Northern Ireland Railways - Ranger/Rover equivalent for the network?

[ValleyLines142]

Morning,

In Belfast from today until Wednesday. I've been having a look at the Translink website and app and it seems straightforward for single journeys but I'm curious to see whether there is a ticket that allows you to travel across the majority of the network. As in, two days I'm mainly going to be around Belfast, another day I'm going to Bangor and another day I'm going to Carrickfergus. You can purchase a 3 day ticket between two stations, which is great, but I don't want to restrict myself to the destinations between those two stations. I feel as if the only way I'm going to be able to do it is to purchase a day return on each of the lines for the places that I'm going to.

For comparison, in Dublin in October, I was able to get a 3 day ticket for use on the entire DART network as well as mainline services to places such as Rush & Lusk, Kishoge and Hazelhatch & Celbridge from both Heuston and Connolly stations.

Does anyone have any advice on the best way to do this?

Edit: just noticed the Belfast Visitor Pass. This is probably my best option and then if I want to go past the stations it's valid to I can just purchase a return between those stations to cover me.

 

[LowLevel]

iLink smartcard for regular bus and rail travel | Translink

The iLink integrated smartcard from Translink provides unlimited day, weekly and monthly bus and rail travel within specified zones across Northern Ireland.

www.translink.co.uk

The iLink daily travelcards are zonal and cover you for what you want to do - don't know if they will be cost effective vs pay as you go though depending on your itinerary. Zone 4 covers all of NI for example.

 

[Flying Snail]

As well as the iLink tickets which are also valid on Buses there is also a Sunday only day tracker for the whole rail network at £10.

 

[danm14]

The Belfast Visitor Pass is just a Zone 1 iLink card at a slightly higher price that also entitles you to a small discount on some of the main Belfast tourist attractions.

 

[bangor-toad]

Hi,
For travel between Belfast, Carrickfergus & Bangor you should get an iLink Zone 2 card.
That's a cost of £11 per day plus a once off £1 for the card. There are no time restrictions or peak hours

As well as the trains it will also include the buses in the same ares.

If you have time / want to, you can get the Zone 4 iLink card for (I think £17.50) which covers everything in Northern Ireland, including the NI only bits of the Dublin Enterprise services.

If you travel in the morning before 9:30am the iLink is cost effective, eg a simple return Belfast - Bangor is £11 if one part is before 9:30am.

Cheers,
Mr Toad

 

[ValleyLines142]

Thanks all.

I also have my FIP pass on me, so might get the Enteprise train from Belfast to Dublin. Does anyone know how much it would cost for a day return? First time user of FIP.

 

[bkhtele]

If you have fip vouchers for Ireland & N.Ireland it is free. Otherwise I believe it is 75% off with your fip card. Excludes special online discounted tickets. You should check the online tickets but expect discounted fip will be cheaper. Consider Enterprise Upgrade about £30 you just sit in 1st & they charge you an upgrade. The train manager may offer you a bargain!
With fip or UK priv the ticket office/conductor on train will give you 75% off your local tickets which will probably be your best price for local journeys

 

[anothertyke]

I had a day in Belfast last week. I bought a 2 zone ticket for £12 as suggested above and visited Carrickfergus Castle in the morning (very interesting) and the Ulster Transport Museum in the afternoon (fantastic). What stood out was that on all four journeys my ticket was checked at least once. Revenue protection seemed to be tight there.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

iLink smartcard for regular bus and rail travel | Translink

The iLink integrated smartcard from Translink provides unlimited day, weekly and monthly bus and rail travel within specified zones across Northern Ireland.

www.translink.co.uk

The iLink daily travelcards are zonal and cover you for what you want to do - don't know if they will be cost effective vs pay as you go though depending on your itinerary. Zone 4 covers all of NI for example.

Is it possible to buy an iLink card at Belfast International Airport? The Translink website gives the impression that they can only be ordered for delivery by post.

