I will be in Galway on 4/9 and need to get back to Belfast for my flight on 4/10 and 1:40 pm. Are the express buses dependable and safe? I can take one from Galway to Dublin and then from Dublin to Belfast. I can leave as early as needed. My research shows one leaves Galway at 4:15 am and that would get me to Belfast at 8:50 am.
Any thoughts, ideas or comments?
Megan, the buses are both dependable and safe. There were some strikes last year but the unrest seems to have passed. You should investigate buses that go direct from Galway to Belfast. I think there is definitely at least one, although it may not go every day. Don't forget to also check out the private bus providers; also very dependable and safe. They may provide a service direct from Galway to Belfast.
Why would you think the bus would be unsafe?
I've traveled to other places, and some types of transportation aren't dependable and/or safe. I wasn't going to assume anything about transportation in a country I haven't travelled to yet. I'd like to be knowledgeable and confident before planning more of the trip. I was thinking this would be an appropriate place to seek information from others with more perspectives than my own without judgement.
Just make sure to leave plenty of contingency time in case either service gets delayed.
If it was me, I'd want to travel the day before, sleep the night of 4/9 in Belfast near the airport, then proceed to the airport after a leisurely breakfast. I wouldn't want the stress of making a long bus trip in the early hours on a countdown to flight check-in time.
Megan, that is a good point about being in Belfast the night before departure. In my initial response, I forgot to ask which airport you are flying from. George Best airport is right in the city, but Belfast International is quite a bit out, so make sure you leave yourself enough time. If the bus takes you into Belfast and you are flying from International, you will still have to figure our the trip from bus station to airport. I am not familiar with public transport options to International, so can't help with that.
