Travel Information
Compare bus and flight for Belfast to Edinburgh
Omio recommends booking the flight as it is the most popular option from Belfast to Edinburgh among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price, take the bus, with an average ticket price of €59 For those with little time, consider booking a flight, which has an average total journey time of 4h 27m. Average ticket prices depend on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of €59, while a flight costs an average of €329.
Distance: 231 km
Compare flight with
Most popular Flight | Bus | Driving |
|---|---|---|
€329 Average price | €59 Average price Cheapest | €36 Average price (fuel + tolls) |
4h 27m Average total duration Fastest 2h 27m Onboard + 2h 0m Additional time* | 7h 40m Average total duration 7h 10m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 5h 53m Average total duration (door-to-door) |
![]() Most popular airline | ![]() Most popular bus company | Your own car or car rental |
Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options |
This is compared to other travel options from Belfast to Edinburgh:
A bus is €270 less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Belfast to Edinburgh costing on average €329.
Other travel options to Edinburgh take longer:
Bus takes on average 7h 40m.
Travel optionsfrom Belfast to Edinburgh
How to get from Belfast to Edinburgh by train, bus or flight.
Our recommendation
The best way to travel from Belfast to Edinburgh is by taking a flight because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
RK 94505:40 PM0h55Belfast International Airport6:35 PMEdinburgh Airport€211One-way0 transfers
Cheapest
RK 94505:40 PM0h55Belfast International Airport6:35 PMEdinburgh Airport€211One-way0 transfers
Fastest
U232211:40 AM0h50George Best Belfast City Airport12:30 PMEdinburgh Airport€441One-way0 transfers
Other options
UL923 · NX18010:05 AM10h55Belfast, Grand Central Station9:00 PMEdinburgh, Bus Station€611One-way1 transfer
RK 59685:55 AM0h55Belfast International Airport6:50 AMEdinburgh Airport€221One-way0 transfers
U2598:30 PM0h55Belfast International Airport9:25 PMEdinburgh Airport€541One-way0 transfers
U23301:55 PM0h55Belfast International Airport2:50 PMEdinburgh Airport€541One-way0 transfers
Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .
Compare prices and tickets Prices for trains, buses and flights
Compare bus and flight prices over the next three weeks. See the best deals at a glance, find the lowest fares, and choose the option that fits your budget.
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General Information about the journey from Belfast to Edinburgh
Travellers wishing to reach Edinburgh from Belfast have many transport options to choose from for their journey. The fastest and simplest option is to take a flight from Belfast International Airport, as the flight takes less than an hour. However, travellers preferring to make the journey over land can choose from bus and train services which can take anything from 7 to 20 hours to complete.
Buses from Belfast to Edinburgh
There are regular bus services to Edinburgh, which involve transferring to a Stena Line ferry to cross the Irish Sea. Citylink buses regularly depart from Belfast Europabus Centre at several points during the day. The entire journey takes up to 7 hours 35 minutes to complete. Alternatively, National Express runs coaches three times per day from Belfast Europabus Centre, using the same ferry crossing, which reaches Edinburgh within 7 hours 30 minutes.
Trains from Belfast to Edinburgh
Travellers preferring to travel to Edinburgh by train can reach the Scottish capital within 9 hours, but this option involves multiple transfers between a variety of transport services. Travellers must first travel from Belfast Central Station to Belfast Port by train before taking a ferry crossing from Belfast Port to Cairnryan Port to cross the Irish Sea. To complete the journey, travellers must take a bus from Cairnryan Port to Ayr and then transfer to a train service to make the last leg of the journey from Ayr to Edinburgh. Depending upon the departure time chosen, the entire journey can take up to 20 hours 30 minutes.
Flights from Belfast to Edinburgh
The fastest and most economical option to reach Edinburgh is to take a short flight from Belfast International Airport to Edinburgh Airport. The flight only takes 50 minutes with direct airlines such as Easyjet and Flybe, which also offer low-cost tickets.
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FAQs: Travel from Belfast to Edinburgh
Travel to Edinburgh easily. Whether you want fast, cheap or something entirely different, our travel experts have collected everything you need to know so you can find the best option from Belfast to Edinburgh.

This is compared to other travel options from Belfast to Edinburgh:
A bus is €270 less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Belfast to Edinburgh costing on average €329.
Other travel options to Edinburgh take longer:
Bus takes on average 7h 40m.
- Around 19 flights per day.
- Around 1 buses per day.
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between Belfast and Edinburgh as scheduled services by bus and flight can vary by season or day of the week.
- Flights mostly depart from George Best Belfast City Airport and arrive in Edinburgh Airport.
- Buses mostly depart from Belfast, Grand Central Station and arrive in Edinburgh, Bus Station.
- Travel with National Express to go to Edinburgh by bus.
- Travel with Aer Lingus, Loganair, BA Cityflyer, British Airways, easyJet to go to Edinburgh by flight.
- 4 direct flights per day with Aer Lingus, easyJet.
Travelling from Belfast to Edinburgh: related information
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