The Translink Airport Express 300 is the sole public transport link connecting Belfast International Airport to Belfast Grand Central station in the city centre.
Beginning 8 September 2024, this bus service no longer serves the old Belfast Europa bus station.
Note: The Belfast International Airport should not be confused with the Belfast City Airport located some 15 – 20 minutes out of Belfast. For our guide to the Airport Express 600 serving Belfast City Airport, click here.
First posted 16 June 2017. Updated 9 September 2024.
Where do I board the bus at the airport?
Board the Airport Express 300 from the bus shelter located on the terminal building driveway. Simply turn left after exiting Arrivals, and walk down the length of the driveway. You will then spot the pole and shelter for the Airport Express 300.
Belfast International Airport is presently undergoing expansion works that involve rebuilding the terminal frontage, but the pathway to the bus stop remains the same.
Where do I board the bus at Belfast Grand Central?
Belfast Grand Central is Northern Ireland’s main bus station located within Belfast city centre. Simply show up at the departure hall, buy a ticket, and keep an eye out for the platform information on the electronic departure board.
Onward travel from Belfast Grand Central to the rest of Ireland
Connections to Goldliner intercity buses and Northern Ireland Railways services are available at the new Belfast Grand Central station.
If you are travelling onwards to Dublin, your options from Belfast Grand Central are to either catch the Goldliner X1 or X2 buses, or the Enterprise train service running between both cities.
For more information, please visit our dedicated info page on cross border travel on the island of Ireland.
How do I buy my tickets?
There are a few ways to buy tickets for the Airport Express 300 –
- Buying onboard the bus.
- Buying from the ticket vending machine at Belfast International Airport.
- Buying from the ticket vending machine at Belfast Grand Central station.
- Buying from the Visit Belfast information desk at Belfast International Airport.
- Buying online.
- Buying on Translink’s mLink app.
If you’re boarding at Grand Central, simply show up and buy the ticket from the ticket machines. These machines accept cash, and card payments via PIN & contactless (up to £45), and you also have the option of topping up any of your Translink smartcards (assuming you have one). If you’re buying on the bus, both cash and card are accepted.
Due to how new Grand Central is, I cannot currently verify whether there is a dedicated ticket counter for Airport Express services at the new Grand Central. In any event, I find the ticket machines to be quite usable as they accept both cash and card.
If you’re boarding the bus at the airport, you can buy your tickets at the Visit Belfast information desk at the Arrivals section of the airport. You can still buy your tickets onboard the bus, but I recommend trying to get them at the information desk especially if you don’t have small enough change for the bus fare.
July 2024 Update: Due to upgrading works at Belfast International Airport, the Visit Belfast information desk is not where it’s supposed to be. You’ll have to buy a ticket for the bus from the vending machine at the bus stop, or from the driver.
I recommend buying your tickets from the ticket vending machines at the airport bus stands. As stated above, these accept payment both via cash and contactless (up to £45), and you also have the option of topping up any of your Translink smartcards (assuming you have one).
Alternatively, you can also use Translink’s mLink app if you have already installed it. Both the app and the ticket machines are more convenient as you don’t have to fumble with cash straight off the plane.
For more information, please visit Translink's info page on Belfast airport bus services at https://www.translink.co.uk/usingourservicesandproducts/airportservices
How much do tickets cost?
The fares are at £9.00 for a single ticket (cash), and £13.50 for a day return ticket (cash). There is no difference in the amount you pay if you buy online, so you can rest easy and buy your tickets in person before or when boarding the bus.
Translink offers a monthly return ticket on the Airport Express 300 for £13.50, available for purchase at the Europa ticket counter, onboard from the driver, the tourist desk at the airport, or on the mLink app.
If you are planning to use the trains and buses in Northern Ireland frequently throughout your visit, you may consider getting an iLink card instead. These are essentially unlimited zonal travel tickets for all bus and train services for a day, a month, or a year within the designated zone(s). The iLink can be used on the Airport Express 300, and you’ll have to buy a Zone 3 iLink card as the airport falls under Zone 3.
July 2024 update: Note that an iLink card can no longer be purchased at Belfast International Airport due to aforementioned construction works removing the Welcome Centre desk. Get your iLink card from Belfast Grand Central instead.
For a full list of fares on the Translink Airport Express 300 service, please use Translink’s journey planner function on the Translink website. For more information on the iLink card, click here.
Timetables and Routing
The Translink Airport Express 300 generally runs throughout the day all week, with differing frequencies depending on the time of day. The services is not non-stop, calling at Templepatrick (Broadacres) and Templepatrick (Ballymartin Park & Ride) in each direction.
To view the detailed timetables for the Translink Airport Express 300, please use the Timetables search function on Translink’s Timetables webpage.
How are the buses like?
Translink operates specially branded light-blue coloured double decker buses on the Airport Express 300 route. These buses feature leather upholstered seats, luggage racks, and USB charging ports on the back of the seats.
Prior to the introduction of these buses, Translink ran normal Ulsterbus branded buses or a specially branded single deck bus on the service. If you get an Ulsterbus branded bus, note that it might not have luggage racks onboard.
Are there alternatives?
If buses aren’t your thing, you can catch a taxi to Belfast City Centre. Taxis can be easily booked at any hour from any of the Belfast operators, with the most prominent being Fonacab and ValueCabs.
Taxis are highly convenient as they provide a doorstep-to-terminal service so you don’t have to worry about missing a bus. If you have a big group and/or a lot of luggage, taxis can be more convenient than buses.
Like other cities, the downside with taxis is that they cost more than the buses. Expect to pay at least £30 for a ride from Belfast.
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