We'll be taking Rick's "Heart of Ireland" tour in August and we are considering going to Scotland for about a week at the tour completion, I'd appreciate any experiences or advise on taking the Ferry vs flying.
Posted by
3123 posts
Have not taken the ferry, but flying is fairly quick and easy. I believe there are multiple flights a day, both to Glasgow and to Edinburgh.
The ferry does not land you directly in Glasgow but rather in the port of Cairnryan. If you're interested in seeing Dumfries & Galloway or the area around Prestwick (original home of golf) then the ferry is advantageous. Otherwise, not so much. And it is definitely slower, eating up valuable vacation time.
Posted by
Tucson
61 posts
X2 on flying vs. the ferry. I have taken the ferry from the west coast of Scotland (used to be called Stanraer) to Belfast and its a lot of fun, and the actual crossing isn't all that long if you get the high speed ferry. What eats up LOADS of time is the rail from the west coast of Scotland to anywhere thats any distance inside Scotland. The line isn't a direct high speed non-stop, so you get lots of stops at local stations, and that can take a while.
Agree that vacation time if short should be considered more valuable than a cheap fly ticket. Either way, enjoy your time there!
Cheers,
Glenn
Marana, AZ
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
Another advantage of flying is that from Belfast City Airport, you can not only go to Glasgow or Edinburgh, but to northern Scotland destinations like Aberdeen and Inverness. This way, you can start in the north of Scotland and work south, avoiding backtracking. Flights to the US from northern Scotland have complex connections, and leaving from Glasgow or Edinburgh gives you many more options; hence, my recommendation to start in the north and work south rather than the reverse.
Posted by
Southport, NC
378 posts
I have a question for those that have taken the ferry: Are there car rentals in Cainryn? Or is the train the only option? We're doing this summer of 2018. Thanks!