Can I tour Northern Ireland and the Republic on one trip without separate transport bookings?
Mostly yes, with one honest wrinkle. There are no border checks, and the flagship link, the Enterprise train between Dublin Connolly and Belfast Grand Central, is a single booking at about 2 hours 10 minutes, with Aircoach and Translink Goldliner coaches on the same corridor. The wrinkle is that Irish Rail and Translink run separate networks, so onward local travel in the North, and some cross-border tickets, are bought from Translink separately. A Leap Card does not work in Northern Ireland, and Belfast spends pounds rather than euros. By car, tell the rental company the trip crosses the border, because cover and fees can differ.
Useful pages: Plan your journey · Public transport in Ireland · Dublin · Belfast · Plan your Ireland itinerary · Dublin and the East in 3 Days · The Grand Tour in 10 Days · The Full Island in 14 Days · Ennis · Galway city · Experiencing the Irish coastline · Guided versus self guided tours · Where to stay · Ready-made itineraries · Coming home · County Galway · Cashel · Northern Ireland · Travel notices
Sources
- Translink: Enterprise and Goldliner services, translink.co.uk
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- How do I get from Dublin Airport into the city centre, and how long should I allow?
- What is the best way to travel between Dublin and Belfast?