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Travel Information
Compare bus and flight for Belfast to Edinburgh
Omio recommends booking the flight as it is the most popular option from Belfast to Edinburgh among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price, take the bus, with an average ticket price of $71 For those with little time, consider booking a flight, which has an average total journey time of 4h 27m. Average ticket prices depend on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of $71, while a flight costs an average of $392.
Distance: 143 miles (231 km)
Compare flight with
Most popular Flight | Bus | Driving |
|---|---|---|
$392 Average price | $71 Average price Cheapest | $43 Average price (fuel + tolls) |
4h 27m Average total duration Fastest 2h 27m Onboard + 2h 0m Additional time* | 7h 40m Average total duration 7h 10m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 5h 53m Average total duration (door-to-door) |
 Most popular airline |  Most popular bus company | Your own car or car rental |
Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options |
This is compared to other travel options from Belfast to Edinburgh:
A bus is $321 (€270) less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Belfast to Edinburgh costing on average $392 (€329).
Other travel options to Edinburgh take longer:
Bus takes on average 7h 40m.
You'll arrive about 3h 26m sooner (2h 27m by flight vs 5h 53m by car). Tickets start at around $392 (€329) compared to roughly $43 (€36) in fuel and tolls — a bit more, but you get time back and avoid a long drive.
Driving makes more sense if you're travelling as a group, want flexibility on timing, or plan to stop en route.
Travel optionsfrom Belfast to Edinburgh
How to get from Belfast to Edinburgh by train, bus or flight.
Our recommendation
The best way to travel from Belfast to Edinburgh is by taking a flight because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
U23309:10 PM0h50Belfast International Airport10:00 PMEdinburgh Airport$651One-way0 transfers
Cheapest
- U23309:10 PM0h50Belfast International Airport10:00 PMEdinburgh Airport$651One-way0 transfers
Fastest
- U23309:10 PM0h50Belfast International Airport10:00 PMEdinburgh Airport$651One-way0 transfers
Other options
- UL923 · NX18010:05 AM10h55Belfast, Grand Central Station9:00 PMEdinburgh, Bus Station$731One-way1 transfer
- U232611:55 AM0h55Belfast International Airport12:50 PMEdinburgh Airport$651One-way0 transfers
- U23248:55 AM0h55Belfast International Airport9:50 AMEdinburgh Airport$651One-way0 transfers
RK 17811:30 PM0h55Belfast International Airport12:25 AMEdinburgh Airport$681One-way0 transfers
Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .
Compare prices and tickets Prices for trains, buses and flights
Compare bus and flight prices over the next three weeks. See the best deals at a glance, find the lowest fares, and choose the option that fits your budget.
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General Information about the journey from Belfast to Edinburgh
Travelers wishing to reach Edinburgh from Belfast have many transport options to choose from for their journey. The fastest and simplest option is to take a flight from Belfast International Airport, as the flight takes less than an hour. However, travelers preferring to make the journey over land can choose from bus and train services which can take anything from 7 to 20 hours to complete.
Return journeys from Edinburgh to Belfast are also available.
Buses from Belfast to Edinburgh
There are regular bus services to Edinburgh, which involve transferring to a Stena Line ferry to cross the Irish Sea. Citylink buses regularly depart from Belfast Europabus Center at several points during the day. The entire journey takes up to 7 hours 35 minutes to complete. Alternatively, National Express runs buses three times per day from Belfast Europabus Center, using the same ferry crossing, which reaches Edinburgh within 7 hours 30 minutes.
Trains from Belfast to Edinburgh
Travelers preferring to travel to Edinburgh by train can reach the Scottish capital within 9 hours, but this option involves multiple transfers between a variety of transport services. Travelers must first travel from Belfast Central Station to Belfast Port by train before taking a ferry crossing from Belfast Port to Cairnryan Port to cross the Irish Sea. To complete the journey, travelers must take a bus from Cairnryan Port to Ayr and then transfer to a train service to make the last leg of the journey from Ayr to Edinburgh. Depending upon the departure time chosen, the entire journey can take up to 20 hours 30 minutes.
Flights from Belfast to Edinburgh
The fastest and most economical option to reach Edinburgh is to take a short flight from Belfast International Airport to Edinburgh Airport. The flight only takes 50 minutes with direct airlines such as Easyjet and Flybe, which also offer low-cost tickets.
How to get from Belfast to Edinburgh
The Best Way According to our Users
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FAQs: Travel from Belfast to Edinburgh
Travel to Edinburgh easily. Whether you want fast, cheap or something entirely different, our travel experts have collected everything you need to know so you can find the best option from Belfast to Edinburgh.
This is compared to other travel options from Belfast to Edinburgh:
A bus is $321 (€270) less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Belfast to Edinburgh costing on average $392 (€329).
Other travel options to Edinburgh take longer:
Bus takes on average 7h 40m.
- Around 19 flights per day.
- Around 1 buses per day.
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between Belfast and Edinburgh as scheduled services by bus and flight can vary by season or day of the week.
- Flights mostly depart from George Best Belfast City Airport and arrive in Edinburgh Airport.
- Buses mostly depart from Belfast, Grand Central Station and arrive in Edinburgh, Bus Station.
- Travel with easyJet, Aer Lingus, Loganair, BA Cityflyer, British Airways to go to Edinburgh by flight.
- Travel with National Express to go to Edinburgh by bus.
- 4 direct flights per day with easyJet, Aer Lingus.
Travelling from Belfast to Edinburgh: related information
Here are some other resources that might have the information you need
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