Major city · United Kingdom
BallymenaBaile Meánach
Base here only if you have a car or a Causeway-coast plan: 1 night, or skip and stay in Belfast 40 min away.
Ballymena is a County Antrim commuter town of about 31,300, midway between Belfast and Derry and 40 minutes from Belfast by hourly train. The town itself is a half-day: a museum, a church, a motte and a market. Its real value is as a cheaper, quieter base for Slemish, Gracehill, the Braid and the north coast, and that only works with wheels.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- GBP
- Best months
- May–Sep
- avoid Jan–Feb (wet, dark early)
- Airports
- BFS · BHD
- Nights
- 1
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.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Official sites
Emergency numbers for Ballymena999 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Ballymena, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the pound sterling (GBP, £).United Kingdom-wide
- SIM or eSIMEE, Vodafone (merged with Three in 2025) and O2 run the networks; prepaid SIMs sell in supermarkets, phone shops and airport vending machines…United Kingdom-wide
- Tap waterTap water is safe everywhere.United Kingdom-wide
- TippingcheckRestaurant with table service: 10–12.5% if no service charge is on the bill; check before adding more.United Kingdom-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets G. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): fits · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 230 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.United Kingdom-wide
- SafetyLow street-crime risk for visitors; the real issues are weather, unlit rural roads and a quiet Sunday.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsPublic toilets are scarce and some charge 50p–£1 (≈ US$2) or are card-only.United Kingdom-wide
- Emergency numbers999 police, fire, ambulance · 101 police non-urgent · 111 NHS non-urgent
- Sundays & holidaysShops in England and Wales open six hours on Sundays (usually 10:00 or 11:00–16:00 or 17:00).Shops in England and Wales open six hours on Sundays (usually 10:00 AM or 11:00 AM–4:00 PM or 5:00 PM).United Kingdom-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportBFS Belfast International (Aldergrove) (Bus 109A from Antrim; about 30–40 min by road from Ballymena).
- Getting aroundThe centre is walkable in 15 minutes end to end.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Coffee£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
- Sit-down mealPub main course£12–18 (≈ US$16–25)
- Street or quick mealUlster fry breakfast£8–12 (≈ US$11–16)
- BeerDraught beer, pint£5–6.50 (≈ US$7–9)
- Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi, about 3 mi (5 km)Taxi across town£6–10 (≈ US$8–14)
- Museum or sight ticketMuseum entryFree–£6 (≈ US$8) (check)
- Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per person£30 (≈ US$40)
- Mid-range bedHotel double room, a night, per room£140 (≈ US$190)
- High-end bedHotel double room, a night, per room£250 (≈ US$350)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget £45 (≈ US$60) · Mid £75 (≈ US$100) · High £130 (≈ US$180)
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 →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
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.
- Airports
- BFS Belfast International (Aldergrove) (Bus 109A from Antrim; about 30–40 min by road from Ballymena) · BHD George Best Belfast City (Train or bus to Belfast, then hourly train to Ballymena; about 1 h 30 min door to door)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Avoid
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
Feb
Avoid
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
Mar
not flagged
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
Apr
not flagged
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
May
Best
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
Jun
Best
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
Jul
Best
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
Aug
Best
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
Sep
Best
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
Oct
not flagged
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
Nov
not flagged
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
Dec
not flagged
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
Best: May–Sep. Avoid: Jan–Feb. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)), coolest Jan (2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C) low), wettest Jan (17 rain days), driest Jun (12). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Ballymena: 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
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
17 rd
Feb
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
14 rd
Mar
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
15 rd
Apr
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
13 rd
May
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
13 rd
Jun
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
12 rd
Jul
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
14 rd
Aug
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
15 rd
Sep
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
14 rd
Oct
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
16 rd
Nov
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
16 rd
Dec
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
16 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The centre is walkable in 15 minutes end to end. Outlying sights (Slemish, Gracehill, Arthur Cottage, Portglenone) need a car or taxi; bus 128 reaches Broughshane hourly on weekdays. Trains and Goldline coaches leave from the station a quarter-mile west of the centre.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Slemish
goDoor to door: About 30 min each way
A42 northeast, then Carnstroan Lane car park; car or taxi
437 m volcanic plug; short steep climb, views to Scotland on a clear day.
