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Getting Around by Water
Northern Ireland's only inhabited island is Rathlin, a few kilometres off the north coast. Caledonian MacBrayne (tel: 0870 565 0000; website: www.calmac.co.uk) operates regular services between Ballycastle and Rathlin.
Getting Around by Rail
Rail passes
Freedom of Northern Ireland Pass: available for unlimited travel on trains and buses. Can be bought at main Northern Ireland railway stations.
Freedom of Northern Ireland Pass: available for unlimited travel on trains and buses. Can be bought at main Northern Ireland railway stations.
Getting Around by Road
Traffic drives on the left.
Bus: Northern Ireland has an excellent bus network and there are particularly good links between those towns which are not served by rail. Translink operates both Metro, which provides services in Belfast, and Ulsterbus, which is responsible for all other services in Northern Ireland. Belfast has three main bus stations: Europa Buscentre at Great Victoria Street, Laganside Buscentre and Newtonabbey.
Centrelink provides a link between Belfast's principal rail and bus stations, as well as main shopping centres and the Waterfront Hall. Metro operates several routes. Ulsterbus operates a comprehensive network of services across the rest of the country. For more information, contact Translink (tel: (028) 9066 6630; website: www.translink.co.uk).
Taxi: Available at main stations, ports and Belfast International Airport and are also bookable by telephone in larger towns and cities.
Car hire: The main firms operate in Northern Ireland and have desks at both Belfast airports with cars available on the spot. There is also a host of smaller firms.
Regulations: The speed limit is 30mph (48kph) in towns and cities unless signs show 40mph (64kph) or 50mph (80kph). On country roads, the limit is 60mph (96kph); on dual carriageways, trunk roads and motorways, 70mph (112kph), unless signs show otherwise.
Emergency breakdown service: If the car is hired, contact the hire company. Members of the continental equivalent of the AA (tel: 0800 085 2721; website: www.theaa.com) can contact their 24-hour breakdown service. The RAC (tel: 0800 919 700; website: www.rac.co.uk) provides a similar service. They can be contacted from their roadside phones or from any call box. Non-members should consult the Yellow Pages for breakdown services.
Bus: Northern Ireland has an excellent bus network and there are particularly good links between those towns which are not served by rail. Translink operates both Metro, which provides services in Belfast, and Ulsterbus, which is responsible for all other services in Northern Ireland. Belfast has three main bus stations: Europa Buscentre at Great Victoria Street, Laganside Buscentre and Newtonabbey.
Centrelink provides a link between Belfast's principal rail and bus stations, as well as main shopping centres and the Waterfront Hall. Metro operates several routes. Ulsterbus operates a comprehensive network of services across the rest of the country. For more information, contact Translink (tel: (028) 9066 6630; website: www.translink.co.uk).
Taxi: Available at main stations, ports and Belfast International Airport and are also bookable by telephone in larger towns and cities.
Car hire: The main firms operate in Northern Ireland and have desks at both Belfast airports with cars available on the spot. There is also a host of smaller firms.
Regulations: The speed limit is 30mph (48kph) in towns and cities unless signs show 40mph (64kph) or 50mph (80kph). On country roads, the limit is 60mph (96kph); on dual carriageways, trunk roads and motorways, 70mph (112kph), unless signs show otherwise.
Emergency breakdown service: If the car is hired, contact the hire company. Members of the continental equivalent of the AA (tel: 0800 085 2721; website: www.theaa.com) can contact their 24-hour breakdown service. The RAC (tel: 0800 919 700; website: www.rac.co.uk) provides a similar service. They can be contacted from their roadside phones or from any call box. Non-members should consult the Yellow Pages for breakdown services.