George Best Belfast City Airport sits on the eastern edge of Belfast, beside Belfast Harbour, and the airport describes itself as about five minutes from the city centre. Its entrance is on the A2 Sydenham Bypass, the dual carriageway between the city and Holywood. This page covers the roads, buses, trains, coaches and taxis, and where to drop off.
By car: the postcode and the last mile
For sat-nav, the airport's address is Sydenham Bypass, Belfast, BT3 9JH. For off-airport parking, use the postcode in your booking.
Every route ends on the A2 Sydenham Bypass; follow the signs to the main gates, then to your car park or the drop-off area. The airport runs no-stopping zones around the terminal, and anyone who stops in them can be sent a parking charge, so do not pull in at the kerb.
Routes from each direction
- From the south and west on the M1 (Lisburn, Craigavon, Dungannon, and Dublin via the A1 and Newry): stay on the M1 to its end at Broadway, where it becomes the A12 Westlink. Follow the Westlink north to the York Street junction, then take the M3, which crosses the River Lagan and joins the A2 Sydenham Bypass. Follow the A2 east to the airport.
- From the north on the M2 (Antrim, Ballymena, Belfast International Airport, and Larne or Carrickfergus via the M5): head south on the M2 towards the city and take the M3, signed for the airport and Bangor. It runs straight onto the A2 Sydenham Bypass.
- From the east (Bangor and Holywood): take the A2 west towards Belfast. The airport is signed off the Sydenham Bypass before you reach the city.
- From Belfast city centre: cross the Lagan on the Queen's Bridge or the Queen Elizabeth Bridge, then follow the A2 Sydenham Bypass east, or join the M3 from York Street if you are north of the centre.
The M3 is under a mile long but one of Northern Ireland's busiest roads, with a 50mph limit, and the York Street junction where it meets the Westlink is at street level, so leave extra time at peak hours.
Dropping off and picking up
The airport lists three options:
- Long Stay Car Park, free for 10 minutes: take a ticket on entry and put it back in at the exit barrier within 10 minutes and you pay nothing. Over 10 minutes it is £7 for up to an hour, then the daily rate. If you leave and come back within 15 minutes, a minimum charge of £8 applies. It is a five to ten minute walk to the terminal.
- Express Drop-Off and Pick-Up: less than three minutes' walk from the terminal, with a minimum charge of £4 for the first ten minutes. It is ticketless: cameras read your number plate and you pay at the exit with a contactless card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
- Short Stay Car Park: for a longer goodbye or a delayed arrival, from £13 for up to an hour, three to five minutes' walk from the terminal.
Blue Badge holders get up to two hours free in the Short Stay Car Park; have your entry ticket validated at the Car Park Assistance Office.
By bus: Airport Express 600
Translink's Airport Express 600 runs between the front of the terminal and Belfast Grand Central Station, the city's main bus and rail station. The airport puts the journey at around 10 minutes and says buses run every 20 minutes at peak times. On the current weekday timetable the first bus leaves Grand Central at about 05:15 and the last bus leaves the airport at about 22:00; check Translink for weekend and holiday times.
Buy a ticket from the machine at the airport bus shelter (cash or card), from the driver, or tap a contactless card or phone on the driver's reader. All the buses are low-floor and wheelchair accessible.
By train: Sydenham station
The nearest station is Sydenham, on the NI Railways line between Belfast and Bangor. Trains run to Belfast Lanyon Place and Belfast Grand Central, where you can change for the rest of Northern Ireland and the Enterprise to Dublin.
Sydenham is a short walk from the terminal along the Sydenham Bypass, using the marked pedestrian route through the main gates. To reach the platforms you must cross a footbridge with steps, so the airport advises against this route if you have reduced mobility. The airport also offers a courtesy bus to Sydenham on request; its public transport page explains how to call it. Buy rail tickets from the conductor by cash or card, or in Translink's mLink app.
By coach
No long-distance coaches call at the airport itself. Translink's Goldline X1 coach runs between Belfast Grand Central and Dublin city centre via Newry and Dublin Airport, so if you are coming from the south by coach, change at Grand Central for the Airport Express 600.
By taxi
Value Cabs is the airport's taxi partner and has the rank at the front of the terminal, where a £4 surcharge applies to pick-ups. Other taxi firms cannot use the front of the terminal; agree a pick-up point in one of the car parks with your firm.
Once inside, our page on shops, food and drink at Belfast City Airport lists what is before and after security. To compare parking for your dates, see Belfast City Airport parking.
Sorted before you fly.
