Belfast / The verdict
Belfast airport to the city: which way?
Belfast has two airports, so the right answer depends on where you land. From Belfast International (BFS), the Airport Express 300 coach to Belfast Grand Central is the pick: GBP 8 on the mLink app, about 40 minutes. From George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD), the Metro 600 bus does the same job in about 10 minutes for GBP 2.30.
By The Real Traveler Experiences team. We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict.
The Belfast story
Belfast sells its story better than almost any city its size: the Titanic shipyard turned into a landmark museum, political murals explained properly on a black taxi tour, Victorian pubs in the Cathedral Quarter and St George's Market doing a famous breakfast. The Giant's Causeway and the Antrim coast sit an hour away, which turns a city break into a coast trip.
The verdict in 30 seconds
Our pick: Airport Express 300 coach (runner-up: Metro 600 bus)
Belfast has two airports, so the right answer depends on where you land. From Belfast International (BFS), the Airport Express 300 coach to Belfast Grand Central is the pick: GBP 8 on the mLink app, about 40 minutes. From George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD), the Metro 600 bus does the same job in about 10 minutes for GBP 2.30.
Go if
- You land at BFS and want the cheapest direct ride into the center
- You land at BHD and want the city in about 10 minutes for the price of a coffee
- You are happy to walk a few minutes from Grand Central or a bus stop to your stay
Skip if
- You land very late at night when the coaches have stopped, where the official airport taxi rank is the fallback
- You have heavy bags and a stay far from Grand Central, where a taxi or transfer saves a second leg
- You planned to walk to Sydenham halt from BHD with bags or limited mobility, where the courtesy bus or the 600 is kinder
The options
Airport Express 300 coach Go
Everyone arriving at Belfast International: the direct GBP 8 ride to Grand Central.
Good
- GBP 8 adult single on mLink, the cheapest sensible way in from BFS per the operator.
- Runs terminal to Belfast Grand Central in about 30 to 40 minutes per the operator, with reports calling it 35 to 45.
- Frequent departures, about every 15 minutes at weekday peaks per the operator.
- Ticket machines at the airport and Grand Central, plus the Visit Belfast desk and the app.
Watch out
- Coaches fill at flight banks: reports describe full buses and queueing for the next one.
- Cash onboard costs more than the mLink fare, per the operator and reports.
- Evening and late-night coverage thins out, so late arrivals can end up in a taxi anyway.
Translink airport servicesmLink ticket types and faresBelfast International Airport, getting to and from
Metro 600 bus Go
City airport arrivals who want the city in about 10 minutes for GBP 2.30.
Good
- GBP 2.30 adult single, the cheapest ride of any option here per the airport and Translink.
- About 10 minutes from the terminal shelter to Belfast Grand Central, with low-floor buses.
- Runs about every 20 minutes at peak times per the airport.
- A GBP 4 day ticket covers the 600 plus all Metro and Glider rides that day.
Watch out
- Only serves Belfast City Airport, useless from BFS.
- Drops at Grand Central, so outlying stays still need a second leg.
- No overnight service.
Sydenham halt train It depends
Light travelers at BHD who like trains and do not mind a 10 to 20 minute walk or the courtesy bus.
Good
- Trains reach Lanyon Place and Grand Central in about 5 to 10 minutes once aboard, per the operator timetable reports cite.
- The airport runs a requestable courtesy bus between the terminal and the halt roughly 7am to 7pm.
- Very cheap: reports put the single at about GBP 2.
- Good for staying on the rail network to Bangor or stations south.
Watch out
- The walk is 10 to 20 minutes along a dual carriageway with a stepped footbridge, which the airport advises against for reduced mobility.
- No ticket machine at the halt, so buy onboard or in the app.
- Two legs (walk or shuttle, then train) makes it slower door to door than the 600 for most stays.
Taxi or pre-booked transfer It depends
Groups splitting one fare, late arrivals, heavy bags and stays far from Grand Central.
Good
- Door to door day or night from the official ranks: Belfast Airport Taxis at BFS and Value Cabs at BHD.
- Metered under the DfI maximum tariff with a sample fare board in the BFS exit hall, per the airport.
