Ferry to Ireland

[Citybreak1]

So I tend to use trains 99% of time as I have a fear of boats and planes. I have flew but don’t enjoy it. I quite fancy a boat to Ireland but wasn’t sure . I started off trying the Amsterdam ferry 3 minute journey. That was a year or so ago. Today I tried a new one Largs to Millport. Seemingly it touches near the Irish Sea. I looked into the Irish ones and they have duty free games and cabins. If I can manage these short ferries could Ireland be worth a go given I really dislike flying? Would the Irish ferry feel similar but larger?

 

[185143]

So I tend to use trains 99% of time as I have a fear of boats and planes. I have flew but don’t enjoy it. I quite fancy a boat to Ireland but wasn’t sure . I started off trying the Amsterdam ferry 3 minute journey. That was a year or so ago. Today I tried a new one Largs to Millport. Seemingly it touches near the Irish Sea. I looked into the Irish ones and they have duty free games and cabins. If I can manage these short ferries could Ireland be worth a go given I really dislike flying? Would the Irish ferry feel similar but larger?

They are a world apart from the Largs-Millport ferry!

If you're talking about the Cairnryan-Belfast Stena ferries, they have a premium lounge, a bar, restaurant, cabins and even a spa onboard.

Holyhead-Dublin has two ships which are different, one has a "sky bar" which is basically like sitting in a (air conditioned) greenhouse, the other is an older but bigger ship. Both again have a premium lounge and cabins, both with and without a view. The ferry with a sky deck also has a full open deck at the top which is glorious on a nice day.

Liverpool-Belfast is the same as the smaller Holyhead-Dublin ferry, but they are by no means small, with the sky bar and open deck. Note there's a shop on Liverpool/Cairnryan-Belfast but it isn't duty free.

Fishguard-Rosslare is a smaller ship but usually perfectly adequate for the route. It has all the same facilities as the others, it's just smaller.

I've sailed on all the Stena ferries plenty of times across the Irish Sea and would happily recommend any of them.

 

[signed]

If I can manage these short ferries could Ireland be worth a go given I really dislike flying?

Absolutely, the scale of those ships mean a very smooth ride in all but the worst seas

My experience is that I would gladly recommend a ride on the mothership (pun intended) Irish Ferries' Ulysses (never tried Stena or the High-Speed Catamaran Dublin Swift), it's genuinely a great experience

Especially when adding £18 for a Club Class upgrade with a front sea view lounge, unlimited free soft drinks, wine, snacks and especially free unlimited high speed WiFi.

You can get a Sail&Rail from any UK station to Dublin for between £52 and £60 single (there are cheaper advances and a high speed ferry supplement) even on the day of travel (assuming there is space left on the ferry of course)

 

[Citybreak1]

Thanks so what’s easier to reach Liverpool or Stranraer? I don’t drive. I am considering visiting Belfast then two nights in Dublin and returning back to Belfast. I have been keen to check out the new Belfast railway station. Also are the cabins worth the extra £40 pounds?

 

[185143]

Thanks so what’s easier to reach Liverpool or Stranraer? I don’t drive. I am considering visiting Belfast then two nights in Dublin and returning back to Belfast. I have been keen to check out the new Belfast railway station. Also are the cabins worth the extra £40 pounds?

Cheapest option from Scotland would be a SailRail or Hannon/Citylink coach visit the Cairnryan ferry. It's less than 2.5 hours crossing so I definitely wouldn't say a cabin is worth it.

If you go to Liverpool it's an 8 hour sailing, so that's a different matter. They are more expensive on night crossings though.

 

[AndrewE]

Thanks so what’s easier to reach Liverpool or Stranraer?

That depends on where you are travelling from and how deep your pockets are. Try a few booking websites to see the fares...

 

[Buzby]

Not Stranraer, but Cairnryan - you reach it by bus from either Ayr or Glasgow. The absolute shortest crossing is Larne (then train to Belfast) P&O offer this.

 

[Citybreak1]

Not Stranraer, but Cairnryan - you reach it by bus from either Ayr or Glasgow. The absolute shortest crossing is Larne (then train to Belfast) P&O offer this.

Thanks how could I reach it by train from Glasgow?

 

[ainsworth74]

Thanks how could I reach it by train from Glasgow?

You get a train from Glasgow Central to Ayr and catch the connecting bus (included in a Sailrail ticket) to Cairnryan. I believe the bus leaves Ayr around 1245 arriving in time for the 1530 sailing from the port towards Belfast.

 

[Citybreak1]

You get a train from Glasgow Central to Ayr and catch the connecting bus (included in a Sailrail ticket) to Cairnryan. I believe the bus leaves Ayr around 1245 arriving in time for the 1530 sailing from the port towards Belfast.

