UK train travel

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   Ireland

How to travel by train + ferry from

London to Northern Ireland. . .

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Buy a ticket to Belfast online...   London or almost anywhere in Britain to or from   Belfast with a cheap combined train+ferry ticket...   Belfast to London from £36.20 via Dublin...   London to Belfast from £36.20 via Dublin...   Belfast to London via Stranraer from £46   London to Belfast via Stranraer from £46   Glasgow to Belfast from £21 via Stranraer   Manchester to Belfast from £33 via Dublin...   Just enter your local station and 'Belfast'...   Select 'Belfast Port' when prompted...   Enter 'Dublin Ferryport' or 'Stranraer' under 'route'.  This system can book train and ferry tickets from any  station in Britain to Belfast via either Stranraer or Dublin.  It won't book the route via Liverpool.  It can't book  beyond Belfast to other stations in Northern Ireland.  It can book seats on the overnight London-Belfast service,  but not sleepers (for sleepers, book by phone).

It's easy to travel from London (or anywhere in Britain) to Belfast (or anywhere in Northern Ireland) without flying, by train+ferry.  It's the traditional, time-honoured, eco-friendly way to get there, through the countryside by train and across the Irish Sea by ship.  It's a great alternative to short-haul flights, which are now the fastest-growing contributor to global warming.  This page explains the routes, timetables, fares, and how to buy tickets.  First, decide which of these options sounds best for you:

• Option 1, London-Belfast via Holyhead & Dublin

This is the cheapest option.  Take a train to Holyhead in north Wales and the connecting ferry to Dublin.  Then take a fast 'Enterprise' express from Dublin to Belfast.  One ticket covers your whole journey, London to Belfast for around £36 each way with a chance to see Dublin on the way.

• Option 2, London-Belfast via Stranraer

This is the simplest and most traditional route.  Travel by train to Stranraer in Scotland for the connecting Stena Line HSS ferry (High Speed Sea Service) to Belfast port.  One ticket covers your whole journey, from any railway station in Britain to Belfast or any station in Northern Ireland.  London to Belfast from £46 each way, Glasgow to Belfast from £21 each way.

• Option 3, London-Belfast via Liverpool

Travel by train to Liverpool for the overnight Norfolk Line ferry to Belfast.  This is a comfortable option, although combined train+ferry fares are not available via this route so you must book the ferry and train separately.

• Belfast to Londonderry & The Giant's Causeway.

• See train+ferry route map

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Option 1:  London-Belfast via Dublin

This is the cheapest way to go, with daily departures and the chance to see Dublin on the way.  You take a train to Holyhead in north Wales and the connecting Irish Ferries ship or catamaran to Dublin Ferryport.  At Dublin Ferryport there's a bus link into Dublin city centre where you catch an Irish 'Enterprise' express train to Belfast.  One ticket covers your whole journey from London or any British railway station to Belfast, Londonderry or other station in Northern Ireland.

• See the recommended train+ferry service from London to Belfast via Dublin, on the Ireland page.  This explains the best timetable via this route all the way from London to Belfast, shows the fares and how to buy tickets.

• Alternatively, the quick way to check times & fares from any mainland UK station to Belfast is to use the RailEasy online booking system above.  To make it show the route via Dublin, type 'Dublin Ferryport' in the 'Journey route' box.

• Alternatively, to look at the options in more detail, go to the London to Ireland page and choose a train+ferry service from London to Dublin. Then go to www.IrishRail.ie to check connecting Dublin-Belfast train times, allowing plenty of time in Dublin to make the connection.  There are air-conditioned 'Enterprise' expresses from Dublin (Connolly station) to Belfast every hour or two from around 07:00 to around 20:00, journey time 2 hours.

