Causeway Coast without a car

Hi. I'm traveling to Ireland in May. I plan to spend a day traveling the Causeway Coast. I'm starting in Belfast and I want the giants causeway to either be my first or last stop in the route. I also want to see Rathlin Island, the rope bridge, and a castle or two. Of course if there's any other stops you recommend, let me know! My main question is if anyone could lay out exactly how to do this by bus or train? Thank you!

Hi Aida,

May is a lovely time to explore the Causeway Coast and Northern Ireland! Belfast has plenty to offer. You could consider visiting the Belfast Castle and the Titanic Belfast experience. 

Translink offers iLink Travelcard for rail and bus travel within Northern Ireland. You can choose the period and zones that suit your needs. The Causeway Coastal route is best done by bus. One of the best tools for planning your travel is Transport for Ireland's Journey Planner. More information about traveling by public transport is available here. 

Glenarm Castle would be on your way towards Rathlin Island and the Causeway Coast. Rathlin Island could be a great place to overnight as well. You could take a boat back to the Ballycastle in the morning and then a couple-kilometre bus ride to the Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge. You'd still have plenty of time to visit Giants Causeway that same day. Bushmills town and its famous brewery are close and could be a nice place to spend the night. There are also other castles nearby, such as  Dunluce Castle. All the distances are short and bus services work generally well.

The whole coastal route is picturesque, with plenty of interesting places to see. Do you have some specific interest and how much time have you allocated for this part of your trip? Happy to answer any further questions you may have.

Cheers,
Lauri

Hi Aida,

Exploring the Causeway Coast without a car is entirely feasible, as mentioned by Lauri, the Causeway Coastal Route is best explored by bus.

From Belfast, I would suggest you take the train to Coleraine Bus/Train Station. From here you can pick up the Ulsterbus 402 (Causeway Ramler) Service to hop between the major tourist attractions.

A suggested itinerary might be to visit the Giant's Causeway first (the recommended time here is 1-2 hours), then hop back on the 402 bus to head to Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge (the recommended time here is 1.5 hours and pre booking is essential). From the rope bridge you can then take the 402 service again back towards Bushmills/Portrush and get off at Dunluce Castle (suggested time here is 45 minutes). After a full day of sightseeing, hop back on the 402 bus back to Coleraine Bus/Train station where you can pick up a train back to Belfast.

Hopefully you find this information useful!

Best Wishes 

Alison