 

[Flying Snail]

Is it possible to buy an iLink card at Belfast International Airport? The Translink website gives the impression that they can only be ordered for delivery by post.

According to that page, yes.

Buying and Topping-Up​

You cannot top-up your iLink card online. You can top-up and/or buy iLink with day, weekly and monthly travel at

• Main Translink bus or train stations
• PayPoint Agents across Northern Ireland (top-up only)
• Visit Belfast, Donegall Square North, Belfast
• Belfast International Airport Welcome Centre
• Visit Derry, Waterloo Place, Derry~Londonderry
• On board Ulsterbus, Goldiner and NI Railways services using cash (day and week top-up only / not available on board Metro services).

 

[Elwyn]

I travel through Belfast International several times a month. There is certainly a travel information desk in the arrivals area advertising bus tickets etc but it isn’t always manned. I’d be inclined to check the attendance hours with the airport or choose another method of getting your iLink card.

The iLink card is a plastic card and I’d be surprised if bus drivers can issue them. I doubt they have the technology. I’d check that with Translink.

 

[Djgr]

I travel through Belfast International several times a month. There is certainly a travel information desk in the arrivals area advertising bus tickets etc but it isn’t always manned. I’d be inclined to check the attendance hours with the airport or choose another method of getting your iLink card.

The iLink card is a plastic card and I’d be surprised if bus drivers can issue them. I doubt they have the technology. I’d check that with Translink.

From above post on board train and bus is top up only. If at all possible I would get it in advance by post.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

From above post on board train and bus is top up only. If at all possible I would get it in advance by post.

Unfortunately, I can't do that now as I'm travelling on Thursday. Well, I'll find out if the information desk is open and able to issue it when I get there, I suppose...

 

[danm14]

5+ years ago it was at least theoretically possible to buy an "iLink single" ticket from a bus driver or train guard if you did not have an iLink card to top up and started your journey other than at a manned station. This was the same price as a regular single ticket, but the value of it could be redeemed towards an iLink card at a manned ticket office. I saw a driver issue one once.

I have no idea if this is still possible - and even then, it was never advertised in any way, shape or form. I suspect the chances of getting the average driver to issue one were very unlikely, and actually being able to redeem it equally unlikely.

 

[Willie Bee]

. What stood out was that on all four journeys my ticket was checked at least once. Revenue protection seemed to be tight there.

I had a similar experience in Edinburgh recently .. my wife and I had Plusbus tickets and on EVERY occasion we used the trams, our tickets were checked. That seems the best way to operate, so everyone knows to buy a ticket or ELSE !!

On my local 'Metro' in Newcastle ... you could probably travel 19 out of 20 times and not see an inspector.

 

[185143]

I had a similar experience in Edinburgh recently .. my wife and I had Plusbus tickets and on EVERY occasion we used the trams, our tickets were checked. That seems the best way to operate, so everyone knows to buy a ticket or ELSE !!

On my local 'Metro' in Newcastle ... you could probably travel 19 out of 20 times and not see an inspector.

Well, it's buy a ticket or you WILL be paying the £10 onboard fare! AFAIK, it's perfectly legitimate to board a tram and just pay that, it's not a penalty fare in the way they are in England/Wales.

But yes, it's quite a contrast to the Metro that's for sure.

I remember being on a tram in Blackpool, probably about 10 years ago now. The conductor didn't manage to come round and collect my fare so I was responsible* and kept the money in Blackpool's economy by buying a bag of chips when I got off

*That was my story and I'm sticking with it!

 

[aron2smith]

I bought the iLink cards at Lanyon Place station and Visit Belfast by the Town Hall. Annoyingly they only seem available for one day, one week or one month - nothing in between and they can't be bought in advance if in person! But once you have the card, keep it for next time, as you can top up the card for the zones you want next time you visit.