Regular flexible fares	One-way	Return
London (or any South East station) ► Belfast	£36	£72
London (or any South East station) ► Londonderry	£38	£76
Any UK station in zone A ► Belfast	£32	£64
Any UK station in zone B ► Belfast	£33	£66
Any UK station in zone C ► Belfast	£34	£68
Any UK station in zone D ► Belfast	£36	£72

• Slightly higher fares (£4 higher each way) apply at certain peak times.

• These fares are valid on any day, any date, any train and any Irish Ferries sailing.

• Unlimited availability at these prices, you can even buy tickets at these prices on the day of travel.

• Unlike a cheap flight, the date of return can be left open.   Tickets include a reserved place on the ferry (so if you leave the return portion open, you'll still need to make a ferry reservation before your return journey).  And unlike a cheap flight, they are from central London, or even your own local station, not from an airport miles away.

• Returns are valid for one month.

• Stop-overs are not allowed in either direction, including (for more than an hour or two) in Dublin, so you must complete your journey to Belfast in one go.  But if you want to stop off in Dublin for more than this, simply buy separate London-Dublin and Dublin-Belfast tickets (see the Ireland page & www.IrishRail.ie to check the separate fares). 

• As they are so cheap anyway, there's no additional discount for young person's or senior railcard holders.

• You can check these fares at www.sailrail.co.uk or using the RailEasy online booking system above.

Which UK station is in which zone..?  You can buy a train+ferry ticket from any mainland UK railway station to Belfast, Londonderry, or any Northern Irish railway station.
Zone A:	Gwynedd North, Clwyd
Zone B:	Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Cheshire
Zone C:	Lancashire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, West Midlands, Warwickshire, Hereford & Worcester, Gloucestershire, Powys, Gwynedd South.
Zone D:	Cumbria, North Yorkshire, Humberside, Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Greater London, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Avon, Gwent, South Glamorgan, Mid Glamorgan, West Glamorgan, Dyfed, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, Dorset, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall.

• Children:  Children aged 5 to 15 travel at 50% off the fares shown above.  children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.  Unaccompanied children 16-17 years old must have written authority to travel from their parent or guardian.

• Taking a bicycle?  Bikes go free on Stena Line, no reservation required.  Bikes are carried on trains to Holyhead, but reservations are usually required and a small fee is payable.  Bikes are not carried on DART trains from Dun Laoghaire to Dublin city centre, so you'll have to cycle the 11 km.

• Better value than flying...  Unlike most cheap flights, these train+ferry fares are flexible - you need a reserved place on the ferry, but you can change your travel plans as you like, and leave your return open, making the ferry reservation for the return journey in Belfast or Dublin when you know when you want to come back.  These fares are also centre-to-centre, not airport to airport - remember when comparing that it will cost £12 one-way or £24 return for the train from central London out to Luton, Stansted or Gatwick airports in addition to the cost of the flight.  Train+ferry is far less environmentally hostile than a short-haul flight...

How to buy tickets if you're in the UK:

If you are in the UK, you can buy London to Northern Ireland train+ferry tickets:

• online, using the RailEasy online booking system above.  A small (£1.50-£2.61) booking fee is charged.

• in person at most British railway stations.

• in person in Belfast, at the Stena Line terminal at Belfast port.

• by calling the SailRail booking line, 08450 755 755.  Lines are open 08:00-20:00 Mondays-Fridays, 0900-1700 Saturdays & Sundays.  See www.sailrail.co.uk for more information.

• by calling Stena Line on 0870 5 455 455.  Lines are open 08:30-20:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays & 09:00-17:00 on Sundays.

• by calling Virgin Trains on 0845 7 222 333 Tickets can be posted to any UK address or you can ask to pick them up on departure from many UK railway stations, including London Euston.

How to buy tickets if you're in Ireland:

To buy rail+sea tickets in Northern Ireland, either use the RailEasy booking system above, or visit any Northern Ireland Railways station.  In Dublin, call (01) 703 1884 or visit Irish Rail's office at 35 Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1.  E-mail europeanrail@irishrail.ie.

