Dublin to Derry

darsar

Hi,

Can anyone tell me if trains still go into Derry from Dublin, it doesnt have to be direct as i dont think they do go direct from Dublin but via Belfast would be ok. I cant find any info on trains from Belfast to Derry.

TIA

mikemac

They stopped the direct route through Cavan and Tyrone years ago.
Maybe one day it'll open again.

You can go through Belfast allright

Get info on timetables and fares here.
http://www.translink.co.uk/nir.asp
or
http://www.irishrail.ie/home/

I'd be interested to know would Irish Rail sell a ticket for Dublin to Derry or would you have to buy your Belfast to Derry ticket once you arrive in Belfast.

Ham'nd'egger

micmclo wrote: »

They stopped the direct route through Cavan and Tyrone years ago.
Maybe one day it'll open again.

You can go through Belfast allright

Get info on timetables and fares here.
http://www.translink.co.uk/nir.asp
or
http://www.irishrail.ie/home/

I'd be interested to know would Irish Rail sell a ticket for Dublin to Derry or would you have to buy your Belfast to Derry ticket once you arrive in Belfast.

You can't book it via the online system, but you should be able to book on at a station. At Belfast, it is just a matter of hopping off the Enterprise and hopping onto a Derry service. Be warned, though; the Derry train is painfully slow; if you can I'd suggest you take a bus from Belfast as it is over an hour quicker.

darsar

Thanks for the tip off! I just dont want to get the bus all the way as i hate the journey! What is the norths version of Bus Eireann?

Zoney

jamegg wrote: »

Thanks for the tip off! I just dont want to get the bus all the way as i hate the journey! What is the norths version of Bus Eireann?

Ulsterbus.

RadioCity

Thats offensive.

Ulsterbus is quite an organised setup.:D

mikemac

Yep, but Bus Eireann has far more modern and comfortable inter-city buses.
Stand outside Busaras someday and compare a Bus Eireann coach with an Ulsterbus coach.

I know what I'd prefer

L1011

Ulsterbus Goldliners are fine. Its when you get put on a Chambers coach instead (no aircon!) that the "fun" starts.

In UB's favour, they have extremely polite and helpful staff (as do NIR), neither of which any CIE group company seems capable of doing...

Propellerhead

It is entirely possible to travel by train from Dublin to Derry with one cross platform change at Belfast. I do it a couple of times a year myself as I hate the bus with a passion.

However, it isn't the quickest way to go and it certainly isn't the cheapest. Be prepared to be viewed as someone eccentric if you mention doing it all in Derry or Donegal to anyone.

If you ring Irish Rail travel information they will not give you any price north of Belfast for a return for some unknown reason :rolleyes:, however Connolly Station will definitely sell you a ticket. It should be in the region of €40 for a weekend return. The only way to actually get a price is to go into Connolly Station.

The NIR website is www.nirailways.co.uk and you can get a full itinerary from there, showing train times and the length of time you would expect to be spending in Belfast Central waiting for your connection. Total journey time by rail is just over four hours but this does not allow for times waiting at Belfast.

Shortest total journey time is off the 19:00 ex Dublin on weekdays, arriving in Derry at 23:25.

RadioCity

Yep, but Bus Eireann has far more modern and comfortable inter-city buses.
Stand outside Busaras someday and compare a Bus Eireann coach with an Ulsterbus coach.

I know what I'd prefer

Exactly, Ulsterbus.

Because (in Dublin) their buses can't be taken off them to go elsewhere, they all tend to leave on time and the effort is made to load and go on time. I've always noticed this. The only tile the don't depart on time is because of traffic congestion in Busaras or because Bus Eireann staff shunted the bus to the far side of the moon.

Thread after thread appears on this forum about Bus Eireann incompetence. That incompetence while it may happen in NI, is addressed and rarely happens again. Complaints can go to the call centre, and sent to the relevant location manager who deals with the complaint. The person who made the complaint gets their reply and if they still aren't satified can complain to the Consumer Council.

Theres more to a bus service than quality of buses.


