RegionUsable guide

Northern Ireland

Part of the United Kingdom

Photo: SwirlyLand, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Northern Ireland (Irish: Tuaisceart na hÉireann, Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is part of the island of Ireland and one of the four constituent nations of the United Kingdom.

Getting there and around

Getting there

By plane
Almost all direct flights to Northern Ireland are from the UK, Western Europe and the Mediterranean. There are no flights from the Republic of Ireland, as the distances are too short.
By train
From Dublin Connolly station the Enterprise Train runs eight times M-Sa and five on Sunday via Drogheda, Dundalk, Newry and Portadown to Belfast Grand Central Station the main new Train station in…
By bus
Buses run hourly from Dublin city and airport to Belfast Grand Central Station the Bus and Railway station in Belfast, taking 2 hr 20 min.
By car
The M1 / N1 / A1 links Dublin to Belfast and there are multiple other crossing points from Ireland.
By boat
Foot passengers should always look for through-tickets by bus / train and ferry, as these are considerably cheaper than separate tickets.

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Getting around

By bus and train
Much of the public transport in Northern Ireland is under the umbrella of Translink.
By bicycle
If you are considering touring in Northern Ireland, it's worth considering buying the maps and guides produced by Sustrans to accompany the national routes they have helped develop.

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Airports and nearby hotels

Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.

Belfast International Airport

Belfast · International · BFS

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Cities

Rathlin Island

Northern Ireland's only inhabited offshore island, reached by a short ferry ride.

Mourne Mountains

criss-crossed by tracks past woodland up to the peaks: Slieve Donard at 852 m / 2796 ft is the highest in Northern Ireland.

Read before you go to Northern Ireland

Articles and travel topics about Northern Ireland and United Kingdom.

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Full travel guide

Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.

CountiesThese counties are no longer units of government in Northern Ireland, but continue to have strong local identities and to cohere as travel destinations." for instance "Co. Down" is County Down.

Cities and towns

UnderstandNorthern Ireland was created in 1921 when Ireland was partitioned by the Treaty that ended the Anglo-Irish war.

TalkEnglish is the official language, spoken and understood everywhere, though the rapid Ulster accent may be a struggle to follow. There are many dialect words the same as Scots, such as "aye" for yes and "wee" for small.

Get inNorthern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, so it has exactly the same entry requirements as England, Scotland and Wales.

Get aroundYou don't need a car within Belfast or Derry, but will greatly benefit further out, such as along the Antrim glens.

See

BuyAs part of the UK, the only official currency of Northern Ireland is the pound sterling (£).

EatA popular dish is an assortment of fried food, called the "Ulster Fry". It consists of eggs, bacon, tomatoes, sausages, potato bread and soda bread. Some versions include mushrooms or baked beans.

DrinkThe legal age to purchase alcohol in Northern Ireland is 18. Those of 16–17 may be served beer and wine with meals if accompanied by a sober adult. Pubs are normally open M–Th Su until 23:00 and F Sa to 01:00.

Stay safeNorthern Ireland changed greatly with the advent of the 1998 peace agreement, though its troubles have not entirely ceased.

ConnectTo dial Northern Ireland landlines from outside the UK or Republic (or from a "foreign" phone whilst there), dial +44 28 followed by the eight-digit local number.

RespectThe province's troubled past has created a uniquely complex situation within Northern Ireland's society.

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Sources and licences

Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Northern Ireland" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary from the Wikipedia article "Northern Ireland", available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikipedia
Photo: SwirlyLand, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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