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Original poster

Travelling to Belfast from London...

33 replies

youngestisapsycho · 03/06/2019 10:43

Fly and hire car, or drive own car and take ferry? We like driving and could probably visit somewhere else along the way.. Me, DH and a 17 &13 yr old?

OP posts:
itscallednickingbentcoppers · 03/06/2019 10:47

You don't need a hire car in London surely? They have decent public transport there.

Thumbellini · 03/06/2019 10:51

Either are good really, depends where you are going? Are you sailing from Holyhead or Liverpool? The Liverpool sailing is around 10 hours and is looooong. I'd fly and hire in that case tbh.

Original poster
youngestisapsycho · 03/06/2019 11:04

Lol.. I hadn't even looked how the long ferry journeys were!
I'll do some more investigating.... we have family in North Wales so maybe go visit the Welsh lot and then go from Holyhead to Dublin, then drive to Belfast.. that would be a nice trip.

OP posts:
ComeBackBarack · 03/06/2019 11:08

Fly to liverpool. Hire car to see family. Drop car back at liverpool train to London.

hereiam19 · 03/06/2019 11:10

Depends what you plan on doing when in Ireland? You can get a train from Dublin to Belfast if you just plan on going to them two places? Are you planning going further afield as really a car might not be needed !

hereiam19 · 03/06/2019 11:11

Sorry just realised you like driving. If it was me I’d hire the car when I get here but up to you of course

ZestyDragon · 03/06/2019 11:12

If you are just staying in the city I would just fly and not hire a car. But if you want to do anything outside the city then hire a car. I hate ferries though.

BarbaraofSevillle · 03/06/2019 11:12

Fly to liverpool. Hire car to see family. Drop car back at liverpool train to London

I'm not sure that you can fly from London to Liverpool, and where does Belfast fit into this this suggestion?

OP, I know you say you like driving and you would like to visit family in North Wales that appears to be on the way, but this causes you to turn a short flight that is likely to be quite cheap and easy into a long arduous journey.

I think in all honestly, I would probably fly to Belfast and hire a car, and simply visit your family in north Wales on another separate occasion.

Redshoeblueshoe · 03/06/2019 11:16

Are you lot all ferry phobic ? I'm off to Belfast soon and I'm really looking forward to the ferry. And I loved it as a teen

nc100 · 03/06/2019 11:18

Be much cheaper to fly. What's the car for, surely not to use in London?

TakeAChanseyOnMe · 03/06/2019 11:22

I’m from NI, live in Scotland now.

Fly and hire a car - car hire is pretty cheap from Belfast airport. The ferry can be really expensive. My uncle lives in SE England and always flies and hires a car.

Main pro for the ferry would be if you have your kids and need to take car seats, travel cot etc.

Public transport in NI isn’t great so a car will give you much more freedom.

BarbaraofSevillle · 03/06/2019 11:22

I think the car's so they can go out and look at the Giant's Causeway and other interesting/touristy stuff in Northern Ireland.

I'm not ferry phobic, but from London to Belfast via Holyhead and Dublin, you've got about 6/7 hours of driving and a 2 or 3 hour ferry crossing, compared with a flight that's 1.5 hours tops.

ComeBackBarack · 03/06/2019 11:22

Ah, I misread it as Belfast to London. Ignore me....I need more tea.

TakeAChanseyOnMe · 03/06/2019 11:22

*young kids.

BarbaraofSevillle · 03/06/2019 11:24

You're not the only one ComeBack. I had to read the thread three times myself to make sure I was not misunderstanding what I was seeing as none of the replies seemed to make sense .

WhatHaveIFound · 03/06/2019 11:26

It depends how long your trip is. If it's just a long weekend, then i'd fly and hire a car. If it's a week or more personally i'd drive and ferry because i like driving.

A few things to note...

The Holyhead to Dublin ferry is very good and the drive up to Belfast is fairly straightforward.
There are two airports in Belfast and Belfast International is miles away from the city.
If you hire a car in Belfast you may be charged extra if you want to drive it in the ROI (my DH was charged £60 a couple of years ago).
Giant's Causeway is lovely on a quiet day.

Hechan · 03/06/2019 11:28

If you have the time (and the cash) I'd take the overnight ferry from Liverpool, sleep on the ferry and have a full day when you get there. Long drive up from London though.

Original poster
youngestisapsycho · 03/06/2019 11:30

Oh... lots of answers!
We want to go to Titanic Museum and Giants causeway... and we generally like having a drive about when we visit new places.
If we go to Dublin we could have a night there too... we would have a week to do it all. I like the idea of ferry to Dublin so we can visit there too....

OP posts:
Trooperslaneagain · 03/06/2019 11:32

Agree with @TakeAChanseyOnMe - same as you, from NI now live in Scotland.

Ferry is a ball ache and unless you're in City Centre Belfast, your transport options are pretty limited.

DH (born and bred in the back arse of nowhere) still can't get his head round why there are no trains to be had on a Sunday. If you're used to London transport you'll be glad of your own wheels.

Redshoeblueshoe · 03/06/2019 11:35

Youngest I'll see you on the ferry then Grin

Original poster
youngestisapsycho · 03/06/2019 11:38

@Redshoeblueshoe I love a ferry! DH gets annoyed if we go to France I book the ferry and not the Eurostar!

OP posts:
GreenTulips · 03/06/2019 11:41

Cars are expensive in the boat

Cheaper to hire one

GreenTulips · 03/06/2019 11:42

Car - not the boat - but that would be cool!

hereiam19 · 03/06/2019 11:58

Fly to Dublin rent a car,stay over night drive to Belfast see the sights of Northern a ireland and fly back from Belfast! Flight Belfast to london is around 1hr and 10 mins unless you really want to also drive around England and get the ferry of course!

Redshoeblueshoe · 03/06/2019 12:00

I think most people missed We like driving !