4.9
4.6Travel 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.
U2344Cheapest
EI3652Fastest
U2344Other options
U255U2328
BA8751 · BA8702Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .
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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
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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.
There are 2 travel options to Edinburgh from Belfast. You can take a bus or flight.
The cheapest way to travel from Belfast to Edinburgh is a flight with an average price of $24 (€22).
This is compared to other travel options from Belfast to Edinburgh:
A flight is $44 (€39) less than a bus with an average ticket price of $68 (€61) from Belfast to Edinburgh.
The fastest way to get to Edinburgh from Belfast is by flight with an average travel time of 50 min.
Other travel options to Edinburgh take longer:
Bus takes on average 10 h 20 min.
The distance from Belfast to Edinburgh is approximately 143 miles (230 km).
The average frequency per day from Belfast to Edinburgh is:
- Around 1 bus per day.
- 19 flights per day.
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your journey from Belfast to Edinburgh as scheduled services by bus or flight can vary by season or day of the week.
These are the most popular departure and arrival points when traveling from Belfast to Edinburgh:
- Most travelers board their plane from Belfast International Airport and arrive in Edinburgh Airport.
Omio works with many trusted partners that can help you travel the best way from Belfast to Edinburgh:
- You can travel by bus to Edinburgh from Belfast with National Express, and you can find National Express Belfast to Edinburgh tickets for $68 (€61) on Omio.
- You can travel by plane between Belfast and Edinburgh with easyJet, Aer Lingus, British Airways or Ryanair, and you can find Ryanair Belfast to Edinburgh tickets for $24 (€22) on Omio.
Yes, there are direct routes from Belfast to Edinburgh with the following travel companies:
- You can find 7 direct flights per day to take to Edinburgh with easyJet or Aer Lingus.
Direct services to Edinburgh tend to save you time and add more convenience as you won't need to transfer at another stop in between, so it's worth paying attention to before booking tickets for your trip.
Travelling from Belfast to Edinburgh: related information
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