Dublin to Belfast via train

I want to travel from the Dublin-Connolly train station to a place in
Belfast on the Falls Road. Which station in Belfast should I use? How
should I get from the station to Falls Road?

General train questions - should I make reservations in advance
(tentative date: Friday, January 30, 2004). Can reservations be made
on the web through the Ireland Train website even though I'm in the
U.S.?

Thanks,
TomT

T Townsend wrote:
I want to travel from the Dublin-Connolly train station to a place in
Belfast on the Falls Road. Which station in Belfast should I use? How
should I get from the station to Falls Road?

The train arrives at Central Station. It's a minimum of about 2km to Falls
Road (but could be a lot farther depending on where along the road you need
to be). If you're near the city centre and aren't bothered by luggage, then
you can walk.

Actually, it's possible that it also stops at a couple other stations before
then which might be closer to your destination. If I were you I'd just
telephone them. Calls from the US to UK are basically free.

General train questions - should I make reservations in advance
(tentative date: Friday, January 30, 2004). Can reservations be made
on the web through the Ireland Train website even though I'm in the
U.S.?

I can't imagine there's any need for reservations. The train seems to
operate on a first-come, first-served basis, with the last people on
standing in the aisles until they can find a seat. I really don't think that
individual seats are reserved.

miguel
--
See the world from your web browser: http://travel.u.nu/

On Wed, 03 Dec 2003 16:00:35 GMT, (Miguel Cruz)
wrote:

Actually, it's possible that it also stops at a couple other stations before
then which might be closer to your destination. If I were you I'd just
telephone them. Calls from the US to UK are basically free.

Eh? How's that?

By the by, I've found that the much advertised 10-10-987 works
well for overseas calls, at 39 cents connect and three cents per
minute.

************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

Hatunen wrote:
(Miguel Cruz) wrote:
Calls from the US to UK are basically free.

Eh? How's that?

I use onesuite.com - at 2.5 cpm, no other fees or minimums, it's close
enough to free for me.

miguel
--
See the world from your web browser: http://travel.u.nu/

(Miguel Cruz) wrote:

T Townsend wrote:
I want to travel from the Dublin-Connolly train station to a place in
Belfast on the Falls Road. Which station in Belfast should I use? How
should I get from the station to Falls Road?

The train arrives at Central Station. It's a minimum of about 2km to Falls
Road (but could be a lot farther depending on where along the road you need
to be). If you're near the city centre and aren't bothered by luggage, then
you can walk.

Or Rail-link bus to city centre, which takes about 1 km. off the walk.
Taxis in Belfast are cheap and plentiful.

Actually, it's possible that it also stops at a couple other stations before
then which might be closer to your destination.

Not generally the case for intercity trains.

General train questions - should I make reservations in advance
(tentative date: Friday, January 30, 2004). Can reservations be made
on the web through the Ireland Train website even though I'm in the
U.S.?

I can't imagine there's any need for reservations. The train seems to
operate on a first-come, first-served basis, with the last people on
standing in the aisles until they can find a seat. I really don't think that
individual seats are reserved.

Seat reservations are possible on most Irish rail services only if you
pay the extra for first class travel. Trains on Friday evenings (and
even Friday afternoons) tend to be very full because of weekend
traffic added to normal traffic. If you can travel early in the day,
it's likely to be easier.

--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED

Padraig Breathnach wrote:
Taxis in Belfast are cheap and plentiful.

Not on Sunday morning!

miguel
--
See the world from your web browser: http://travel.u.nu/

(Miguel Cruz) wrote:

Padraig Breathnach wrote:
Taxis in Belfast are cheap and plentiful.

Not on Sunday morning!

Well, they're still cheap at that time.

--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED

On 3 Dec 2003 07:22:52 -0800 T Townsend said...

General train questions - should I make reservations in advance
(tentative date: Friday, January 30, 2004). Can reservations be made
on the web through the Ireland Train website even though I'm in the
U.S.?

Both the Irish Rail web site www.irishrail.ie & Northern Ireland
Railways sites http://www.translink.co.uk/nir.asp don't offer on-line
bookings for single or return tickets (only commuter season tickets).

Best see the Irish Rail site FAQs on how to book tickets:

http://www.irishrail.ie/about_us/FAQ.asp

AFAIK you can only reserve seats in First class.

--
Phil Richards
London

On Wed, 3 Dec 2003 19:44:34 -0000, Phil Richards
wrote:

On 3 Dec 2003 07:22:52 -0800 T Townsend said...

General train questions - should I make reservations in advance
(tentative date: Friday, January 30, 2004). Can reservations be made
on the web through the Ireland Train website even though I'm in the
U.S.?

Both the Irish Rail web site www.irishrail.ie & Northern Ireland
Railways sites http://www.translink.co.uk/nir.asp don't offer on-line
bookings for single or return tickets (only commuter season tickets).

Best see the Irish Rail site FAQs on how to book tickets:

http://www.irishrail.ie/about_us/FAQ.asp

AFAIK you can only reserve seats in First class.

Last time I took this train (the "Enterprise Express") it used
Eurostar-type coaches and was very comfortable. Train was also
two-thirds empty. This was in July (2000)

Padraig Breathnach wrote:
(Miguel Cruz) wrote:
Padraig Breathnach wrote:
Taxis in Belfast are cheap and plentiful.

Not on Sunday morning!

Well, they're still cheap at that time.

True enough. And cheerful too.

miguel
--
See the world from your web browser: http://travel.u.nu/