How to Book Train Travel From London to Belfast

Until another "Chunnel" is built on the west coast of England, travel from London to Belfast will still require some sort of boat or air passage. Booking travel online, however, is easy, since many rail services offer complete packages to get you from England to Northern Ireland as quickly as possible. Read on to learn how to book train travel from London to Belfast.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer With Internet Access
• Passport

Book Train Travel From London to Belfast

1. Check online with the many rail services, such as Stena Line, SailRail and Irish Ferries, that offer complete packages to get from London to Belfast. You can also book train travel from London to Belfast by calling Rail Europe at (888) 382-RAIL or by visiting the link below.

2. Book your travel online once you have studied the timetables and have chosen the combination of travel services you need.

3. Choose the travel corridor that best fits your needs. If you're looking for the most direct route, pick the Northern Corridor, which crosses the sea at Stranraer, Scotland, and takes you on a one hour and 40-minute trip directly into Belfast.

4. Consider taking the Central Corridor, which crosses the ocean at Holyhead, Wales, arriving in Dun Laoghire, just outside of Dublin, if you want to visit Wales and Ireland on your way to Belfast.

5. Investigate the many alternatives to the ferry crossings, such as high-speed catamarans or even small plane flights.

Enjoy Your Trek Into Belfast

6. Consider an upgrade to first-class accommodations, since you will be traveling all day and may need room to stretch out and relax.

7. Consider traveling overnight on a sleeper train for your trip from London to Scotland. This is an efficient way to travel, since it combines travel with lodging costs.

Tips & Warnings

• Think about storing all of your excess baggage back at the hotel in London or at a locker in one of the train stations. Changing from train to ferry to train again creates many opportunities to lose your personal belongings--or throw out your back.
• Most rail and ferry travel packages require reservations at least 48 hours in advance.
• Some tourists are wary of visiting Northern Ireland due to the outbreaks of violence which have occured during its history. Residents of Belfast, however, believe their city to be one of the safest in the United Kingdom as long as you don't discuss politics.