Northern IrelandTransportation

Making one's way to and around the North is easier than ever, by air, sea, rail, bus or car.

By Air

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U.S.-Ireland service includes:

Aer Lingus
(800) 223-6537

New York-Shannon, daily; New York-Dublin, daily, both year-round. Boston-Shannon-Dublin service, three times weekly off-peak; six to seven times weekly in peak season. Under consideration for 1995 is New York-Shannon-Belfast service.

American Airlines
(800) 433-7300

Service from Boston, New York (Kennedy), Philadelphia, Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles to London's Heathrow, and from Dallas/Fort Worth, Raleigh/Durham and Nashville to London's Gatwick; also Chicago-Manchester year-round and Chicago-Glasgow service, seasonally. Connections to Belfast from Heathrow, Manchester and Glasgow are frequent.

British Airways
(800) 247-9297

Service from 18 US cities to London's Heathrow, where British Airways' shuttle service to Belfast operates six times daily. Boston-New York-Glasgow service, five times weekly; British Airways Express' Glasgow-Belfast service, six times dally.

Delta Air Lines
(800) 221-1212.

Atlanta-Dublin-Shannon, once weekly off-peak; four days weekly in peak season. Atlanta-Shannon-Dublin, twice weekly off-peak; three days weekly in peak season.

Sceptre Charters operated by American Trans Air
(800) 221-0924

Service from New York (Kennedy)-Belfast; New York (Kennedy)-Dublin, Shannon; New York (Kennedy) -Shannon; Boston-Shannon; Chicago-Shannon, and Chicago-Boston-Shannon, May through September.

By Sea

SeaCat
90-minute catamaran service between Belfast and Stranraer, Scotland, on 450-passenger car-ferries, up to four times daily.

Price: $36 for each passenger on foot, one way. US booking agent: BritRail Travel International, (800) 677-8585, (212) 575-2667; fax: (212) 575-2542.

Stena Sealink
Car-ferry service between Stranraer and Larne, which is a short train ride from Belfast, takes about two hours and 15 minutes, up to nine times daily.

Price: $30 per foot passenger, one-way. US agent: BritRail.

P&O European Ferries
Two-hour, 15-minute car-ferry trip between Larne and Cairnryan, Scotland.

Price: $30 to $35 per foot passenger, one-way. US booking agent: Scots-American Travel Advisors, (201) 768-1187; fax: (201) 768-3825.

In addition, Belfast and Liverpool, England, are linked by overnight ferry service, and ferries operate between Belfast and the Isle of Man from May to September.

By Car & Bus

Numerous international car rental firms have offices in Northern Ireland. For example, Avis Europe has a half-dozen locations in Northern Ireland (and about twice that many in the Republic of Ireland).

Touring Ulster by rental car grants clients "freedom and flexibility," in the words of an Avis Europe spokeswoman.

Car rental specials also make it cost effective. For example, Avis' Discover Europe provides guaranteed dollar rates in Northern Ireland starting at $116 for a seven-day rental. Effective through March 31, the rate requires that cars be booked and paid 14 days in advance.

Dan Dooley Rent-a-Car, Ireland's largest family-owned car rental company, operates a location at the Belfast airport and will deliver cars to Larne and the Belfast city airport.

Logan's Coach and Minibus Hire's executive coach travel has been in business for 25 years. The company caters to individuals and groups of all sizes. Some coaches can receive incoming calls for corporate customers.

The following car rental firms have locations in Northern Ireland:

Auto Europe: (800) 223-5555
Avis: (800) 331-1084; (800) 879-2847 in Canada
Budget: (800) 284-2354
Connex: (800) 333-3949; (800) 843-5416 in Canada
Dan Dooley/Kenning: (800) 3319301; (800) 668-2958 in Canada
EuroDollar: (800) 800-6000
Europcar/National: (800) 2277368
Flynn Brothers: (800) 241-3228; (516) 294-6537
Hertz: (800) 654-3001; (800) 2630600 in Canada
Holiday Autos: (800) 422-7737
Kemwel: (800) 678-0678