How to get from Belfast to Edinburgh by train, bus or flight.
The best way to travel from Belfast to Edinburgh is by taking a flight because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .
Distance | 143 miles (230 km) | |
Available travel modes | Flight | |
Fastest mode | Flight • $23 (€20) • 55 min | |
Popular travel companies | Ryanair UK Ltd |
Travel 143 miles (230 km) by flight between Belfast and Edinburgh. Ryanair UK Ltd is the main travel company operating this route. Travelers can even take a direct flight 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.
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.
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.
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.
You can travel by bus or flight for as low as $36 (€32). When you search for schedules and tickets, Omio will show you the best trip.
National Express is the UK’s leading long-distance travel company operating over 550 travel per day and serving over 900 destinations across the UK. National Express also operates travel services to all major UK airports, such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Bristol, 24 hours a day. All National Express travel have air conditioning and provide free WiFi access along with onboard entertainment. Most travel come with seat belts and power outlets at every seat, so you can charge your phone or laptop during a long journey. For your travel to Edinburgh from Belfast, you can select from three ticket fares: Restricted Fare, Standard Fare, and Fully Flexible Fare.
EasyJet is a British multinational budget airline headquartered at London Luton Airport (LTN) and the largest UK-based airline based on the number of passengers carried. EasyJet flies to more than 150 destinations in Europe and North Africa, making it a very popular low-cost carrier for travelers. To keep fares as low as possible, tickets are non-refundable, and no complimentary snacks are served onboard. All easyJet fare types include allowance of one small personal bag, while additional fees apply for travelers bringing hand luggage and checked luggage.
You can get from Belfast to Edinburgh by flight.
Traveling by flight is also the quickest way from Belfast to Edinburgh. It takes on average 55 min to travel this journey.
The distance from Belfast to Edinburgh is approximately 143 miles (230 km).
These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Belfast to Edinburgh:
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Yes, there is a direct route available from Belfast to Edinburgh:
Direct services tend to save you time and add more convenience in getting you to Edinburgh as you won't need to transfer at another stop in between, so it's worth paying attention to before booking your tickets between Belfast and Edinburgh.
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