Northern Ireland: you’re on Ireland, but in the UK

Ireland is an island west of Great Britain. About one sixth of the island, usually referred to as Northern Ireland, is part of the United Kingdom. The rest of the island constitutes the sovereign Republic of Ireland.

There are integrated bus and train stations in most major towns, and the province is easily explored without a car. The main public transport operator is Translink. With a Britrail + Ireland pass, you can travel freely by train across Northern Ireland.

The official currency of Northern Ireland is the pound sterling. Northern Irish notes are legal tender in Great Britain but widespread ignorance of this fact means that they are rarely accepted outside of Northern Ireland. Note that the official currency in the rest of Ireland is the euro.

Northern Ireland has a major international airport in Belfast.

Ferries connect Belfast to mainland Great Britain. The Stena Voyager is the fastest, a high-speed catamaran.

Traffic drives on the left-hand side of the road in all of Ireland and Great Britain. Speed limits in Northern Ireland are all in miles, while road signs in the Republic of Ireland are in kilometres. There is complete freedom of movement between Northern Ireland and the Republic or Ireland.

According to Wikipedia, Northern Ireland has one of the lowest crime rates among industrialized countries. In fact, Japan is the only industrialized country safer than Northern Ireland.

If you go into a restaurant and ask for “heart attack on a plate”, you get five or more of the following: eggs, bacon, tomatoes, sausages, potato bread, mushrooms, baked beans, soda bread, ham and pancakes – everything fried up in a pan. It’s also known as the Ulster Fry.

Recommended sights and events in Northern Ireland

All events are described in greater detail in the tourist guides linked to at the end of this section.

• The historic city of Derry (officially known as Londonderry) is the only walled city in Ireland whose ramparts have survived intact. A walk around its old walls is a must during a visit to Northern Ireland.
• Bushmills whiskey is made by the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the town of the same name on the north coast. Distillery tours are highly recommended.
• Belfast has a Folk Festival in September.
• The Mourne Mountains are a walker’s paradise. Old mountain tracks take you past lakes, rivers, woodland and up to the famous Mourne Wall.
• The Giant’s Causeway is Northern Ireland’s main tourist attraction and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Hexagonal basalt columns, more than 38,000 of them, are surpisingly uniform. The walk east from the Giant’s Causeway along the coast (not the highway), past Dunseverick Castle to the beach at Whitepark Bay, is about ten miles (sixteen kilometers) of eternal beauty.
• There is a fantastic golf course at Portrush. Those that don’t want to play golf can instead visit Barry’s Amusement Park nearby, or the Waterworld in the harbor.
• Belfast has been voted the fourth best city in the UK for a city break.

Scenic train rides in Northern Ireland

According to Michael Palin, the train from Belfast to Derry is “one of the most beautiful rail journeys in the world”. A train trip to and along the North Coast is an unforgettable experience. Start in Belfast and travel via Coleraine. Make an excursion to Portrush, then continue to Derry via Portstewart.

In July and August, the Bushmills Open Topper bus operates a circular route from Coleraine Bus & Rail Centre, taking in Portstewart, Portrush, the Bushmills Distillery, Portballintrae and the Giant’s Causeway.

Northern Ireland rail passes

To travel freely by train in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, plus the whole United Kingdom (England, Scotland and Wales), buy a BritRail + Ireland pass. You can buy five or ten travel days within a 30-day period. This pass is also valid on the ferries.

Britrail and Eurail

The largest rail network in Europe is called Eurail, and includes Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

The United Kingdom is not part of Eurail. If you wish to travel by train through both the UK and other parts of Europe, you should consider buying a separate Eurail pass. Learn more about Eurail at our sister site EurailForAll.com (opens in a new window).

The Republic of Ireland is part of the Eurail network and is included with several Eurail products. If you intend to travel only in Ireland, your best choice is the Eurail Ireland pass. If your trip will take you through Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and France, buy a Eurail Selectpass for Ireland, Benelux and France. Learn more about the Irish Eurail products at our Eurail site EurailForAll.com (opens in a new window).

Note that Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom, and thus not included in the Eurail network.

Tourist information

Official Northern Ireland tourist board
Lonely Planet destination guide for Ireland
Wiki Travel guide for Northern Ireland