Incidentally, regarding the original post. While you can get the train from Connolly to Belfast Central, as stated, the bus is the quickest way to Derry from there. However, the Enterprise terminates at Central so if you don't have a connecting train to Derry, you'll have to get a local train to Great Victoria Street Rail Station, adjoining the Europa Buscentre (Busaras take note!!) from where you can get the bus to Derry if you so please.

The last bus and train times from Great Victoria St/Europa Buscentre are:
Mon Fri- bus 2300, train 2115
Sat- bus 2300, train 2120
Sun- bus 2215, train 2120
The advantage of the bus is that it terminates in Derry City Centre. A bus connection operates to the bus station from the train station in time for train arrivals, except the last train at 2335/2340.

L1011

If you're not ill/elderly I'd walk from Central to Europa, or get the bus (free with your ex Dublin ticket) to Donegall Square and walk from there. Perfectly safe walk if anyone is still concerned enough.

At the Derry end if by train and you don't know the city, walk out of the train station, head straight on to the Craigavon Bridge and cross it in the city centre... you come in on the "bad" side for a southerner to be lost when its dark, lets put it that way...

RadioCity

I think you've got you're sides of the river Foyle the wrong way round!

L1011

RadioCity wrote: »

I think you've got you're sides of the river Foyle the wrong way round!

Its possible I do... I thought Waterside was the unionist area and on the East bank?

Victor

http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/maps/towns/derry_religion.gif

http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/maps/towns/belfast_religion.gif

http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/map_index.html

corktina

correct me if im wrong (no doubt) but can you not get off the Belfast train at the junction for the Dery line (name escapes me) and save a pile of time that way?

Ham'nd'egger

corktina wrote: »

correct me if im wrong (no doubt) but can you not get off the Belfast train at the junction for the Dery line (name escapes me) and save a pile of time that way?

You are thinking of Knockmore junction, Corky. They don't run this way anymore though it is kept clear in the event of line closures on the main line in.

RadioCity

walk out of the train station, head straight on to the Craigavon Bridge and cross it in the city centre... you come in on the "bad" side for a southerner to be lost when its dark, lets put it that way...

Oops, I misread that. I thought you meant after you crossed the bridge, you were on the "bad" side.

But I don't think that matters a whole lot any more.

Ham'nd'egger

RadioCity wrote: »

Oops, I misread that. I thought you meant after you crossed the bridge, you were on the "bad" side.

Derry only has one good side of it.... the outside

Propellerhead

MYOB wrote: »

If you're not ill/elderly I'd walk from Central to Europa, or get the bus (free with your ex Dublin ticket) to Donegall Square and walk from there. Perfectly safe walk if anyone is still concerned enough.

At the Derry end if by train and you don't know the city, walk out of the train station, head straight on to the Craigavon Bridge and cross it in the city centre... you come in on the "bad" side for a southerner to be lost when its dark, lets put it that way...

Er, you don't have to walk. A bus meets every train and goes over the river to the bus station.

Propellerhead

Hamndegger wrote: »

You are thinking of Knockmore junction, Corky. They don't run this way anymore though it is kept clear in the event of line closures on the main line in.

Knockmore is out of use. All Belfast - Derry trains start from Great Victoria Street, stop at Central and travel via the direct line past Yorkgate to Antrim

munchkin_utd

BA also do a morning and evening flight to Derry that takes a mere 50 min.
You can get that for about 100 euro return if you buy in advance.

Darwin

Yep, that's the only way to go really - mind you the plane is bit of a boneshaker but worth it to get there quickly.

L1011

Propellerhead wrote: »

Er, you don't have to walk. A bus meets every train and goes over the river to the bus station.

Not the last time I used the service - although it was the Sunday of a bank holiday weekend. Bus may have been late...

I was going to the sodding bus station too! Although the bus I was getting was ~3 hours later...

RadioCity

Theres only one or two connecting buses on a Sunday, usually for the evening departures where students would be using the service.

The service (when it operates) is free and the buses are "hired" by NIR to ferry the passengers to and from the stations.