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Major city · United Kingdom

PortrushPort Rois

Give Portrush 2 nights as a Causeway Coast base: beaches and golf on foot, Giant's Causeway and Bushmills by bus 402. One night only if you drive.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
GBP
Best months
May–Sep
avoid Jul–Aug (crowds and peak prices); Northwest 200 race week in May if you want quiet
Airports
BFS · BHD · LDY
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
  • United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
  • United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
  • United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.

Portrush is a small seaside town on a peninsula in County Antrim, population about 6,000, and the handiest base for the Giant's Causeway coast. The town itself is walkable in an afternoon: two beaches, a harbour, a funfair and a championship golf course. Everything else on the coast is a bus ride east. In July and August beds sell out and prices jump, so book ahead.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Portrush, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
  • BeerPint of beer£5–6.50 (≈ US$7–9)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week£8–15 (≈ US$11–20)
  • Museum or sight ticketDunluce Castle entry£6–8 (≈ US$8–11)
  • Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per person£30 (≈ US$40)
  • Mid-range bedB&B or hotel double room, a night, per room£140 (≈ US$190)
  • High-end bedB&B or hotel double room, a night, per room£220 (≈ US$300)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget £45 (≈ US$60) · Mid £85 (≈ US$120) · High £150 (≈ US$200)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Giant's Causeway baseRoyal Portrush Golf ClubWest Strand and East Strand beachesCurry's Fun ParkNorthwest 200 motorbike race
Airports
BFS Belfast International (Train from Antrim to Coleraine, then change for Portrush; about 2 h total) · BHD George Best Belfast City (Bus or taxi to Belfast Grand Central, then the hourly train north) · LDY City of Derry (Smaller option; bus or taxi to Coleraine then train)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Portrush: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

8°C

3°C

18 rd

Feb

8°C

3°C

15 rd

Mar

10°C

4°C

16 rd

Apr

12°C

5°C

13 rd

May

15°C

7°C

13 rd

Jun

17°C

10°C

13 rd

Jul

19°C

12°C

15 rd

Aug

19°C

12°C

16 rd

Sep

17°C

10°C

15 rd

Oct

14°C

8°C

17 rd

Nov

11°C

5°C

17 rd

Dec

9°C

3°C

18 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Walk: the town is small and the peninsula layout makes driving slow, with scarce parking in summer. Bus 140 links Portstewart every 20 min Mon–Sat; bus 402 runs every 30 min east to Dunluce Castle, Bushmills, Giant's Causeway and Ballycastle. Trains run hourly to Coleraine and Belfast.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Giant's Causeway

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Bus 402 from Dunluce Ave, about 30 min

Go early; the stones are free to walk to, the visitor centre is ticketed.

Dunluce Castle

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Bus 402 towards Bushmills, about 15 min, then a short walk

Ruined clifftop castle; open daily 9:30–16:00.

Bushmills distillery

go

Door to door: About 40 min

Bus 402, about 25 min

Tours run through the day; book ahead in summer.

Portstewart

go

Door to door: About 20 min

Bus 140, about 10 min, or a 3-mile walk west

Similar small resort with a harbour and a long strand.

Carrick-a-Rede rope bridgecaution

Door to door: About 1 h

Bus 402 towards Ballycastle, then walk

Timed tickets in season; check before travelling.

Belfastskip

Door to door: About 2 h

Train via Coleraine, hourly

Too far for a comfortable day return; stay over instead.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Town centre (Main St and around the station)

Hotels, the railway station and both strands on foot; noisiest near late bars.

Lansdowne Crescent and Dhu Varren

B&B strip half a mile south of the centre, near the Dhu Varren rail halt.

Ballyreagh Road and the golf course

Quieter, east of town; caravan park and a hotel, 20–30 min walk to the centre.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
£45–70 (≈ US$60–95) excl. bed
Mid
£70–120 (≈ US$95–160) excl. bed
High
£120 (≈ US$160)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
B&B or hotel double room1 × 2 nights × £140£280
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × £85£340
Bus 402 day return to Giant's Causeway2 × £12£24
Train Belfast → Portrush return2 × £30£60
eSIM, about a week of data2 × £10£20
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge£72
Trip total≈ £199 per person per day, bed included£796≈ US$1,100

2026 estimate in pounds; travel to Portrush excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
Fish and chips£10–16 (≈ US$14–25)
Pint of beer£5–6.50 (≈ US$7–9)
Causeway Coast bus day ticket£10–15 (≈ US$14–20)
Dunluce Castle entry£6–8 (≈ US$8–11)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week£8–15 (≈ US$11–20)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A small, low-crime resort town; the real risks are cold water and rip currents at the strands, wet clifftop paths, and drink-fuelled weekends in summer.
  • Summer weekends and race week fill every bed: book weeks ahead.
  • Parking in the centre is scarce in July and August; leave the car at your accommodation.
  • The Northwest 200 closes roads around Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine for a week in May.
  • Sea and surf here are cold year-round; West Strand has lifeguards in season only.
  • Bus 172 from Coleraine bypasses Portrush: take 402 or 140 instead.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
999 or 112
Police non-urgent
101
NHS non-urgent
111

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

PortrushPort Rois

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance999 or 112
  • Police non-urgent101
  • NHS non-urgent111

Embassy

No embassies in Portrush; the US consulate-general is in Belfast, and most other countries keep embassies in London or Dublin.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Bus 402 Portrush → Giant's Causeway: about £6 (≈ US$8) single, 30 min
  • Train Portrush → Belfast: about £15 (≈ US$20) single, 2 h
  • Taxi across town: £5–8 (≈ US$7–11)

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Please — Please
  • Where is the bus stop? — Where is the bus stop?
  • How much is it? — How much is it?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Where is the toilet? — Where is the toilet?

English is spoken everywhere; no phrasebook needed.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Portrush. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep · avoid Jul–Aug (crowds and peak prices); Northwest 200 race week in May if you want quiet · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for BFS and BHD: last train north field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: West Strand and the station, the harbour and Ramore Head, East Strand and the funfair, the golf course and Ballyreagh.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Dunluce Castle, Giant's Causeway visitor centre, Bushmills distillery) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Northwest 200 and summer-peak fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United Kingdom

Sources