Gracehill
goDoor to door: About 15 min
Car or taxi west via Galgorm
Moravian settlement of 1765 with Georgian buildings; part of a 2024 UNESCO listing.
Belfast
goDoor to door: About 1 h
Hourly train from Ballymena station, about 40 min
Easy day or evening out; last trains back run before midnight.
Giant's Causeway and Bushmills
goDoor to door: About 1 h 15 min
Goldline 221 from Ballymena, two morning departures and two afternoon returns
Gives 3–5 hours at the Causeway; check the timetable before you commit.
Ballycastle
cautionDoor to door: About 1 h
Bus 131/217 via Armoy and Cloughmills
Hourly Monday–Friday, four on Saturday, nothing on Sunday.
Larne
cautionDoor to door: About 50 min
Ulsterbus 130, four times Monday–Saturday
Useful only if you are meeting a Cairnryan ferry.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
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 (Ballymoney Rd / Wellington St)
Walk to the Braid, Tower Centre and Mill St restaurants; Adair Arms is here.
Galgorm Road, 1–4 miles west
Hotel strip: Oranmore, Tullyglass and Galgorm. Needs a car or taxi.
Broughshane, 4 miles northeast
Village base with gardens and a riverside park; bus 128 daytime only.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- £45–70 (≈ US$60–95) excl. bed
- Mid
- £70–110 (≈ US$95–150) excl. bed
- High
- £110 (≈ US$150)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Hotel double room1 × 1 night × £140 | £140 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × £75 | £150 |
| Train Belfast Grand Central ↔ Ballymena, both ways2 × £16 · check | £32 |
| Goldline 221 to the Causeway, return2 × £20 · check | £40 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × £8 | £16 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | £38 |
| Trip total≈ £208 per person per day, bed included | £416≈ US$600 |
2026 estimate in pounds; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee | £3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6) |
| Ulster fry breakfast | £8–12 (≈ US$11–16) |
| Pub main course | £12–18 (≈ US$16–25) |
| Draught beer, pint | £5–6.50 (≈ US$7–9) |
| Train Ballymena → Belfast, single | £8–9 (≈ US$11–12) (check) |
| Taxi across town | £6–10 (≈ US$8–14) |
| Museum entry | Free–£6 (≈ US$8) (check) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Sunday is quiet: many cafés and shops open late or not at all, and buses run a reduced timetable.
- Slemish is a short, steep, rocky path with boggy ground after rain: boots, not trainers.
- Some town-centre cafés are cash only; carry a little cash.
- Rural roads are narrow and unlit; drive on the left and watch for tractors.
Emergency numbers
- Police, fire, ambulance
- 999
- Police non-urgent
- 101
- NHS non-urgent
- 111
Pocket card
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BallymenaBaile Meánach
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
To this address, pleaseTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance999
- Police non-urgent101
- NHS non-urgent111
Embassy
No embassies in Ballymena; the US consulate-general is in Belfast, and most other missions are in London or Dublin.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Train Ballymena → Belfast Grand Central: about £8–9 (≈ US$11–12) single, 40 min (check)
- Goldline 221 Ballymena → Giant's Causeway: about £10 (≈ US$14) single, 1 h 15 min (check)
- Taxi, town centre → Galgorm Road hotels: £8–12 (≈ US$11–16)
Say or show
- Thank you — Thank you
- Please — Please
- Excuse me — Excuse me
- 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 the everyday language; a few Irish and Ulster-Scots place names appear on signs.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
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 Ballymena. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: May–Sep · avoid Jan–Feb (wet, dark early) · month by month →
- 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 6 day-trips, door to door
- 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contracts for BFS and BHD with last-train and last-bus cutoffs.
- Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: the Braid and Town Hall, Mill St, Church St, the river banks.
- Place pages with verified hours for the Mid Antrim Museum, Arthur Cottage, Gracehill and Slemish.
- Sunday and late-arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.