Thanks is the 360 from Stranraer any good as I plan to stay overnight possibly before anyway? I can see in Google it says around 13 minutes by bus not sure if that’s city link

 

[ainsworth74]

Might be! I used the advertised connecting coach service from Ayr. But I assume if it calls at the ferry port you'll be okay to use that to get the port but you'll probably need to buy a foot passenger ticket rather than a SailRail ticket as SailRail is only valid on the 1530 departure and it might not be accepted for travel beyond Ayr by the train guard.

 

[Elwyn]

Link here to train timetables for Northern Ireland, including the cross border services to Dublin. The service from Larne Harbour to Belfast is basically hourly but with some gaps. In which case you may need to make your way to Larne Town. Takes about an hour from Larne Harbour to Belfast Grand Central.

https://www.translink.co.uk/timetab...8024&transportMode=Train&route=T0&direction=H

 

[Buzby]

Do remember Larne is much shorter (as it saves the extra miles down the coast and into Belfast Lough). Given a choice, I much prefer this myself as Larne Station is part of the harbour complex, and the train into Belfast a highlight. If you go Stena to Belfast, Hannon’s bus loads onto the ferry so it’s smoother than Citylink’s drop-you-at-the—terminal option, but it adds to your time on-board. I dislike overnights at Stranraer, the town is a sad place now since Stena left - it is cheaper to stay in Ayr (or Girvan).

 

[185143]

Must admit I'd forgot about the P&O crossing to Larne. Personally I'd rather swim than use them, but if it is significantly shorter it may be of benefit to the OP, or at the very least, worth considering.

I've never sailed on their Larne ships in fairness, so can't comment what the facilities onboard are like.

 

[Citybreak1]

I sadly don’t have anymore holidays I can visit until the new year but today I tried the Isle of Bute larger ferry with a shop and longer I was keen to try a longer duration to see how I’d manage Ireland next year. I think there’s alot of ferries round Scotland I can try. I could visit Belfast for a day but more keen to go back to Dublin too.

 

[185143]

I sadly don’t have anymore holidays I can visit until the new year but today I tried the Isle of Bute larger ferry with a shop and longer I was keen to try a longer duration to see how I’d manage Ireland next year. I think there’s alot of ferries round Scotland I can try. I could visit Belfast for a day but more keen to go back to Dublin too.

I do have a soft spot for the Bute ferries, and indeed the island itself.

I'd recommend a trip on the Glen Sannox to and from the Isle of Arran next. The CalMac and Cheese is very good onboard too, full restaurant available on there.

 

[Citybreak1]

Can anybody tell me more about the 358 stagecoach in Stranraer as in Google it says stagecoach have pulled out of all services in the region around August 5th.

Also do you go through passport control to Belfast? I read you have to put luggage in a hold does this still apply if you book a cabin? Will they allow a rucksack on board if you put your suitcase in the hold?

Other than a small cinema and games room what else is there onboard?

Also what are the trains like to Dublin?

 

[skyhigh]

Also do you go through passport control to Belfast?

No, for obvious reasons. There are occasionally police checking ID though as you check in.

I read you have to put luggage in a hold

You don't. They will offer to take it for you as a courtesy to save you carrying it about, but you are free to keep it if you wish.

Other than a small cinema and games room what else is there onboard?

Restaurant, Stena Plus lounge, bar, outside decks, Hygge lounge with reclining chairs if you don't wish to pay for a cabin and a shop. There is a very comprehensive guide on facilities on their website.

 

[Buzby]

For ‘small cinema’ read TV Room, this isn’t a cruise, more a ‘floating bus’ service with catering. The 90minutes or so pass very quickly.

 

[Elwyn]

Trains to Dublin are basically every hour (0600 until 2100), departing Belfast Grand Central Station (which is the same station the Larne line trains operate into). You can view the timetables here:

https://www.translink.co.uk/timetables?LocationId=&Name=&LocationType=&TransportMode=Train&page=1

 

[AlastairFraser]

Also what are the trains like to Dublin?

If you head on the Stena to Belfast, there's the 96 bus (operated by the local state owned bus company, Translink) that connects to the boats and gets you into Belfast city centre. It's about 20 mins on the bus to Donegall Place and then about a 10 min walk from there to Grand Central station. £2.30 single. Cash and contactless accepted last time I was there.

Cairnryan to Larne has the rail connection at Larne station that directly connects you into Grand Central as another forum member mentioned above. Trains in my experience are pretty reliable and punctual, ticketing pretty painless too with friendly conductors & quite simple fare options, especially compared to mainland GB.

Can anybody tell me more about the 358 stagecoach in Stranraer as in Google it says stagecoach have pulled out of all services in the region around August 5th.

According to Dumfries and Galloway council (https://www.dumfriesandgalloway.gov...ices Operator List From 7th August 2025_0.pdf),
service 358 is still operated by Stagecoach after the 7th of August.

The timetable is here:
(https://www.dumfriesandgalloway.gov.../2024-11/Service_358-360-Ayr_to_Stranraer.pdf).

