I hate the idea of trekking back to the airport for this one hour trip. Has anyone taken a train or ferry that might be more interesting and fun than the flight?
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6790 posts
Do you have an excess of time on your trip?
The flight is easy, quick and not expensive - and getting between Edinburgh and its airport is as easy as could be. (I actually thought the flight was fun -- any views of Ireland and Scotland from above that you can glimpse are hard to beat...though you should expect some clouds).
Any train/ferry combination is going to take (at least) a whole day. While I enjoy trains and ferries as much as anyone, I would not spend a precious day (or maybe more) getting between the two cities. Unless I had more time than I really needed (eg if you are studying abroad for a semester and have all the time you could want in Ireland and Scotland). If your trip is like most visitors', then the single most limited resource you have to budget is time. I'd gladly take a flight rather than putting together a train/ferry/bus adventure, since that flight would essentially "buy" me half a day or more that I could enjoy in either location.
Also consider, if the weather isn't dry and sunny (happens a lot, year round), how much would you really enjoy the train/ferry/bus adventure in a stormy, driving rain? Personally, I'd rather spend those hours in a pub with a pint while enjoying some music.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Well, I'm glad I asked! It's settled...I'll take a quick and efficient flight over. Thank you!
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33845 posts
if you want to go from Edinburgh west to Dublin the prevailing winds would likely prevent most flight days if you wanted to go by hot air balloon. If you got the right winds it could really be fun, but it would be much easier to organize in the opposite direction. Even then you might get close but not exact - tough things to control, winds.
How about train to the west coast, or perhaps the Great Glen, then a narrowboat down the Caledonian Canal and hire a sailboat for the cross Irish Sea journey, perhaps calling in at the Isle of Man? Again you would probably be sailing into a headwind but a competent sailor can get round that. That would definitely be fun!
Trying to think of a third alternative. nah, coming up dry... (not what you 'd be, crossing the Irish Sea)..... a train crossing the Irish Sea will tend to get wet...
Posted by
Indianapolis, IN
369 posts
Look at the YouTube blogger "Trains, Planes, Everything." This guy does some crazy trips, and I think I recall that he has done this trip by bus and ferry. It was certainly interesting to watch from my living room, but the ferry ride across the Irish Sea midwinter certainly wouldn't qualify as "fun" to me