Travel Tips
Getting
around Belfast by public transportation is relatively easy. The
Metro is the name of the city’s bus
service with routes that run from the city centre outward along the
spine roads. The system operates more than 12 busy arterial routes,
in addition to branch routes in and around the capital and
nightlink services from Donegal Square West. 
There are various travel discount programs depending on your
length of stay and frequency of use. Buy the Smartlink Card that either allows
for a certain number of trips in advance or unlimited travel for a
week or month’s time period (Travel Card). For visitors only in
Belfast for a day or two, the Metro
Day Ticket may be the best bet. It costs approximately
either £2.50 (from 10 to 3, or all day Sunday) or £3.50 outside
these hours, and allows you to travel anywhere, anytime on the
Metro network for one day, Monday through to Sunday.
Belfast has three main bus stations located at Europa Buscentre at Great Victoria
Street, Laganside Buscentre and
Newtownabbey.
Public taxis are another method of getting around town. There is
a plating scheme that helps visitors recognize legitimate
companies. Yellow license plates identify public hire in the city;
white identifies outside the city; private hire is green; and blue
identifies bus taxis. Some other more traditional taxi companies
include Value Cabs, which is Belfast’s
largest and chauffeur-drive company operating 24 hours a day;
FonaCab and Citi Cabs.
The famous Black Taxi is an alternative to traditional taxicab
service. These London-style hackney cabs run along the spine roads
picking people up and dropping them off as requested. More like a
small bus or van than a taxi, be prepared to share the cab with
five or six other people. Compared to traditional taxi service, the
Black taxi is inexpensive; however, their routes are more limited,
servicing only the arterial road and city centre.
If you happen to be around the city centre, there are two ranks
of Black Taxis in Donegall Square North and Donegall Square East
around the City Hall. These Public Hire taxis can like any other
large UK city pick up in the street most saloon type vehicles must
be pre booked by phone or calling into a depot. These drivers have
a wealth of experience under their belts.
Major car rental firms such as Avis,
Enterprise,
and ArgusCarHire operate
in Northern Ireland, having rental desks at Belfast International
Airport and designated downtown pick up locations.