If there on a Sunday, a rail ticket covering the whole network (Sunday Day Tracker) is available for just £10! A bus version also exists for £10 but buses on Sundays in Northern Ireland seem a bit limited.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Apr 2026 ==

I had a day in Belfast last week. I bought a 2 zone ticket for £12 as suggested above and visited Carrickfergus Castle in the morning (very interesting) and the Ulster Transport Museum in the afternoon (fantastic). What stood out was that on all four journeys my ticket was checked at least once. Revenue protection seemed to be tight there.

I was in Northern Ireland in September last year and don't remember tickets being checked on trains or the Glider once, surprising as outside the 2 big stations in Belfast, barriers just didn't exist. Glider was almost like an honour system.

 

[Wakeful]

5+ years ago it was at least theoretically possible to buy an "iLink single" ticket from a bus driver or train guard if you did not have an iLink card to top up and started your journey other than at a manned station. This was the same price as a regular single ticket, but the value of it could be redeemed towards an iLink card at a manned ticket office. I saw a driver issue one once.

I have no idea if this is still possible - and even then, it was never advertised in any way, shape or form. I suspect the chances of getting the average driver to issue one were very unlikely, and actually being able to redeem it equally unlikely.

This is still possible to buy (certainly from train conductors and rail customer service staff using handheld ticket machines) and can be exchanged at any main bus & rail station with a booking office! iLink Singles do differ in that they print a notice at the bottom to remind the member of staff that they can exchange that ticket alongside the remaining difference paid in cash or by card to redeem an iLink card.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

Got my iLink day card at the Tourist Information desk at Belfast International Airport this morning - the whole process took about 30 seconds. And I can vouch for the frequency of checks on the rail system - even while stood on the platform at Lisburn while waiting for the train to Portadown.

 

[danm14]

This is still possible to buy (certainly from train conductors and rail customer service staff using handheld ticket machines) and can be exchanged at any main bus & rail station with a booking office! iLink Singles do differ in that they print a notice at the bottom to remind the member of staff that they can exchange that ticket alongside the remaining difference paid in cash or by card to redeem an iLink card.

I question the logic of doing this. Surely it would be more customer friendly to just have a policy of allowing a ticket to X to be honoured as part payment for an iLink card at X. A requirement that the redemption happen within an hour of arrival and the card will be activated immediately at the point of purchase would surely eliminate almost any possible abuse.

I suspect I am one of the very few passengers that knows this ticket exists - but there are no doubt many that "know" bus drivers and train conductors don't sell iLink cards, so won't ask them for one, so won't be in a position to be told about it.

 

[Djgr]

I question the logic of doing this. Surely it would be more customer friendly to just have a policy of allowing a ticket to X to be honoured as part payment for an iLink card at X. A requirement that the redemption happen within an hour of arrival and the card will be activated immediately at the point of purchase would surely eliminate almost any possible abuse.

I suspect I am one of the very few passengers that knows this ticket exists - but there are no doubt many that "know" bus drivers and train conductors don't sell iLink cards, so won't ask them for one, so won't be in a position to be told about it.

Given that you only need to get hold of a card once, I can't believe that those who would make use of what the card offers wouldn't already have one.

They will even post a card to you!!!

 

[zero]

It's also weird that the zone validity is hardcoded into the card and printed on it, forcing you to buy another one if you ever need a different zone.

The last time I went to NI, I found that buying a new pass on an existing card was £1 less than the price of getting a new card posted to you - i.e. the card costs £1, but this wasn't explicitly stated anywhere.

 

[geoffk]

I've ordered a three-day Belfast Visitor Pass (£17) for my trip next month and it will come by post so I arrive already "ticketed". So far so good, but I can't find anywhere on-line a map of the Visitor Pass zone. It's clear for trains as the boundary stations are listed as Cultra, Jordanstown, Mossley West and Derriaghy - but what about buses - does the pass cover all the red/pink "Metro" bus routes? Hopefully a map will arrive with my pass. The bus maps I've found are all diagrammatic and don't seem to be printable. Any advice welcome!

