Dublin to Belfast to Ballycastle

Posted by ArchiBish (Springfield, OR) on 07/27/24 03:58 PM

Hello Forum Folk,

The family and I are landing in Dublin on Sunday the 4th and... there are no trains. A bit disappointing as my kids have never been on a train but we'll have a chance later when we travel in Switzerland.

In any case, I'm not sure what happened as there were trains available weeks ago. Our plan was to take the train to Dublin and then pick up a rental car in Belfast for the rest of the trip through N. Ireland. I tried to move our car rental but that was impossible as pick up and drop off would be in two different countries. (We fly out of Belfast for Scotland for our next leg of our trip)

Bus seems like the only/best answer for the Dublin to Belfast travel? I guess I'm mostly wondering if anyone knows what happened to the train and if I'm missing something obvious? :-)

Cheers and thanks,
Erik in Oregon

Posted by Barbara G.

Pennsylvania

07/27/24 04:15 PM

280 posts

As a train alternative, you can take a bus (they call it a coach) from Dublin to Belfast. Try Dublin Express or Aircoach. You can book ahead online.

Posted by KD

07/27/24 04:16 PM

913 posts

I'll try to find the recent thread, but it's something about the train lines being down due to construction.
We took the train from Belfast to Dublin about 5 years ago, but lots of people on our tour took the express bus back to Dublin after our tour.

Posted by isn31c

Lake District, England

07/27/24 04:17 PM

7833 posts

There is engineering work to build the new Belfast Central Station. Trains are running from Dublin to Lisburn with a bus replacement service on to Belfast- identical journey time.

That particular weekend there is additional engineering work between Malahide and Drogheda (in the Republic) so all DUB-BFS trains are replaced by buses throughout.

Thus the easiest way is one of the 3 bus routes direct from Dublin Airport to Belfast.

If you weren't renting a car you could have taken a train from Belfast Lanyon Place Station to Coleraine for the bus to Ballycastle. If you go by bus from the Airport that will drop you at Belfast Europa- the attached railway station is currently closed due to the rebuild.

But the rail replacement bus will take you to Lanyon Place. If there is car rental on a Sunday at Coleraine or Ballycastle you could have picked up the car there. What about bus/train/bus on Sunday and see if there is local car rental on the Monday (which there may not be- Google maps produces nothing)

Posted by ArchiBish OP

Springfield, OR

07/27/24 09:29 PM

22 posts

Thank you all SO much for the info. Exploring all options.

Posted by isn31c

Lake District, England

07/27/24 09:53 PM

7833 posts

Another possible idea for you, as a train ride.

Take the Bus to Belfast, pick up the car, then the family take the train to Larne Harbour (the ferries leave from there to Scotland) or the more frequent service to Whitehead, you drive there, pick them up then you all drive the Antrim Coast.

This is the Larne line timetable- https://www.translink.co.uk/timetables?routeHashCode=ea33be98b2ca65c5fb16b3a48cd4dd19a2e9eb30797b8c257266ac90fa7090b3&transportMode=Train&route=UG&direction=H

At Whitehead there is a railway museum (closed on Sundays but the trains should still be visible)- https://www.steamtrainsireland.com/museum-tickets

There is also a great short coastal walk to Blackhead Lighthouse at Whitehead.