How to buy tickets if you live overseas:

• You can use the RailEasy online booking system above.  Tickets cannot be sent overseas, so select the option to collect tickets from a self-service ticket machine at most major stations (but not Belfast).

• Otherwise, it's easy to wait till you get to the UK and book at the station.  Remember, the cheap flexible fares have unlimited availability so there's no need to book a place weeks ahead.  Just wait till you arrive in London.

• Alternatively, call Virgin Trains on +44 870 9080 107.  Tickets can only be posted to UK addresses, but you can ask to pick them up at many UK railway stations, including London Euston, or have them sent to your hotel.

• Or call Stena Line on +44 870 5 455 455.

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Train & ferry route map:

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Option 2:  London-Belfast via Stranraer

This is the traditional, historic route to Belfast.  Take a train to Stranraer in southwest Scotland then a ferry direct to Northern Ireland.  It's usually a simpler option than the route via Holyhead & Dublin, and only a bit more expensive. London to Belfast starts at around £46 one-way city centre to city centre, or (for example) Glasgow to Belfast from £21 one-way.  It can be booked online using the RailEasy form above.

London ► Belfast  (by train+ferry)
By train:	Mon-Fri	Sat	Sun	Fris
Depart London *	10:29	08:30	09:00**	23:00
Arrive Newcastle	|	11:42	|	|
Depart New castle	|	12:39	|	|
Arrive Carlisle	13:43	|	|	|
Depart Carlisle	14:22	|	|	|
Arrive Glasgow	|	|	14:50**	06:30
Depart Glasgow	|	|	16:25	07:13
Arrive Stranraer	17:55	17:55	18:40	09:21
By HSS ferry:
Depart Stranraer	19:50	19:50	19:50	09:55
Arrive Belfast port	21:20	21:20	21:20	11:40

Please check all train times using the RailEasy online booking system above, or www.nationalrail.co.uk.  You can confirm ferry times at www.stenaline.co.uk.

* = Trains via Carlisle go from London Euston, trains via Newcastle go from London Kings Cross.  Sleeper to Glasgow goes from London Euston, but the 09:00 to Edinburgh for Glasgow goes from Kings Cross.

** = Change additionally at Edinburgh, arrive 13:48 depart 14:00.  Arrives Glasgow Queen Street, walk to Glasgow Central for train to Stranraer.

*** = also change trains at Edinburgh.

Not Sats = Runs daily except Saturday nights.  By CALEDONIAN SLEEPER between London Euston & Glasgow, with 1- and 2-berth sleepers available, plus economy reclining seats.  Reservation necessary.  Sleeper berths can be occupied in the evening from 22:30, and in the morning until 08:00.

Change trains where you see a horizontal line under the train time.  You can confirm ferry times at www.stenaline.co.uk.

Belfast ► London  (by train+ferry)
By HSS ferry:	Mon-Fri	Sat	Sun	not Sats
Depart Belfast port	07:35	07:35	07:35	17:10
Arrive Stranraer	09:10	09:25	09:25	18:45
By train:
Depart Stranraer	10:00	10:00	10:40	19:40
Arrive Glasgow	|	|	12:47	21:55
Depart Glasgow	|	|	13:30*	23:41
Arrive Carlisle	13:35	|	|	|
Depart Carlisle	14:00	|	|	|
Arrive Newcastle	|	14:56	|	|
Depart Newcastle	|	15:28	|	|
Arrive London Euston	17:17	18:46	19:12***	07:00

Train times from other UK stations to Belfast:

Just use the RailEasy online booking system or www.nationalrail.co.uk to find train+ferry times from any UK station to Belfast.  Alternatively, the complete Glasgow-Stranraer-Belfast timetable is shown on the Stena Line website at www.stenaline.co.uk - select 'Stranraer to Belfast' then 'rail connections'.

