GETTING THERE
By air
Belfast International (tel: 028-9448 4848), 19 miles (30 km) northwest of the city, is Northern Ireland’s busiest airport with connections to the rest of the UK, Europe and the US. Numerous daily services link Belfast International with Heathrow, Stansted and many other UK airports.
George Best Belfast City Airport, (tel: 028-9093 9093) 3 miles (5km) east of the city centre, has flights to several UK provincial airports, plus London’s City, Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted.
The Airport Express 300 bus (tel: 028-9066 6630; Mon–Fri, every 15 minutes peak times, less frequent Sat–Sun) runs to the city centre from the International Airport. George Best Airport has rail links to Great Victoria Street and a direct bus link to the city centre every 40 minutes. Taxis are plentiful from both airports.
By sea
Stena Line (tel: 028-9077 9090; www.stenaline.co.uk) has up to 14 sailings a day between Belfast and Stranraer, in Scotland. P&O Irish Sea (tel: 0871 664 4777; www.poferries.com) sails between Cairnryan (in Scotland) and Larne, just northeast of Belfast.
GETTING AROUND
By bus
Translink (tel: 028-9066 6630; www.translink.co.uk) operates the bus network. The Metro bus serves Belfast and the suburbs; services usually start and end around City Hall. Fares can be paid on board or you can buy Smartlink multi-journey tickets (travel cards are available in outlets displaying the Metro Smartlink sign). Goldline Express and other Ulsterbus services to the rest of Northern Ireland and beyond operate from the Europa or Laganside Bus Centres.
By train
Northern Ireland Railways, also operated by Translink, run services east to Bangor, northeast to Larne, northwest to Derry and south to Dublin. Commuter trains from Central or Great Victoria Street stations to the Botanic Station provide easy access to the campus area.
By taxi
There are taxi ranks at City Hall, the Crown Bar, airports and main stations. Drivers at Castle Junction pack London-style taxis until full for a particular direction; they also organise tailored tours. Alternatively, call a ‘radio cab’ such as Value Cabs (tel: 028-9080 9080) or fonaCAB (tel: 028-9033 3333). Public taxis can be hailed when they have a ‘for hire’ sign illuminated. Fares are set by the Department of the Environment; private firms have their own rates. If they do not display a meter, ask for the approximate cost in advance.
Taxi ranks are dotted around the city.
APA Kevin Cummins
The Metro bus in the city centre.
APA Kevin Cummins
By car
The city has many car parks and lots of on-street pay-and-display parking. Donegall Place and its tributaries are pedestrianised, but only in theory. Drive on the left; speed limits, with clearly signed exceptions, are 30mph (50km/h) in built-up areas, 60mph (95km/h) outside built-up areas and 70mph (112km/h) on motorways. Most recognised car hire firms operate from the airports and have city offices. Options include Argus Car Hire (tel: 0870 625 1234; www.arguscarhire.com); Avis Renta Car (tel: 084-4544 6666 ; www.avis.co.uk); and Enterprise Renta Car (tel: 028-9066 6767; www.enterprise.com).
By bike
Completion of the Millennium National Cycling Network added lots more opportunities for cycling in and around the city, with dedicated paths along the River Lagan (for more information, click here), mandatory cycle lanes in the centre, and out-of-town tracks (free maps from Belfast Welcome Centre). One of the newest, opened in 2013, is the tranquil Comber Greenway which runs eight miles along a disused railway line from East Belfast to Comber. The route, also suitable for walkers, starts at the Big Fish sculpture beside the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, follows the riverside past the Odyssey Arena, takes in the Titanic attractions, the C. S. Lewis statue and Parliament Buildings at Stormont. Reputable bike hire companies include McConvey Cycles (183 Ormeau Road; tel: 028-9033 0322) and Bikedock (79 Ravenhill Road; tel: 028-9073 0600).
Going Green
Belfast is becoming increasingly bicycle friendly and the government has set up a ‘Cycle to Work’ scheme, to encourage local people to leave their cars at home. It is part of the city’s Green Transport Plan and includes helping employees buy bicycles tax free.