 

[TUC]

I've ordered a three-day Belfast Visitor Pass (£17) for my trip next month and it will come by post so I arrive already "ticketed". So far so good, but I can't find anywhere on-line a map of the Visitor Pass zone. It's clear for trains as the boundary stations are listed as Cultra, Jordanstown, Mossley West and Derriaghy - but what about buses - does the pass cover all the red/pink "Metro" bus routes? Hopefully a map will arrive with my pass. The bus maps I've found are all diagrammatic and don't seem to be printable. Any advice welcome!

It is this:

Metro and Glider: All Metro and Glider services in Belfast.

NI Railways: Services between Belfast and Cultra, Jordanstown, Mossley West and Derriaghy and all stops in between.

Ulsterbus: Ulsterbus Town services within the Belfast Visitor Pass Zone such as Holywood and Newtownabbey. All other Ulsterbus services which pick up and set down passengers within the Belfast Visitor Pass Zone.

Airport Express 600 services to and from George Best Belfast City Airport. Not valid on Airport Service 300 to/from Belfast International Airport.

Belfast Visitor Pass | Visit Belfast

The Belfast Visitor Pass is just the ticket to save you time and money when visiting Belfast.

visitbelfast.com

This does leave a degree of ambiguity on the Ulsterbus aspect, but looks to be basically suburbs of Belfast which are served by Ulsterbus rather than Metro.

 

[drueberflug]

It is this:

Metro and Glider: All Metro and Glider services in Belfast.

NI Railways: Services between Belfast and Cultra, Jordanstown, Mossley West and Derriaghy and all stops in between.

Ulsterbus: Ulsterbus Town services within the Belfast Visitor Pass Zone such as Holywood and Newtownabbey. All other Ulsterbus services which pick up and set down passengers within the Belfast Visitor Pass Zone.

Airport Express 600 services to and from George Best Belfast City Airport. Not valid on Airport Service 300 to/from Belfast International Airport.

Belfast Visitor Pass | Visit Belfast

The Belfast Visitor Pass is just the ticket to save you time and money when visiting Belfast.

visitbelfast.com

This does leave a degree of ambiguity on the Ulsterbus aspect, but looks to be basically suburbs of Belfast which are served by Ulsterbus rather than Metro.

As far as I have understood it from experience, they will just encode a Belfast Visitor Pass as an iLink Zone 1 ticket, and it will have pretty much the same validity at no extra charge.
At least all my receipts say iLink Z1...

 

[geoffk]

Thanks for replies. For an occasional visitor, the lack of an OS-based map makes it difficult to relate bus routes to roads. I found a pdf map on-line but the format is similar to a London Underground diagram. I had the same problem in Dublin last year.

 

[danm14]

The limit of travel for Zone 1 on Ulsterbus is generally slightly beyond the last stop also served by Metro buses. I've forgotten most of them but a few I do remember are the Ivanhoe Hotel on the Saintfield Road routes and The Cutts on the 530/532. More might come back to me in time.

On the Lisburn Road routes it's Derriaghy Station, on the Bangor routes it's the Ulster Folk Museum, in line with the rail validity.

 

[geoffk]

I'm now having to reconsider my trip to Belfast next week, mainly because I'm flying out to Dublin, then catching the X2 bus from Dublin Airport to Belfast at 18.50. Buses after 17.00 are currently being cancelled because of Monday's knife attack and the subsequent unrest. It MAY all have calmed down by next Wednesday, but who knows?

 

[Tetchytyke]

Buses after 17.00 are currently being cancelled because of Monday's knife attack and the subsequent unrest. It MAY all have calmed down by next Wednesday, but who knows?

It’ll be fine. It’s absolutely tipping it down today and Translink are running a full service today.

 

[bkhtele]

Doubt if there will be any problems by next week