Fares from London (or any mainland station) to Belfast:
via Stena Line HSS Stranraer-Belfast	Standard fare one-way	Standard fare return	Apex one-way	Apex return
London ► Belfast	£46	£92	£43	£86
UK zone A (e.g. Glasgow) ► Belfast	£29	£58	£21	£42
UK zone B (e.g. Edinburgh) ► Belfast	£29	£58	£21	£42
UK zone C (e.g. Fife) ► Belfast	£33	£66	£25	£50
UK zone D (e.g. Perth) ► Belfast	£33	£66	£25	£50
UK zone E (e.g. Inverness) ► Belfast	£39	£78	£31	£62
UK zone F (e.g. Aberdeen) ► Belfast	£39	£78	£31	£62
UK zone G (e.g. Cumbria) ► Belfast	£31	£62	£29	£58
UK zone H (e.g. Manchester) ► Belfast	£37	£74	£35	£70
UK zone J (e.g. Leeds) ► Belfast	£39	£78	£37	£74
UK zone K (e.g. Birmingham) ► Belfast	£39	£78	£37	£74
UK zone L (e.g. Oxford) ► Belfast	£46	£92	£43	£86
UK zone M (e.g. Plymouth)► Belfast	£46	£92	£43	£86

• Standard fares = Travel on any train, any ship, any date.  Unlimited availability.  You can buy these tickets at any time, even on day of travel.  Returns are valid one month, and you can leave the return date open if you like, although a ferry reservation must be made before you start the return journey.

• Apex fares = Book at least 48 hours in advance, limited places available at these prices, no child or railcard discounts.

• You can check fares using the RailEasy online booking system above, or at www.sailrail.co.uk, or at  the Stena Line website by selecting 'Stranraer to Belfast' then 'rail connections'.

Which station is in which UK zone..?
UK zone A:	Any station in the Glasgow area, Strathclyde, Dumfries & Galloway
UK zone B:	Any station in the Edinburgh area, Lothian, Borders
UK zone C:	Any station in Fife; UK zone D: Tayside; UK zone E: Inverness & Highlands; Zone F: Grampian
UK zone G:	Any station in Cumbria
UK zone H:	Any station in Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside.
UK zone J:	Any station in Yorkshire, Humberside, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire.
UK zone K:	Any station in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Gloucestershire, Hereford & Worcester, Derbyshire, Gwynedd, Clwyd
UK zone L:	Any station in Greater London, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Bedfordshire, Wiltshire, Avon, Hampshire, Sussex, Kent, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex.
UK zone M:	Any station in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset.

• Senior or young persons railcard holders get a 34% discount on the standard fare.

• Children aged 5 to 15 travel at 50% off standard fares.  Children under 5 go free.

• Going beyond Belfast?  You can buy a through ticket to any station in Northern Ireland, for example Antrim or Londonderry - just add £3.50 one-way or £7 return to the standard fare to Belfast.

• Unlike most air fares, the standard fares are flexible - although a reservation is required, you can change your travel plans as you like, and make the ferry reservation for the return journey in Belfast when you know when you want to come back.  You can break your journey (stop off) with Standard fares, but not with Apex fares.

• Remember, these fares are centre to centre, not airport to airport.  When comparing, add £12 one-way or £24 return to the air fare to cover the train ride from London to Luton, Stansted or Gatwick airports..!

• For travel by Caledonian Sleeper, add a sleeper supplement of £27 per person each way for travel in a 2-berth compartment.  For daytime travel, it may be cheaper to buy a Virgin Value return to Carlisle or Glasgow (these start at just £30) and combine this with an inclusive return from Glasgow or Carlisle to Belfast.

How to buy tickets...

You can buy combined train+ferry tickets to Belfast online using the RailEasy online booking system above.  Tickets will be sent to any UK address or can be sent to overseas addresses.  If you have any problems booking online, or want to arrange a sleeper, you can book in person at almost any British railway station, or by telephone with Stena Line on 0870 5 455 455.  Lines open 08:30-20:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays & 09:00-17:00 on Sundays.

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