The quickest route from George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD) into town is the Airport Express 600 or a short taxi ride, both landing you close to Belfast Grand Central Station within 15 minutes. From Belfast International Airport (BFS), the Airport Express 300 gets you to the same station in 30 to 40 minutes, though a taxi or pre-booked transfer suits groups and heavy luggage better.
TL;DR:
- The 600 bus from Belfast City Airport takes 10 to 15 minutes to reach the city center and costs around £8 to £11 by taxi fare.
- The 300 bus from Belfast International Airport runs every 15 minutes, with a journey time of 30 to 40 minutes, and fares are regulated but higher than city-center options.
- Taxis and private transfers are more suitable for heavy luggage, late arrivals, or groups, with fares from BHD around £8 to £11 and higher costs from BFS.
- Public transport is reliable and economical for solo travelers with light bags, but families, groups, or late-night arrivals should consider pre-booked transfers or taxis.
- Elevators and avoiding footbridges are recommended for travelers with mobility aids; always check live journey planning to account for delays.
Table of Contents
- Getting from Belfast City Airport (BHD): bus, train, taxi, transfers
- Getting from Belfast International Airport (BFS): Airport Express 300, taxi and transfer options
- Tickets, fares and payment: how much it costs and how to pay
- Practical tips: luggage, accessibility, late arrivals and choosing the right option
- How far and how long: distances and journey-time expectations
- Local guide perspective from Love Belfast and author credentials
- When to pick comfort over cost: a local traveller’s take
- Sources
Getting from Belfast City Airport (BHD): bus, train, taxi, transfers
BHD sits barely three miles from the city centre, so every onward option is quick. The choice really comes down to budget, luggage, and how much you fancy walking.
The Airport Express 600 runs roughly every 20 minutes and reaches Belfast Grand Central Station in around 10 to 15 minutes. You can buy your ticket from the driver, use a ticket vending machine, or simply tap a contactless card as you board.
For the cheapest option, the Sydenham rail halt sits a short walk from the terminal and puts you on a direct train into central Belfast. There’s a footbridge to cross and no lift access at some points, so it’s not ideal if you’re hauling a heavy case or travelling with reduced mobility.
The taxi rank at BHD is hard to beat for convenience. Fares are metered and capped, and travel guides put a typical daytime fare in the region of £8 to £11 for the short hop into town, which is genuinely reasonable given how close the airport sits.
- Airport Express 600: bus every ~20 minutes, 10 to 15 minutes to Grand Central Station.
- Sydenham rail halt: cheapest option, short walk plus footbridge from the terminal.
- Taxi rank: metered, capped fares, doorstep pickup for families and heavy bags.
- Private transfer: worth pre-booking for larger groups or accessibility needs.
Pro Tip: If you’re arriving with a pushchair or a mobility aid, skip the footbridge at Sydenham and head straight for the taxi rank instead. It’s only marginally pricier and saves a genuine headache.
Getting from Belfast International Airport (BFS): Airport Express 300, taxi and transfer options
BFS is a different proposition. Sitting around 20 kilometres out, near Aldergrove, it needs a bit more planning than its city-centre cousin.
The Airport Express 300 is Translink’s main link into town, running seven days a week with services roughly every 15 minutes at weekday peak times, and the journey to Belfast Grand Central Station takes about 30 to 40 minutes. Luggage goes in a storage hold beneath the coach, so you’re not wrestling a suitcase up the aisle steps.
Taxis operate around the clock at BFS, with regular buses, taxis and on-site car hire all available at the terminal. Meters run under regulated tariff caps, so the fare shown is a maximum rather than a fixed charge, and drivers will confirm the rate if you ask. Expect to pay considerably more than the BHD fare given the extra distance, and budget more travel time if it’s rush hour on the M2.
Taxis make sense for:
- Groups where the combined bus fares outweigh a shared cab.
- Late-night or early-morning arrivals when bus frequency drops.