Outside the city, the Ulster Way now stretches a staggering 625 miles (1,000km) around Northern Ireland, making it the longest circular walking path in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Pick up the Belfast by Bike leaflet at the Welcome Centre or visit www.drdni.gov.uk/roads/cycling for tips, detailed information and a map with the city’s main cycling routes.
FACTS FOR THE VISITOR
Travellers with disabilities
The official tourist information service for Belfast and Northern Ireland (www.gotobelfast.com) has teamed up with Disabled Go (www.disabledgo.info) to assist people with disabilities. It is dedicated to improving access and provides a national access guide on the internet; a total of 986 venues have been researched, including visitor attractions, shops, restaurants, bars and services.
Most buses, trains and taxis have wheelchair access. Disability Action (tel: 028-9029 7880); www.disabiltyaction.org) has useful information, too.
Emergencies
Ambulance, fire, police: dial 999.
For medical and dental emergencies the main Accident and Emergency hospital is Belfast City Hospital (51 Lisburn Road; tel: 028-9032 9241).
Opening hours
City-centre shops are generally open Mon–Sat 9.30am–5.30pm (Thu until 9pm). Some larger stores open Sun 1–5pm. Neighbourhood stores and garage forecourt convenience shops often open much longer – 24 hours in many cases.
Tourist information
Major towns throughout the north of Ireland have a tourist information office.
The Belfast Welcome Centre (8–10 Donegall Square North; tel: 028-9024 6609; www.gotobelfast.com) is a one-stop tourist centre with information on accommodation, visitor attractions, tours, events and transport, both for Belfast, the rest of Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. Multilingual staff can book accommodation, concerts and tours. They have a shop, left luggage facility, bureau de change and internet facilities as well as drinks machines. They also have information centres at the city’s two airports.
Shaftesbury Square at night.
APA Kevin Cummins
The local tourist office in Londonderry (44 Foyle Street; tel: 028-7126 7284; www.derryvisitor.com) can supply information on the city, book accommodation and give advice on the surrounding area.
ENTERTAINMENT
Belfast has earned a surprisingly good reputation for a new generation of stylish bars and nightclubs, and hotel bars are particularly hip. Traditional pubs (for more information, click here) remain popular and often provide a venue for live music. There is plenty of opportunity, too, for a night at the theatre or cinema, plus comedy events and concerts.
Nightlife
The streets around City Hall and Donegall Square are rich with a number of trendy bars: a big draw is the Bar Bacca (43 Franklin Street, tel: 028-9023 0200) with Far-East themed decor, including a giant Buddha above the door, a large and inventive range of cocktails and regular DJs. Upstairs is the sister nightclub La Lea. Stiff Kitten (1 Bankmore Square; tel: 028-9023 8700) attracts a young crowd with its cool, modern feel and showcases the best line-up of international and local DJs in Belfast.
In Queen’s Quarter, the M-Club (23–31 Bradbury Place; tel: 028-9023 3131), situated in the heart of the nightlife district, is lively yet sophisticated, with a great music mix.
Live music in a pub.
APA Kevin Cummins
Theatre/Cinema/Music
The main music, theatre and comedy venues are the Ulster Hall (for more information, click here), Waterfront Hall (for more information, click here), Grand Opera House (for more information, click here), Belfast Empire (42 Botanic Avenue; tel: 028-9024 9276) and Odyssey Arena (for more information, click here). For cinema, the Odeon Belfast (1 Victoria Square; tel: 028-9033 3424) has eight screens, one of which is a 3D screen. Other complexes can be found at the Movie House cinemas in York Street and the Dublin Road, and the Storm cinemas at The Odyssey pavilion (for more information, click here). Non-mainstream films can be seen at the Queen’s Film Theatre (for more information, click here).
Gay and Lesbian
Centred around the Cathedral Quarter, The Kremlin (96 Donegall Street; tel: 028-9031 6060), a Soviet-themed nightclub, forms the hub of Belfast’s increasingly visible gay and lesbian scene.
The Belfast Pride Festival (www.belfastpride.com) celebrates with a new confidence, hosting a week of parties, concerts, talks, discos, and a parade around the city centre, in late July or early August. A useful contact is the Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association (tel: 028-9066 4111).For information on events and places to go: www.gaybelfast.net.