- About 10 minutes from BHD and roughly 30 to 40 from BFS in light traffic, per reports.
- Taxi-share and pre-booked fixed-price options exist if you want certainty before landing.
Watch out
- The most expensive option: roughly GBP 25 to 30 metered from BFS and GBP 10 to 15 plus a GBP 4 pickup surcharge from BHD.
- One report describes a queue for taxis at BFS after cancellations.
- Rush-hour road time can erase the speed advantage over the coaches.
Belfast City Airport taxisDfI maximum taxi faresSee fixed transfer pricespartner site
| Criterion | Airport Express 300 coach | Metro 600 bus | Sydenham halt train | Taxi or pre-booked transfer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official adult fare, one way | GBP 8 on mLink | GBP 2.30 | About GBP 2 per reports, not published online | Metered, roughly GBP 25-30 from BFS |
| Serves which airport | Belfast International (BFS) | Belfast City (BHD) | Belfast City (BHD) | Both airports |
| Time to the center | About 30-40 min official | About 10 min | 5-10 min ride plus walk or shuttle | 10 min from BHD, 30-40 from BFS |
| Frequency | About every 15 min at weekday peaks | About every 20 min at peak | Regular trains, check the timetable | On demand, rank or pre-booked |
| Where it drops you | Belfast Grand Central | Belfast Grand Central | Lanyon Place or Grand Central | Your door |
| Runs late at night | Limited evening service | No overnight service | Limited evening service | Yes, ranks are 24 hours at BFS |
| Luggage and mobility | Coach hold, step out at the terminal | Low-floor bus, short walk | Stepped footbridge, airport advises against for reduced mobility | Door to door, best for bags |
What it costs
- Airport Express 300/300a (BFS), adult single bought on mLink: £8 (child GBP 4; tickets also sold at airport machines, the Visit Belfast desk and onboard at a higher cash fare reported around GBP 9). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Airport Express 300/300a (BFS), adult 1 month return on mLink: £11 (child GBP 5.50; delivered as two single tickets in the app). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Metro 600 (BHD to Grand Central), adult single: £2.30 (child GBP 1.15; machines at the terminal bus shelter and contactless onboard). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Metro day ticket, adult (covers the 600 and all Metro and Glider services that day): £4 (child GBP 2; useful if you ride again the same day). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Licensed taxi, DfI maximum tariff, first mile Monday to Friday day rate: £4.20 (plus GBP 1.86 per further mile; evenings, weekends and holidays use higher tariffs; BHD pickups add a GBP 4 airport surcharge on top). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
What travelers report
Based on 13 traveler reports (Nov 2024 to Sep 2026) and the official sources linked on this page. 2 were negative.
What people like
- Reports like that the 300 goes straight from the terminal doors to Grand Central in about 35 to 45 minutes with luggage space onboard.
- The GBP 8 mLink fare gets repeated praise as cheaper than paying cash onboard and easy to buy on the phone.
- City airport arrivals call the 600 a fast, cheap hop that has them at Grand Central in about 10 minutes.
- Drivers, a train lover and the airport itself note the Sydenham courtesy bus removes the awkward walk when you ask for it.
What people complain about
- Peak-time 300 coaches fill up: reports describe full buses, queues and waiting for the next departure after flight banks.
- Taxi meters sting from BFS given the distance, with reports putting the run at GBP 25 to 30.
- The walk to Sydenham halt follows an unsheltered stretch of dual carriageway with a stepped footbridge, which the airport itself says is unsuitable for reduced mobility.
- Travelers warn the two airport names are easy to confuse, and arriving at BHD expecting the 300 to exist wastes a morning.
How to do it right
- Check which airport you land at first: BFS is about 30km out and served by the 300 coach, BHD sits about 5km out with the 600 bus, Sydenham halt and taxis.
- From BFS, buy the GBP 8 mLink ticket in the Translink app before boarding, or use the ticket machines at the airport and at Grand Central; the coach stops at the terminal and ends at Belfast Grand Central.
- At peak times the 300 runs about every 15 minutes on weekdays; reports describe standing loads after cancellations, so queue early or take the next departure.
