This guide covers travel between Belfast and Scotland’s two main cities — Glasgow and Edinburgh. Other destinations like Inverness or Stirling are not covered.
The fares I’ve listed are based on what I found at the time of writing — they’re not exhaustive and prices change all the time depending on season, availability, and how early you book. Think of this as a starting point for your research, not the final word. Always check the official websites before booking!
Table of Contents
Ferry / Coach Options
National Express↗
- Uses local buses (Translink + Citylink); requires manual bus transfer and boarding the Stena Ferry separately
- Belfast City Centre → Glasgow
- (Single): £32 (Return): £56
- Belfast City Centre → Edinburgh (Not Recommended)
- (Single): £47 (Return): £71
- 10:20AM to 21:00 time only, takes 10h 40m, with 3.5h layover in Glasgow
- +booking fee of £1.5
Citylink↗
- Uses local buses (Translink + Citylink) — requires manual bus transfer and boarding the Stena Ferry separately
- Belfast City Centre ↔ Glasgow
- (Single): £36.70 / £41.90 (Return): £59.70 / £71.20 (Day Return) £42.90
- Belfast City Centre ↔ Edinburgh
- (Single): £37.70 / £42.90 (Return): £61.80 / £73.30
Hannon Coach↗
- Direct — one bus all the way to Glasgow, no transfers
- Belfast City Centre ↔ Glasgow (Per way): £49
- This fare is consistent
Belfast ↔ Glasgow Ferry Comparison
| Single | Return | Day Return | |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Express | £32 | £56 | – |
| Citylink | £36.70 / £42.90 | £59.70 / £71.20 | £42.90 |
| Hannon Coach | £49 | £98 | – |
Edinburgh ↔ Glasgow Bus
Flixbus↗
- Prices change between peak and off-peak
- Service Fee +£1
- Single: £3.5 Return £7.5
Megabus↗
- Online Booking Fee of +£1.5
- Prices change between peak and offpeak
- Single: £6 Day Return: £10
CityLink 900↗
- Single: £10.50 Return: £17.7 Day Return: £10
Flight Options
Transport prices can change depending on date, time, peak/off-peak, luggage, booking fees, and how far ahead you book.
Easyjet↗
- Under-seat luggage only (no overhead included)
- +10kg overhead bag: +£22.45
- 15kg bag: £20.24; 23kg bag: £30.24
- Fares below based on what I see on site:
- Belfast City → Edinburgh: £22–£31
- Edinburgh → Belfast City: £35
- Belfast International → Edinburgh: £22–£31
- Edinburgh → Belfast International: £19–£22
RyanAir↗
- Under-seat luggage only (no overhead included)
- Belfast International ↔ Edinburgh (one way): £15
- +10kg overhead bag: +£22.45
Aer Lingus↗
- already includes overhead baggage
- Edinburgh ↔ Belfast City: £40 (lowest found)
⚠️ If flying via Edinburgh Airport, add this to your total flight cost:
Edinburgh Airport Transportation
You can use your contactless card to pay.
- Bus (Waverley Bridge ↔ Airport):
- Single: £6.00 Return: £8.50
- Tram↗ (City Centre ↔ Airport):
- Single: £7.50 Return: £9.25
- Other multiday options available on the tram site
⚠️ If flying via Belfast International, add this bus fare to your total flight cost
Airport Bus — Link 300
- Belfast International Airport ↔ City Centre
- (Single): £9.00 (Return): £13.50
- Return valid for 1 month
- You can use your contactless card to pay upon boarding.
- No need to book in advance.
Belfast City Centre ↔ Edinburgh
Airfare Total Cost Comparison
Under-seat bag only
| Ryanair | EasyJet (BFS) | EasyJet (BHD) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight | £15 | £22–£31 | £22–£31 |
| Link 300 (BFS) | £9 / £13.50 | £9 / £13.50 | – |
| EDI Bus or Tram | £6–£7.50 / £8.50-£9.25 | £6–£7.50 / £8.50-£9.25 | £6–£7.50 / £8.50-£9.25 |
| Total Single | £30-£31.50 | £38-£47 | £28-£38.50 |
| Total Return | £56.50-£57.25 | £67.50-£79.50 | £54–£66 |
+10kg overhead bag
| Ryanair | EasyJet (BFS) | EasyJet (BHD) | Aer Lingus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight | £37.45 | £44.45–£53.45 | £44.45–£53.45 | £40 |
| Link 300 (BFS) | £9 / £13.50 | £9 / £13.50 | – | – |
| EDI Bus / Tram | £6-£7.50 / £8.50-£9.25 | £6–£7.50 / £8.50-£9.25 | £6–£7.50 / £8.50-£9.25 | £6–£7.50 / £8.50-£9.25 |
| Total Single | £52.45-£53.95 | £60.45-£69.45 | £50.45-£60.95 | £46 -£47.50 |
| Total Return | £101.40-£102.15 | £112.40-£124.40 | £99-£111 | £88.50-£89.25 |
Edinburgh Luggage Storage Options
We’ve visited Edinburgh several times and have had to store our luggage on more than one occasion. Here’s a quick overview of the luggage storage options we’ve personally tried.
- Edinburgh Bus Station locker
- Available in 6-hour increments
- Small locker: £5
- Fit tested: 1 small luggage + 1 backpack + 1 tote
- Good for short same-day storage.
- Bounce↗
- need to be booked on the website or app beforehand
- often £1.95–£3.50+ per bag/day
- Service Fee £1.50–£2.50
- More practical for overnight storage or when you need to leave bags for a full day
Tours and Activities
We’ve used GetYourGuide↗ on a few of our trips and found it handy for comparing tours, attractions, and day trips. The reviews make it easy to see what other travellers thought before booking. If you’ve used Klook in Asia, GetYourGuide is probably the closest equivalent you’ll come across in Europe.
Edinburgh keeps pulling us back and having all of this figured out just makes it easier to say yes to the next trip. More details on our own experiences coming soon. In the meantime, hope this helps you plan yours!