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Travelling on the Stena Line Cairnryan to Belfast Ferry

May 6 2023 | Tagged: United Kingdom, Border Crossings

Travelling on the ferry from Scotland to Northern Ireland.

​Using a deal on ScotRail, I travelled from Dundee by train and bus and then on the Stena Line Cairnryan to Belfast Ferry, all for just £39.

With the added excitement that it would be my first visit to Northern Ireland.
Cairnryan to Belfast Ferry
I booked a combo ticket on ScotRail that would take me from Dundee to Belfast for just £39. An incredible deal. 

There were 5 stages:
​
  1. Train: Dundee to Glasgow Queen Street.
  2. Walk to Glasgow Central 
  3. Train: Glasgow Central to Ayr
  4. Bus: Ayr to Cairnryan Stena Line Terminal 
  5. Ferry: Cairnryan to Belfast

Here's my trip report, May 5 2023:

​I booked on the Scotrail website, paid by debit card and then went to pick up the tickets.

Tickets Dundee to Belfast ScotRail
Everything went very smoothly.

The 09:15 out of Dundee to Glasgow Queen Street:
Dundee to Glasgow Queen Street ScotRail
ScotRail Travel by train in Scotland
The 11:34 out of Glasgow Central to Ayr:
ScotRail Glasgow Central to Ayr
The connecting ScotRail bus to Cairnryan:
Ayr to Cairnryan bus
Arriving at the Loch Ryan Port/Stena Line ferry terminal in Cairnryan:
Border Crossing: Getting the Cairnryan to Belfast Ferry (Scotland to Northern Ireland)
Collect the boarding pass for the Cairnryan to Belfast ferry:
Border Crossing: Getting the Cairnryan to Belfast Ferry (Scotland to Northern Ireland)
Boarding the Stena Line Cairnryan to Belfast Ferry:
Border Crossing: Getting the Cairnryan to Belfast Ferry (Scotland to Northern Ireland)
Stena Line Cairnryan to Belfast Ferry
I was, like always, travelling economy, no £20 lounge upgrade, in with the masses for me.

Chips and a beer in the restaurant:
Chips and beer Stena Nordica Ferry
Make mine a Tiger beer
From Scotland to Northern Ireland on the Stena Nordica Ferry:
Cairnryan to Belfast Ferry
First glimpse of Northern Ireland:
Border Crossing: Getting the Cairnryan to Belfast Ferry (Scotland to Northern Ireland)
Arriving in Northern Ireland:
Cairnryan to Belfast Ferry
Border Crossing: Getting the Cairnryan to Belfast Ferry (Scotland to Northern Ireland)
Arrived. Northern Ireland, my first visit here. 99th UN country:
Border Crossing: Getting the Cairnryan to Belfast Ferry (Scotland to Northern Ireland)
Bus #96 into the centre. A single trip ticket costs £2.20. Paid on the bus, contactless. And an easy ride into town, last stop, Donegal Place.
Translink 96 bus Belfast
Border Crossing: Getting the Cairnryan to Belfast Ferry (Scotland to Northern Ireland)

How long is the ferry crossing from Cairnryan to Belfast?

The Stena Line ferry departed Cairnryan at 15:30 and arrived on schedule in Belfast at 17:45. Disembarkation was quick. There were no document checks. Northern Ireland is part of the UK.

Northern Ireland and Belfast welcomes you.
Previous Post: Hiking Arthur's Seat Hike - Edinburgh​
Next Post: ​My first visit to Northern Ireland

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NOMADIC BACKPACKER
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  • HOME
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    • BORDER CROSSINGS
  • Regions
    • AFRICA >
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      • Tanzania
      • Tunisia
      • Uganda
      • Zambia
      • Zimbabwe
    • Americas >
      • Belize
      • Costa Rica
      • Dominican Republic
      • El Salvador
      • Guatemala
      • Honduras
      • Mexico >
        • Mexico City
      • Nicaragua
      • Panama
    • ASIA >
      • Central Asia
      • China
      • Middle East
      • Kurdistan
      • Turkey
    • Europe >
      • Andorra
      • The Balkans
      • The Baltics
      • Belarus
      • Cyprus
      • Northern Cyprus
      • Gibraltar
      • Iceland
      • Italy
      • Liechtenstein
      • Malta
      • Monaco
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • San Marino
      • Spain
      • Transnistria
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