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Ferries to Belfast

Travel to Belfast by Ferry

If youโ€™re looking to take a ferry to Belfast, the main city of Northern Ireland, you have a couple of options. There are two ferries that run directly to Belfast: one from the UK (Liverpool Birkenhead) and another from Scotland.

Scotland to Northern Ireland

There is a direct ferry from Cairnryan to Belfast, but there's also a good alternative route from Cairnryan to Larne. From Larne to Belfast, itโ€™s just a 30-minute drive by car. You can also travel from Larne to Belfast by bus.

You can use the booking module and select Northern Ireland as your destination to find all the crossings to and Belfast.

Ferry Map: ferry routes to Belfast

Use the interactive map to find the right crossing and ferry company. You can zoom in and out and view the routes in the ports.

In the map above, you can see the ferry routes from Liverpool and Cairnryan to Belfast, as well as the ferry from Cairnryan to Larne. The two short crossings from Scotland take around 2 hours, while the ferry from Liverpool takes about 8 hours to reach the capital of Northern Ireland.

It is also possible to sail to Dublin and then drive to Belfast. If this is an option youโ€™re considering, it's best to check our Ireland page for all the crossings to Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Crossings to Belfast, Northen Ireland

Belfast-Douglas

Steam Packet Co.
92 miles
2h 45 mins.
Up to 2 times per week
From: £23.00

Cairnryan-Belfast

Stena Line
44 miles
2h 15 mins.
Up to 6 times per day
From: £36.00

Liverpool-Belfast

Stena Line
136 miles
8 hours
Up to 2 times per day
From: £40.00

Guide: ferries to Belfast

Ferry from Liverpool to Belfast

This ferry sails from Liverpool to Northern Ireland twice a day. The journey takes approximately 8 hours. You can choose between a day or night crossing on this route, which is operated by Stena Line.

Ferry from Scotland to Belfast

There is a direct ferry from Scotland that takes you to Belfast in just 2 hours and 15 minutes. In total, there are 6 departures daily from Scotland to Belfast.

Alternative from Scotland

The ferry from Cairnryan to Larne is an excellent alternative when travelling from Scotland. Operated by P&O, this ferry doesnโ€™t take you directly to Belfast but instead to Larne, located slightly to the north. The crossings are a bit shorter and often more affordable.

If the direct ferry to Belfast is fully booked or if you don't mind a 30-minute drive, then the ferry to Larne might be a great choice.

1 stenaline ferry
From: £36.00
Read our guide
2 PO ferries
From: £30.00
Read our guide

Ferry from Scotland to Belfast

There is a direct ferry from Scotland that takes you to Belfast in just 2 hours and 15 minutes. In total, there are 6 departures daily from Scotland to Belfast.

Alternative from Scotland

The ferry from Cairnryan to Larne is an excellent alternative when travelling from Scotland. Operated by P&O, this ferry doesnโ€™t take you directly to Belfast but instead to Larne, located slightly to the north. The crossings are a bit shorter and often more affordable.

If the direct ferry to Belfast is fully booked or if you don't mind a 30-minute drive, then the ferry to Larne might be a great choice.

Alternatively, you can also sail toย Rosslareย orย Dublinย with one of the ferries to Ireland. Fromย Dublin, itโ€™s aย 2-hour drive to Belfast, while fromย Rosslare, itโ€™s about aย 4-hour drive.

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2 Comments
  1. I wanted a trip with my children in a cabin where they could sleep, why donโ€™t you do that, itโ€™s supposed to be fun. I canโ€™t sleep in a seat with 2 children (both autistic) there was another sight where we could pick an am travel out so seats were fine and a return in a cabin? Why canโ€™t I do that on here?????

    • Hi Emi,

      For which particular crossing are you looking? The ferry from Liverpool to Belfast for example is possible with cabins. But in general on the shorter routes there aren't always cabins on board of the ferries. Let me know if we can help you further.

      Best regards,

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All crossings to Northern Ireland

Fast Ferry
kintyre express

Ballycastle-Port Ellen

Kintyre Express
29 miles
1 Hour
Up to 5 times per week
From: £60.00

Liverpool-Belfast

Stena Line
136 miles
8 hours
Up to 2 times per day
From: £40.00

Cairnryan-Belfast

Stena Line
44 miles
2h 15 mins.
Up to 6 times per day
From: £36.00

Belfast-Douglas

Steam Packet Co.
92 miles
2h 45 mins.
Up to 2 times per week
From: £23.00
Fast Ferry
kintyre express

Ballycastle-Campbeltown

Kintyre Express
31 miles
1h 30 mins.
Up to 5 times per week
From: £80.00

Cairnryan-Larne

P&O
40 Miles
2 Hours
Up to 6 times per day
From: £30.00

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