Travelling to Belfast

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Belfast

Travelling to Belfast is really easy! There are two airports operating in the city: Belfast International Airport and Belfast ‘George Best’ City airport. Dublin airport is also a great option for further flight availability. You will find detailed travelling options below, with links to check up-to-date timetables and fares.

Visa information (correct as of January 2025)

For English language students there are 2 possible visas: a Standard Visitor Visa and a Short-term Study Visa.

1. Standard Visitor Visa (studying for up to 6 months)

There are 2 main categories of people under this visa:

Visa nationals who have to seek pre-entry clearance. apply for a visa before they come to the UK. Examples of visa nationals would be nationals of Turkey, Bolivia, Venezuela. Click here to check if someone is in this category.

These nationals will need a visa letter from the school and will have to pay a £200 non-refundable deposit.

Non-visa nationals These nationalities include EU countries, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, USA, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE. These nationalities must apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)

Nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE can apply for an ETA now
Nationals of Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, USA, Japan (and others: can apply for an ETA from 8 January 2025
All EU nationals can and must apply for an ETA if they are travelling on or after 2 April 2025. They can apply from 5 March 2025

The fastest way to apply is using the UK ETA app (available on Apple App Store or Google Play Store). It costs £10 to apply. You will need:

the passport you will travel with – not a photocopy or digital passport
access to your emails
a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay

You will need to upload or take photos of the:

passport
face of the person applying

2. Short-term Study Visa (studying for more than 6 months, up to 11 months)

This is the visa which everyone must apply for before they travel to the UK if their course is longer than 6 months (up to a maximum of 11 months). This applies to all nationalities. This visa is only for English language study.

Anyone applying for this visa will need a visa letter from the school and will have to pay a £200 non-refundable deposit.

Travelling from Belfast International Airport (BFS):

Taxi: available just outside the arrivals hall, a taxi to the city centre will cost around £45.
Bus: Airport Express 300
- available outside arrivals hall while flights operate to Belfast Grand Central Station
- Operates 01.50 – 23.30
- Fare price: Single £9.00; Return £14.00
Private IH Belfast transfer*: £100 each way / £60 per person sharing (max. 3) – please book in advance.
- *Surcharge for pick-up after 9pm and before 8am: + £50 per vehicle

Travelling from Belfast 'George Best' City Airport (BHD):

Taxi: available just outside the arrivals hall, a taxi to the city centre will cost around £15.
Bus: Airport Express 600
- available directly outside arrivals, travels to Belfast Grand Central Station
- Operates 05:45 to 21:25
- Fare price: Single £2.30 (no return fare available)
Private IH Belfast transfer*: £100 each way / £60 per person sharing (max. 3) – please book in advance.
- *Surcharge for pick-up after 9pm and before 8am: + £50 per vehicle

Travelling from Dublin Airport (DUB):

Aircoach: Route 705X direct express service to Belfast – we strongly advise booking this in advance!
- Fare price from £12.50/€13.50 (discounted online)
- Journey time to Belfast’s Upper Queen Street is just under 2 hours.
- There is a taxi rank in Glengall Street for further travel.
Translink Goldline Express X1 service is a public service with more stops than the Aircoach.
- Price: Single £15; Return £22. Web fares start at £8.
- Journey time to Belfast’s Grand Central Station is just over 2 hours.
Train: There is no train service at Dublin airport. You can take the train from Dublin City centre (Connolly Street) to Belfast Lanyon Place for around €20.
Private IH Belfast transfer: £310 each way (£360 after 9pm or before 8am) – please book in advance.

Northern Ireland and Belfast

Northern Ireland is justifiably famous for its outstanding natural beauty and the friendliness of its people. Belfast is the region’s capital and while it is best known as the home of the Titanic, it also boasts a thriving, modern business sector and a vibrant cultural scene. It can also claim to be the most affordable city in the UK.

Travelling to Belfast

Visa information (correct as of January 2025)

Travelling from Belfast International Airport (BFS):

Travelling from Belfast 'George Best' City Airport (BHD):

Travelling from Dublin Airport (DUB):

Northern Ireland and Belfast​

Northern Ireland and Belfast