Planning your visit to the Fleadh in 2026? Whether you’re travelling by air, ferry, train, bus or car, there are travel options to reach Belfast.
Before you travel
To help everyone to move with the rhythm of the Fleadh, visitors are encouraged to plan ahead, allow extra time for journeys and choose Park and Ride, public transport or active travel wherever possible.
Accessing Belfast city centre
To create a safe and welcoming event zone for Fleadh 2026, Belfast city centre will be pedestrianised. With road closures and parking restrictions in place, visitors are strongly encouraged to avoid driving into the city centre.
Public transport
Translink is Northern Ireland’s public transport provider
- Ulsterbus services connect towns and cities across Northern Ireland
- Goldliner coach services on key routes
- Metro and Glider services operate across Belfast
For full details of Translink services during the Fleadh, including access to their Journey Planner app is available from translink.co.uk/fleadh.
Park and Ride
If you’re driving from outside Belfast, Park and Ride will offer the easiest and most popular way to reach the city centre.
Three dedicated Park and Ride sites will operate throughout the Fleadh in Belfast. Positioned on the main approach routes into Belfast, they offer a straightforward, low‑cost way to complete your journey into the city centre.
The three Park and Ride sites for Fleadh Belfast will be located at:
- Eikon Exhibition Centre, Sprucefield (near the M1)
- Giant’s Park (near the M2)
- Belfast Harbour (near the M3)
Parking at each of the Park and Ride sites costs £10 per day. Each site will be serviced by free, frequent shuttle buses running directly to Belfast’s main transport stations, which are a short walk from the city centre. Shuttle services will use bus lanes to support smoother journeys.
To support visitors of all ages and abilities, all shuttle buses will be fully accessible, with low‑floor vehicles. Blue Badge parking will be available at each Park and Ride site.
Car parking spaces need to be booked in advance. Bookings open on Monday 6 July 2026. Full details will be available on this page.
Park and Ride is expected to be the most popular choice for people arriving by car, offering a reliable way to avoid road closures and parking challenges. Choosing Park and Ride helps everyone move with the rhythm of the Fleadh and helps keeps your journey flowing.
Ways to arrive
Arriving by air or ferry
Visitors arriving at Belfast or Dublin airports, or through ferry terminals, can benefit from frequent public transport links to Belfast city centre. Services drop passengers at the main transport stations, making onward travel simple.
Journey times for Translink services to Belfast Grand Central Station are approximately:
40 minutes from Belfast International Airport
20 minutes from Belfast City Airport
Arriving by train or bus
Belfast’s main rail and bus stations are located within easy walking distance of the city centre. Additional onward connections will also be available throughout the Fleadh.
Arriving by car
If you are driving to Belfast, please use one of the three dedicated Park and Ride facilities:
- Eikon Exhibition Centre, Sprucefield
- Giant’s Park
- Belfast Harbour
Most visitors travelling by car are expected to use these Park and Ride sites, as they provide the most practical way to continue your journey into the city centre during the event. Joining them helps everyone move with the rhythm of the Fleadh.
Arriving by private coach services
Dedicated coach drop‑off facilities will be available within walking distance of the city‑centre event zone. Coach operators will advise passengers about drop‑off and collection arrangements.
Getting around Belfast during the Fleadh
Once you arrive in Belfast, it’s easy to get around on foot, by bike or using public transport.
Belfast is a compact, flat and very walkable city and particularly within the pedestrianised city centre zone.
If you are arriving at Belfast Grand Central Station or Laganside Bus Station, it will take you less than 10 minutes to walk to Belfast City Hall.
Walking distances between venues and performance spaces are short. For example, it’s about:
- 10 minutes on foot from Belfast City Hall to Belfast Cathedral (Official Food and Drink Village)
- 15 minutes from Ulster Hall to Ulster University
- 20 minutes from Waterfront Hall to Belfast Met Millfield Campus (Instrument workshops)
Signage and volunteers will be also available throughout the city centre to help orientate visitors and offer directions.
A fully accessible city‑centre loop shuttle will operate around the pedestrianised event zone supporting visitors with mobility needs, families and those carrying musical instruments or equipment.
Cycling and public bike hire
Belfast has a growing network of cycle lanes and a public bike hire scheme, Frank and Honest Belfast Bikes, with over 50 docking stations and 400 bikes across the city, including electric bikes. You can register online at belfastbikes.co.uk or visit your app store and download the Beryl app. Discounts will be available on 100-minute bundles during the Fleadh.
Taxis
Taxis are widely available across the city. Local firms such as Value Cabs and Fonacab operate throughout Belfast, and app‑based services including Uber are also available. Please be aware that demand is likely to be higher during the Fleadh. Taxi operators will be aware of revised drop-off and collection points.
By choosing sustainable travel, you’ll help everyone move with the rhythm of the Fleadh - thank you for helping keep the city flowing for all.