Hello - I tried to search for this, because I am sure that it has been discussed, but I could not find much info. We are heading to Scotland (Glasgow) from Ireland (Dublin or Belfast) and I am not sure what is the easiest route. We don't really want to fly as it is so much time in the airports, we will have luggage and from what I can see the cost will be around 160E per person, but not sure about another option. If we do opt to fly, how early should we arrive at the airport for the short flight - either out of Dublin or Belfast? We will be dropping our car in Dublin.
Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
Posted by
UK
501 posts
Honestly, flying is by far the simplest and quickest. You can get a ferry from Dublin to Holyhead in North Wales, but you’d then need to get a train or hire a car to get up to Glasgow. Or you can go Belfast to Cairnryan by ferry, I think.
But both of these options (particularly the Dublin/Holyhead route) will take longer than flying I suspect, and I’m not sure they’ll cost less.
Posted by
OP
Snohomish
20 posts
Thank you so much. Do you know about how early we should arrive a the airport for the short flight? For either Belfast or Dublin?
Posted by
Freedonia
15007 posts
There are ferries from Ireland and Northern Ireland to the UK. Only ferries from Northern Ireland go to Scotland. The ones from the Republic go to Wales.
Each involves multiple steps including trains, ferries and possibly buses. From Dublin to downtown Glasgow you're looking at about 9.5 hours if you take the route including a ferry.
Less than half that flying including getting into Glasgow center.
If you drop the car at the Dublin airport, you just get on a flight to Glasgow Airport. From there it's a dedicated city bus to downtown Glasgow. Not knowing what day you're looking at it's hard to give you price options.
I have flown that route a couple of times.
Posted by
UK
501 posts
You’re looking at a couple of hours ahead of time for a short flight. It’s still a lot quicker than the ferry.
Posted by
Lake District, England
5748 posts
The price options are simple, as those are a fixed price on an all inclusive Sail Rail ticket.
Rail priced from Dublin Port to Glasgow, including the ship is £46.70, plus the shuttle bus from central Dublin to the port.
Rail priced from Belfast Port to Glasgow by train, including the ship and the bus transfer Cairnryan to Ayr is £35. Anyone with a UK National Railcard gets 1/3 off. the £35 fare. Add the bus or train to Belfast and the City centre to port shuttle bus. Fixed price
Priced from Central Belfast to Glasgow including the ship, the coach is also £35 on Citylink, or £44 on Hannons. Fixed price.
The difference is that Hannons coach drives on and off the ship with you and luggage on board. Citylink is different buses at each end (which is all totally seamless) and walk onto the ship with your luggage.
Posted by
1367 posts
If you are renting a car from the Republic of Ireland you should return your car to the Republic of Ireland. Otherwise it may be a significant drop fee. If you are already planning on dropping off the car at the Dublin airport it seems to make the most sense to fly to Glasgow from Dublin. Both Ryan Air and Aer Lingus have multiple flights each day on that route. The flight is very short. Just bear in mind that if you are flying Ryan Air follow their check in, boarding pass and luggage rules very closely. Seems to me that dropping off a car, transferring to a ferry, taking a ferry, transferring from ferry terminal to destination would be much longer and more complicated than flying.
Posted by
OP
Snohomish
20 posts
Thank you all so much. Do you think we need the standard arrival of 2 hours before our flight?
Posted by
UK
501 posts
Do you think we need the standard arrival of 2 hours before our flight?
You might be able to get away with less, but what you do need is what the airline tells you, if it’s one of the budget airlines that’s very strict on check in and luggage.
Given that flying takes a lot less time than ferry/train/bus/whatever, I don’t understand why it would be an issue to have to check in 90 minutes or two hours ahead of flight.
It feels like you’re trying to find a super-fast way to get across the Irish Sea and there isn’t one.