BlaakLane.com offers chauffeur service in Belfast from both airports: Belfast International (BFS) at Aldergrove and George Best Belfast City (BHD) beside the harbour. We also run one-way transfers to Dublin, Titanic Quarter and ICC Belfast pickups, and day tours of the Causeway Coast. The engine shows a fixed fare before you confirm, and a vetted local affiliate named on your confirmation drives the trip.
Two airports: which one are you using?
Belfast is unusual for a city its size in having two airports on opposite sides of town, and the pickup times differ a lot. Check your ticket before you book.
| Airport | Location | Drive to city centre | Typical flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast International (BFS) | Aldergrove, 18 miles north-west | 30-45 min | European, holiday and some GB routes |
| George Best Belfast City (BHD) | Sydenham, 3 miles east | 10-15 min | Mostly Great Britain domestic routes |
| Dublin Airport (DUB) | North of Dublin, about 95 miles south | 1 h 35-2 h | Long-haul and transatlantic |
Pickup at Belfast International
BFS has one terminal. Your chauffeur waits at the airport's designated pick-up area for pre-booked cars and sends the car details once you land; a name-board meet and greet in arrivals is an add-on, and add-ons are only available in selected locations. The road into Belfast runs through farmland on the A57 and A52 before joining the M2 at Templepatrick or Sandyknowes, and the M2 into the city is the slow part at peak times. Allow 30 to 45 minutes to the centre and 40 to 55 minutes to Titanic Quarter.
Pickup at George Best Belfast City Airport
BHD is compact, and most arrivals are domestic flights from London, Manchester, Birmingham and other GB airports. Flights between Great Britain and Northern Ireland are within the UK, so there is no passport control; airlines still ask for photo ID. Domestic arrivals include 30 minutes of waiting from the actual landing, international ones 60 minutes. The Sydenham Bypass brings you to the city centre or the Titanic Quarter in 10 to 15 minutes outside the rush.
Belfast to Dublin: crossing the border
The land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland has no checkpoints. The M1 south of Belfast becomes the A1, then the M1 again in the Republic, and the distance from central Belfast to central Dublin is about 105 miles, usually 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes. A transfer to Dublin Airport for a transatlantic flight takes 1 hour 35 minutes to 2 hours. Things that change at the border:
- Currency: sterling in Northern Ireland, euros in the Republic.
- Speed limits: signs switch from miles per hour to kilometres per hour. Driving stays on the left.
- Tolls: the M1 in the Republic has a toll plaza near Drogheda, and Dublin's M50 uses barrier-free tolling.
- Immigration: the Common Travel Area means no routine checks, but the rules still apply. Non-Irish, non-British visitors entering Northern Ireland by road from Dublin need a UK ETA, just as they would flying in.
See our Dublin chauffeur page for the southern end of the trip.
The UK ETA and Irish entry, in short
Visitors from visa-exempt countries, including the US, Canada and EU states, need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation to enter Northern Ireland; it costs £20 since 8 April 2026, is valid for two years, and is applied for on GOV.UK. Irish citizens do not need one. The Republic of Ireland is not in the Schengen area, so the EU Entry/Exit System does not apply at Dublin; Ireland runs its own passport control.
Rail: Grand Central and Lanyon Place
Belfast Grand Central, the new transport hub beside the Europa Hotel, opened in 2024 and replaced Great Victoria Street. The Enterprise to Dublin Connolly leaves roughly hourly and takes about 2 hours 5 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes; Lanyon Place, near the Waterfront, serves the Bangor and Larne lines. Timetables are on Translink.
Harbour, ferries and cruise calls
Belfast Harbour handles ferries to Cairnryan and Liverpool, and cruise ships call through the spring and summer. Ships berth in the harbour estate a short drive from the centre, and chauffeurs meet passengers at the terminal area set by the port. Larne, 25 miles north, has the shortest crossing to Scotland. For cruise groups see cruise lines and ports.
Districts, hotels and venues
The city centre around City Hall and the Cathedral Quarter holds the main offices and restaurants. Titanic Quarter, on the former shipyard, has Titanic Belfast, the SSE Arena, Belfast Harbour Studios and a growing tech cluster. The ICC Belfast is part of the Waterfront Hall complex on the Lagan. Hotels business guests use include the Grand Central Hotel, the Merchant Hotel, the Europa and the Culloden Estate at Holywood.
Day trips: the Causeway Coast and golf
The Giant's Causeway is about 60 miles north, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes by the M2 and A26, and a full day usually adds Carrick-a-Rede, Dunluce Castle and the Dark Hedges. Royal Portrush is on the same coast, and Royal County Down at Newcastle is about 45 to 60 minutes south. Book an hourly chauffeur or city tours and day trips so the car stays with you.
Events through the year
- Early May: the Belfast City Marathon.
- August: Féile an Phobail in West Belfast.
- October: the Belfast International Arts Festival.
- Late November to December: the Christmas market at City Hall.
Check Visit Belfast for current dates.
Who travels with BlaakLane.com in Belfast?
Film and television crews working at Belfast Harbour Studios and Titanic Studios, conference delegates at the ICC Belfast, technology and cyber-security teams in Titanic Quarter, golfers heading for Royal Portrush and Royal County Down, and families tracing their roots across Ulster all book cars here. Many itineraries combine Belfast with Dublin, and a single booking can cover a pickup at one airport and a drop at the other, with the same fixed-fare logic. Travellers continuing to Scotland can take the ferry from Belfast or Larne to Cairnryan, or fly on to Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Before an arrival at Aldergrove, check terminal news and access information on Belfast International Airport. Corporate travel managers can open corporate accounts with monthly invoicing, traveller profiles and duty-of-care trip data, and a coordinator plans multi-car film or conference movements and confirms them in writing.
Vehicles, waiting and cancellation
Choose a Standard Sedan, Luxury Executive Sedan, executive SUV, Standard Black SUV or Sprinter; coaches carry larger groups (the fleet). Waiting is included: 60 minutes on international arrivals, 30 minutes domestic, 15 minutes on other pickups, then 15-minute blocks. Cancellation is free beyond 72 hours; 10% at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less, 100% at 24 hours or less or no-show. See rates.