 

[Cloud Strife]

I'd recommend a trip on the Glen Sannox to and from the Isle of Arran next. The CalMac and Cheese is very good onboard too, full restaurant available on there.

Absolutely, I'd recommend this before giving the Belfast ferries a shot. The Glen Sannox is one of the largest CalMac ships, and it'll give a taste of the open sea (much more so than the Bute ferries). The Irish ferries are about twice the size, but I think there's not really much difference between something like the Glen Sannox and the large boats used to Ireland to the average passenger.

 

[185143]

Absolutely, I'd recommend this before giving the Belfast ferries a shot. The Glen Sannox is one of the largest CalMac ships, and it'll give a taste of the open sea (much more so than the Bute ferries). The Irish ferries are about twice the size, but I think there's not really much difference between something like the Glen Sannox and the large boats used to Ireland to the average passenger.

I've travelled from Arran to Belfast via Birkenhead in one go before. Aside from being able to access cabins, the Stena Plus lounge and a proper bar, there's little difference.

 

[Trainbike46]

Thanks how could I reach it by train from Glasgow?

If you're traveling from Glasgow and don't drive, by far the best and easiest option is to book a combined coach and ferry ticket from Glasgow Buchanan bus station to Belfast grand Central station. This is offered by Scottish citylink. Hannon coaches offers a similar service, though I'm not sure where the Belfast stop for them is.

Both offer competitive through fares and will bring you to the Belfast city centre. Personally I've only used the citylink option, and I can recommend that one.

 

[signed]

I'm not sure where the Belfast stop for them is.

Grand Central Bus Station

 

[NorthOxonian]

According to Dumfries and Galloway council (https://www.dumfriesandgalloway.gov...ices Operator List From 7th August 2025_0.pdf),
service 358 is still operated by Stagecoach after the 7th of August.

Yes - essentially the 358 and 360 routes are Ayrshire routes which happen to cross into Dumfries and Galloway, indeed they are even subsidised by the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport. I wouldn't massively recommend this connection as it would be substantially more faff than the coach options, and the fares aren't insignificant (about £6 single from Girvan or £12 from Ayr).

If you're traveling from Glasgow and don't drive, by far the best and easiest option is to book a combined coach and ferry ticket from Glasgow Buchanan bus station to Belfast grand Central station. This is offered by Scottish citylink. Hannon coaches offers a similar service, though I'm not sure where the Belfast stop for them is.

Both offer competitive through fares and will bring you to the Belfast city centre. Personally I've only used the citylink option, and I can recommend that one.

I believe one difference is Citylink makes you change coaches and Hannon doesn't. With Citylink the coach merely connects with the ferry and you board as a foot passenger, then take an onward service from the port at Belfast to the city centre (all are included in your ticket price). With Hannon you board on the bus and return to the bus which crosses on the ferry, but I think the fares are slightly more expensive, particularly for a return journey. Both do serve Grand Central Station in Belfast and as mentioned this is the same place as where Dublin trains go from.

 

[Trainbike46]

I believe one difference is Citylink makes you change coaches and Hannon doesn't. With Citylink the coach merely connects with the ferry and you board as a foot passenger, then take an onward service from the port at Belfast to the city centre (all are included in your ticket price). With Hannon you board on the bus and return to the bus which crosses on the ferry, but I think the fares are slightly more expensive, particularly for a return journey. Both do serve Grand Central Station in Belfast and as mentioned this is the same place as where Dublin trains go from.

Absolutely true. I would add that Citylink offers three departures, while Hannon only offers two departures per day, which may be relevant depending on what time the OP would like to travel at.

 

[AlastairFraser]

Yes - essentially the 358 and 360 routes are Ayrshire routes which happen to cross into Dumfries and Galloway, indeed they are even subsidised by the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport. I wouldn't massively recommend this connection as it would be substantially more faff than the coach options, and the fares aren't insignificant (about £6 single from Girvan or £12 from Ayr).

Indeed. The only reason to take it is if you want to minimise your time on a coach and the connection doesn't work the whole way to Stranraer, so you have to use the bus from Girvan or even Ayr onwards.

 

[Citybreak1]

I notice the Dunoon boat looks smaller same with Arran. I prefer the larger boats I got to Millport anybody know what other routes these larger boats with more than one deck sail from? I’m keen to try other routes

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Sep 2025 ==

Absolutely, I'd recommend this before giving the Belfast ferries a shot. The Glen Sannox is one of the largest CalMac ships, and it'll give a taste of the open sea (much more so than the Bute ferries). The Irish ferries are about twice the size, but I think there's not really much difference between something like the Glen Sannox and the large boats used to Ireland to the average passenger.

Thanks I will have to look into this one then

 

[Trainbike46]

I notice the Dunoon boat looks smaller same with Arran. I prefer the larger boats I got to Millport anybody know what other routes these larger boats with more than one deck sail from? I’m keen to try other routes

All ferries between Ireland and Britain are large ferries with multiple decks