- Destinations outside the city centre that would mean a bus plus a second leg.
If you’d rather lock in a price before you land, intercity coach operators and pre-booked private transfers cover the same route, and some travellers combine the airport run with park-and-ride if they’ve left a car nearby. Whichever you pick, check Translink’s live journey planner before you travel, since road works or match-day traffic can stretch the 300’s usual timing.
Tickets, fares and payment: how much it costs and how to pay
Bus fares on both Airport Express routes are set by Translink and do shift from time to time, so treat any figure here as a guide rather than gospel, always confirmed at belfastairport.com or belfastcityairport.com before you fly.
At a glance: the BHD taxi fare runs roughly £8 to £11 for a daytime trip, while the 300 and 600 buses both accept contactless tap-on-board payment alongside cash and card at the driver’s till.
Buying a ticket is straightforward wherever you land:
- Vending machines at Belfast Grand Central Station and at the airport bus stops let you buy in advance.
- Pay the driver directly with cash or card when you board.
- Contactless tap works on both routes for a fast, ticketless journey.
- Book online in advance through Translink if you’d rather sort it before you land.
Families travelling together should ask about group or family tickets at the machine or with the driver, since these can undercut buying single fares separately. Luggage allowances on both coaches are generous for standard cases, but oversized sports or musical equipment is worth checking in advance. A pre-booked private transfer removes all this guesswork: you agree the price beforehand, which matters if you’re on a tight budget or simply dislike surprises after a long flight.
Practical tips: luggage, accessibility, late arrivals and choosing the right option
Public transport tends to be the cheapest and most reliable choice for most journeys into Belfast, but it isn’t always the right one. A few rules of thumb make the decision easier:
- Solo traveller, light bag — the 600 or 300 bus is hard to beat on price and reliability.
- Family or group with cases — a taxi or pre-booked transfer avoids juggling luggage on and off a coach.
- Late-night or very early flight — check bus frequency first, since services thin out overnight and a taxi may be the only sensible option.
- Reduced mobility — favour the 600 bus or a taxi over Sydenham’s footbridge, or ask about accessible taxi options in advance.
Pro Tip: Build in extra time after landing for baggage reclaim before you commit to a bus departure time. Missing the 600 or 300 by a few minutes just means waiting for the next one, so there’s no real downside to checking the timetable rather than sprinting.
How far and how long: distances and journey-time expectations
Distance explains most of the difference between the two airports. BHD sits about 5 km (3 miles) from the city centre, while BFS is roughly 20 km (12 miles) out.
- Train from Sydenham: around 6 to 15 minutes into the city.
- Bus from BHD: 10 to 15 minutes via the 600.
- Bus from BFS: 30 to 40 minutes via the 300.
- Taxi from either: variable, depending on traffic and time of day.
Rush hour, big events at the SSE Arena, or roadworks on approach routes can all add extra minutes to any of these, so allow a buffer if you’re catching a connecting train or coach.
Local guide perspective from Love Belfast and author credentials
This guidance draws on official Translink and airport sources alongside local knowledge. Once you’ve landed, our guides to where to stay in Belfast and choosing the right venue for events help with the next step of your trip. Andrew, who writes our travel and city coverage, draws on years of tracking Belfast’s transport links and events calendar for Lovebelfast readers.
When to pick comfort over cost: a local traveller’s take
Cost rarely tells the whole story. A solo visitor with one bag should take the bus every time, but the moment you’re carrying cases for four people, arriving after midnight, or racing to an early departure, a taxi or transfer earns its price. Families and festival-goers benefit most from paying a little extra for certainty. Business travellers on a tight schedule should do the same.
If you’re planning your Belfast trip around a gig or match, book your Belfast accommodation before you sort transport, since the best central hotels near Grand Central Station fill up fast on event weekends.
— Andrew
Sources
- Getting To & From — Belfast International Airport
- Public transport | Getting here | Belfast City Airport
- Airport services | Translink
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