Belfast International Airport

Belfast International Airport (BFS)

The Northern Ireland capital has two airports: the larger Belfast International and the smaller George Best Belfast City Airport that mainly maintains connections with cities in Great Britain and Ireland. Belfast International processes five million passengers per year.

Prices are given here in the British pound (£). £ 1.00 = € 1.49 (December 2006).

Local transport

Train

There is no train connection with the airport. The nearest station is in Antrim. A shuttle bus goes to that station (Antrim Airlink) Monday through Friday.

Car and bus

The airport is 21 kilometers northwest of Belfast along the A57. From Belfast you follow the M2 to the north. At exit 5 you follow the A57 to the airport. From the south and west you take the M1, then the exit Moira and then via the A26 and Nutts Corner to Belfast International Airport. Traffic signs clearly indicate the route to the airport.

Airbus 300 maintains a connection between the airport and the centre of Belfast (single trip £ 6.00). The Airporter (tel: +44(0)28 7126 9996) goes to Londonderry and
Belfast City Airport.

Car rental Belfast International Airport

In the Arrivals Hall there are counters for car rental companies Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and National. You can also reserve a rental car in advance using the service EasyTerra provides. They compare the rates of several providers in a single quote.

Taxi

Taxis from International Airport Taxi Co are in front of the Arrivals Hall (tel: +44(0)28 9448 4353). A ride to the centre of Belfast lasts about 25 minutes and costs about £ 25.00. Other destinations: Armagh £ 43.00, Larne Harbour £ 27.00 and Londonderry £ 67.00.

Airport Parking

Most parking areas are within walking distance of the terminal. The first ten minutes in the short term parking area are free, and then you pay £ 1.50 per half hour after that. The area for long term parking was developed by Q-Park. You pay £ 9.50 per day for the first three days, and a week costs £ 42.00. When you reserve your place in advance online or by telephone (+44(0)87 0195 9689) you receive a discount.

Services

Hotels

The Park Plaza Belfast (tel: +44(0)28 9442 7000) is within walking distance from the terminal. Another hotel in the area is the Dunadry Hotel & Country Club (tel: +44(0)28 9443 4343). You can reserve hotels at the counter from the Belfast Welcome Center (tel: +44(0)28 9024 6609) in the Arrivals Hall. For more hotels and reserving online you can go to Booking.com. They have a large offering of hotels with great internet rates.

Shops and restaurants

Belfast International has a reasonable offering of shops and eating and drinking places. There are snack bars, cafes, a restaurant and a wine bar. In the shopping area you can find, among others, a souvenir shops with typical products from Northern Ireland (‘Taste of Ulster’).

Baggage

You can go to the service counter for lost and found items. You cannot store baggage, but you can leave keys at the service counter (£ 5,00).

Information

There is a service counter (Airport Information Desk) on the first level that is accessible through the general telephone number. The employees also give information about public transportation. Furthermore, there are computer screens in the Arrivals Hall with tourist information.

Business

Business facilities can be found in The Business Lounge (internet, fax, telephone). Business class passengers have free access to the lounge, and other passengers must pay £ 9.50. Meeting rooms are available in the Fitzwilliam International Hotel and the Dunadry Hotel & Country Club (see Hotels).

Handicapped persons

The terminal building was completely renovated and adapted for handicapped persons in 2004. There are wheelchair ramps and adapted elevators, restrooms and telephones, including text telephones. The airport personnel have been trained in simple sign language. There are reserved parking places for handicapped persons close to the terminal, and you can ask for assistance with the transport of your baggage.

Other services

There are no banks, but there is a money exchange office (Travelex) and cash machines. Furthermore, there is a small post office and computers with internet access. Wireless internet is also available. You can find a silence centre next to the counters for car rental companies.

Contact

Address

Belfast International Airport
Belfast
BT29 4AB
Northern Ireland
Great Britain

Telephone, fax, email

Telephone: +44(0)28 9448 4848
Fax: +44(0)28 9445 2084
E-mail: infodesk@bfs.aero

Airport codes

IATA airport code: BFS
ICAO airport code: EGAA