Getting From the Airport to Ballintoy

billythestickboy

Hi there,

Just wondering any of you good people could help us out.

We've got a nice little cottage booked near Giant's Causeway for a break in June and we'll be flying from one of the London Airports.

Not booked flights yet as I'm not sure which airport would be best to go to. ie which it would be easiest/cheapest to get to Ballintoy from.

Looks like it's actually nearest Derry, but I would have thought transport links would be better from either of the Belfast airports. I've been searching around a bit and it doesn't look like there's any simple way by public transport, so it might have to be a taxi, but I'm thinking that might end up costing us more than the flights!

So if anyone has any suggestions we'd be very grateful indeed.

ta
Andy

Emms

You could fly to the International Airport, get the airport bus to Antrim Train Station (not sure how much but I think it was pretty cheap - Ive used it a couple of times but not for a few years ) You can get a train from Antrim to Coleraine and could get a taxi from there. Not sure how much a taxi would be but you could call one of the taxi firms before hand to check

Emma

Bannsider

Andy

The following websites might help:
https://www.cityofderryairport.com
https://www.translink.co.uk (covers Ulsterbus and NI Railways services)

Cheers

Terry

big-girl

hi there - have you considered hiring a car - ballintoy quite remote - and a lot of things to see in and around the north west coast that a car would be useful to have - i think there is a bus service called airporter which runs from belfast international airport to coleraine and from there you should be able to pick up a bus to ballintoy - if you need any advice on what to see or do drop me a line - i live in ballymoney so know the area quite well!

big-girl

hi there - have you considered hiring a car - ballintoy quite remote - and a lot of things to see in and around the north west coast that a car would be useful to have - i think there is a bus service called airporter which runs from belfast international airport to coleraine and from there you should be able to pick up a bus to ballintoy - if you need any advice on what to see or do drop me a line - i live in ballymoney so know the area quite well!

billythestickboy

Thanks for the ideas...

We're meeting my brother and sister in law there, and they are driving so we'll have their car to get out and about, so it sounds like the option of a taxi from Coleraine is good. I'll look into the airporter bus and train options.

big-girl, I'd be very interested in any recommendations of things to do, Giant's Causeway and the rope bridge thingy are the obvious ones I guess but anything else would be good to know and especially anything that is toddler friendly for my 2 year old niece. And any good restaurants!

I don't ask much do I?

thanks again
Andy

big-girl

places to see
giant's causeway
carrick-a-reed rope bridge
whitepark bay
benone - has tennis courts and kids play area beautiful beach
downhill beach and mussenden temple
portrush if you are into amusement arcades, waterworld etc
coleraine is the nearest shopping town
ballymoney is a quaint wee town with joey dunlops monument
go on the miniature railway from the causeway to bushmills
if you have time take the ferry from magilligan to greencastle (co donegal) it takes about 10 minutes
places to eat
cramore halt, 55 degrees north, causeway hotel, york hotel portstewart, the nook at the causeway is very nice to - most of these should accomodate kids!

AceCobra

Excellent ideas above.

In addition your not far away from the Glens of Antrim and theres lots to see there during the festival time. You might also like to check out Rathlin Island which is a short boat trip from Ballycastle.

Martin.

thetope

i would definitely recommend hiring a car, public transport here is not good and as mentioned, Ballintoy is quite remote. well not hugely remote, but not great transport links.

can second all the "attractions" mentioned above, also consider a trip to
bushmills distillery. you can also hire wetsuits and boards from Troggs in Portrush if you fancy surfing/bodyboarding in the north atlantic

woofwoofwoof

Can your brother and sister-in-law not collect you at whichever airport you are flying into? Neither Derry nor Belfast International would be more an 1 hour away from Ballintoy and if they did that it would save you a lot of faffing about with trains/taxis and buses.

startrekker

Dont forget a stroll on the beach with some Norn Irn Pastie Suppers in yer hand..........oh I wish I was going home again, brother lives in Ballycastle. Lovley part of the world up there.Where did you book the cottge fromand how much if im not being too cheeky....you could always pm me........would like to get across this summer, better than Spain any day....