounding countryside and Belfast’s skyline.
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Dublin To Belfast Transport Options
Related Read:
- Getting Around Dublin: Public Transportation Options
- Dublin Airport To City: Airport Transfer Options For First-Time Visitors
- Dublin To Limerick: How To Travel To Limerick From Dublin
- Dublin To Cork: How To Travel To Cork From Dublin
- Dublin To Galway Transport Options
From East to North
If you’re in Dublin and want to spend some time in the north, start in Belfast. Travelling to Belfast from Dublin is a breeze, courtesy of an efficient rail system, a dedicated bus system, a variety of travel packages, and great highways connecting the two capital cities.
This guide is an introduction to the many modes of transport available between Dublin and Belfast, ranging from the cheapest to the quickest or most convenient.
Travelling from Dublin to Belfast
There are numerous, direct daily bus and train connections between Dublin and Belfast, as well as several indirect airline options between the cities.
A popular route connecting two capital cities, the journey takes on average slightly longer than 2 hours, depending on the mode of transportation and service chosen.
The cheapest way to get from Dublin to Belfast
While buses are the least expensive means of transport between Dublin and Belfast, rail services typically just slightly cost more, and can even be cheaper if a return ticket is purchased in advance.
Numerous bus and coach companies operate daily direct connections between Dublin and Belfast, from the city centre to the city centre, without any stops in between.
The fastest way to travel to Belfast from Dublin
Not only is taking the bus to Belfast from Dublin the most cost-effective mode of transportation, but it is also the quickest. Dublin Coach’s shortest scheduled bus route from Dublin Custom House Quay and Belfast Glengall Street in the city centre takes a little under two hours and thirty minutes.
Ways to Travel from Dublin to Belfast
By Train
The Enterprise service, which is operated jointly by the Republic of Ireland’s national rail operator (Irish Rail) and Northern Ireland’s national rail supplier (NIR: Northern Irish Rail) allows you to travel straight to Belfast from Dublin by train.
These services operate between Dublin Connolly, Ireland’s busiest station located east of the city centre, and Belfast Lanyon Place Station, previously Belfast Central Station, also located east of the city centre.
You can travel to Belfast from Dublin by direct train thanks to the Enterprise service, which is run jointly by the national rail providers in the Republic of Ireland (Irish Rail) and Northern Ireland (NIR: Northern Irish Rail).
The Enterprise services depart from Dublin Connolly, the busiest station in Ireland located in the east of the city centre and arrive at Belfast Lanyon Place Station, formerly Belfast Central Station, located to the east of the city centre.
Route: Dublin Connolly station to Belfast Lanyon Place Station (formerly Belfast Central Station)
Schedule: departs from Dublin every day with 2-hour intervals
Cost: Single €27.50 – €38.00, return €39.00 – €55.00
Buy your ticket online here.
By Bus
Translink and Dublin Coach offer regular daily direct services between Dublin and Belfast, commencing early in the morning and the last trip is late at night, every day of the week.
Dublin Coach is the quickest service, departing from Dublin Custom House Quay in less than two hours.
However, Airlink, Translink, and other services can depart from alternative, possibly more convenient stations throughout Dublin, such as Dublin Airport or Busaras The vast majority of bus services going to Belfast from Dublin arrive at the Glengall Street bus terminus.
Route: Dublin Airport or Busaras / Dublin Custom House Quay stations to Belfast central Glengall Street bus station
Schedule: Translink – Monday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bus departs every hour
Dublin Coach – Monday to Sunday 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Cost: Translink – on bus €15.70 to €23 / online €8.50 to €17
Dublin Coach – Single €10 / Return €20
Buy your ticket online here.
By Plane
There are no scheduled passenger flights between Dublin and Belfast. However, Ryanair and easyJet operate indirect flights to Belfast International Airport (BFS) via various UK destinations.
The airport is located 12 miles northwest of Belfast City Center and is accessible via a 25-minute express bus. The shortest overall air travel time between Dublin and Belfast is approximately four hours, while certain indirect flights may take significantly longer, depending on the duration of the transfer and the layover airport.
Route: Dublin International Airport (DUB) to George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD)
Schedule: usually departs 3 to 4x a week
Cost: €78 to €147 depending on month/season
Where to Book: Ryanair and easyJet,
By Car (rental)
The journey from Dublin to Belfast, or from Belfast to Dublin, takes slightly over two hours via the M1 in the Republic of Ireland and then the A1 in Northern Ireland.
This is the route to take if you want to get there quickly, with minimal breaks and no stops for sightseeing. While the roads in Ireland are generally good, the motorways are even better maintained and easier to navigate.
As is the case in the rest of Ireland and the United Kingdom, automobiles drive on the left side of the road.
Route: along the M1 on the Republic’s side and then along the A1 on the Northern Irish side
Cost: starts at €30 per day
Where to Book: Rentalcars
Buy your ticket online here.
Hi, I’m Christine – a full-time traveler and career woman. Although I’m from the Philippines, my location independent career took me to over 60 countries for the past 12 years. I also lived in 4 continents – from the Caribbean, South East Asia, Africa and now in Europe. But despite living in several countries, my love for Ireland remains the same. A country that had been a part of my life since I was 14 because of my love for Irish music and bands. Ireland Travel Guides was born because of this passion and hopefully, in some little ways, this website will be able to help you on your next trip to Ireland.