Getting around Belfast: public transport, passes and taxis

Belfast is compact. The Cathedral Quarter, City Hall, the Titanic Quarter and Queen's Quarter all sit within a walk of each other, so most days need no ticket at all. Buses and the Glider cover the longer legs, and taxis handle late nights and luggage.

Prices below are 2026 estimates in pounds and are marked check: fares and ticket rules change, so confirm current rates with Translink before you rely on them.

Metro runs the city bus network, with the Glider acting as a faster cross-city service on two main corridors. Both are run by Translink and share one fare system, so a day ticket bought for one is generally accepted on the other within its zone — confirm current coverage when you buy.

Pay by tapping a contactless card or phone on board, or buy a ticket in the Translink app. Cash is still accepted on many routes but exact change helps. If daily capping applies, tap the same card every time: caps are counted per card, so switching between a card and a phone splits your spending. Check whether capping is live on Belfast services before relying on it.

Buses are frequent on main corridors during the day and thin out in the late evening. Sunday timetables start later and run less often, which matters if you are planning a morning trip.

Belfast has metered taxis and app-based services, though which apps operate and their coverage can change — check before you travel. In the centre, a short hop is usually around £6–12; the run to Belfast International Airport is roughly £25–35 and to George Best City Airport less. These are 2026 estimates, so check the meter or the app price before you book.

Late at night, taxis are the practical option once buses stop. Rank taxis outside the main nightlife areas are usually easy to find; app-hailed cars can surge when pubs close. Tipping is not required: round up or add about 10%.

For the airport, compare the bus and a taxi for your arrival time and luggage; see the airport transfer page for the full comparison.

NI Railways runs services from Belfast to Bangor, Larne, Portrush and Derry, which makes car-free day trips realistic. Buy at the station or in the app; advance fares are not as steep as on mainland UK routes, but peak trains cost more. Confirm current routes, times and fares with Translink.

For the Causeway coast and County Down, a car gives you far more freedom: buses exist but are slow and infrequent on Sundays (check). If you are basing yourself in Belfast and only doing one or two day trips, the train plus a local bus usually beats hiring a car for a single day.

Budget about £5–8 per person per day if you mix walking with a couple of bus rides, or £10–15 if you take taxis as well. A car adds £40–90 per day plus fuel at roughly £1.40–1.50 a litre (parent-country estimate), and parking in the centre is extra.

If contactless capping is live on Belfast services, you rarely need to plan fares in advance: tap in, and the system stops charging once you hit the daily cap. Check the current cap and day-ticket price with Translink before relying on it.

Tap the same card or phone for every journey so any caps count correctly. Keep a small amount of cash for the rare route that still prefers it.

Sunday service is the main trap: buses start later, trains run less often, and some day-trip connections disappear. Plan Sunday trips around the timetable, not the other way round.

If you are staying outside the centre, check the last bus time from your stop before an evening out. After that, budget for a taxi.