- From BHD, follow signs to the bus shelter outside arrivals for the Metro 600 to Grand Central, about 10 minutes, or ask at the airport for the courtesy bus to Sydenham halt.
- For a cab at either airport use the official rank: Belfast Airport Taxis outside the right-hand exit at BFS, Value Cabs outside arrivals at BHD, both metered under the maximum tariff.
- Pre-book a fixed-price transfer when you want the fare settled before you land, especially for late arrivals.
The trap to avoid
Older guides send you to the Europa Buscentre for the airport coach. That stop closed in September 2024: the 300 now starts and ends at Belfast Grand Central a few minutes away, so do not stand at the wrong station.
Why this verdict
Belfast splits the question in two because it has two airports, and the reports line up cleanly once you separate them. From Belfast International, everyone rides the Airport Express 300: it leaves from the terminal, ends at Belfast Grand Central and costs GBP 8 on the mLink app, which is why it takes the pick. The negatives are real but manageable. Coaches pack out at flight banks, one report describes a very long taxi queue after a disrupted night, and another nearly missed the last departure of the evening, so the coach is a daytime hero rather than a safety net for the final arrival.
From the city airport the Metro 600 wins on simplicity: about 10 minutes to Grand Central for GBP 2.30, with a GBP 4 day ticket that keeps paying all day. The Sydenham halt train exists and is cheap once aboard, but the approach walk along a dual carriageway with a stepped footbridge earns warnings from the airport itself, so it sits at depends. Take it when the courtesy bus is available and you travel light.
Taxis fill the real gaps: late landings, heavy bags, door-to-door stays and groups splitting one fare. The meters are capped by the DfI tariff and BHD adds a GBP 4 pickup surcharge, which lands the bill near GBP 25-30 from BFS and GBP 10-15 from the city airport in reports. Pre-booking a fixed-price transfer removes the queue-and-meter anxiety for late arrivals.
Timing and tickets
Buy the mLink ticket before boarding the 300 for the GBP 8 fare; cash onboard costs more. Grand Central replaced Europa Buscentre as the coach terminus in September 2024, which is why older guides name a stop that no longer exists. For Sydenham, request the courtesy bus at the airport rather than walking the bypass with bags.
Book or check times
Translink airport servicesmLink ticket types and faresBelfast International Airport, getting to and fromBelfast City Airport public transportBelfast City Airport taxisDfI maximum taxi fares
We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict. How this works
See fixed transfer pricespartner site
Questions
What is the cheapest way from Belfast International to the city?
The Airport Express 300 coach at GBP 8 for an adult single on the mLink app, about 40 minutes to Belfast Grand Central. Children pay GBP 4, and a 1 month return on mLink is GBP 11.
How do I get from Belfast City Airport to the center?
The Metro 600 bus runs from the shelter outside arrivals to Belfast Grand Central in about 10 minutes for GBP 2.30, per the airport and Translink. A train from Sydenham halt reaches the center in about 5 to 10 minutes, but the halt is a 10 to 20 minute walk with a stepped footbridge and no ticket machine, and the airport advises a courtesy bus for anyone with reduced mobility.
How much is a taxi from Belfast International Airport?
Taxis are metered under the DfI maximum tariff: GBP 4.20 for the first mile then GBP 1.86 per mile on the weekday day rate, more at evenings and weekends. The run to the center is about 19km, which puts a metered ride at roughly GBP 25 to 30; the airport publishes sample fares on a board in the exit hall.
How much is a taxi from Belfast City Airport?
Value Cabs is the airport's official partner with a rank and booking office outside arrivals, and pickups carry a GBP 4 airport surcharge since July 2024. Reports put the roughly 10 minute run to City Hall at GBP 10 to 15 plus the surcharge.
Is the Airport Express 300 the bus to Europa Buscentre?
Same corridor, new name for the terminus. Europa Buscentre closed in September 2024 and services moved to Belfast Grand Central, so any guide still naming Europa is out of date but describing the same ride.
What if my flight lands very late?
Coach and bus frequencies thin out in the evening and one report nearly missed the last 300. The official airport taxi ranks run around the clock at both airports, and a pre-booked transfer removes the timetable risk entirely.
Pack for it
Gear verdicts from our sister site, Real Buyer Experiences: