How to get to Ireland by air and sea

By Air

Competition between mainland Britain and the island of Ireland is intense. British Airways (BA, 0845 77 333 77, www.britishairways.com) is strong to Northern Ireland, with its no-frills offshoot Go (0870 60 76543, www.go-fly.com) also flying from London Stansted.

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Ireland: open after foot-and-mouth

By Air

Competition between mainland Britain and the island of Ireland is intense. British Airways (BA, 0845 77 333 77, www.britishairways.com) is strong to Northern Ireland, with its no-frills offshoot Go (0870 60 76543, www.go-fly.com) also flying from London Stansted.

Low-cost competition to the North is provided from Luton by easyJet (0870 600 0000, www.easyJet.com). British European (BE, 08705 676 676, www.british-european.com) competes strongly to Belfast City, while other players include BMI British Midland (BMI, 0870 60 70 555, www.fly-bmi.com) which flies to Belfast International and Ryanair (08701 569 569, www.ryanair.com) to City of Derry.

Northern Ireland

The biggest bargains to Northern Ireland are to Belfast International ­ Aldergrove airport, about 15 miles west of the city. You can fly from Aberdeen (BA), Birmingham (BA), Cardiff (BA), East Midlands (BMI), Edinburgh (BA, Go), Glasgow (BA, Go), Jersey (BMI), Liverpool (easyJet), London Gatwick, London Heathrow (BA, BMI), London Stansted (Go), Luton (easyJet), and Manchester (BA). Fares begin at around £70 return.

To Belfast City (just a couple of miles from the city centre) the options are Birmingham (BE), Blackpool (BE, Saturdays only), Bristol (BE), Edinburgh (BA), Exeter (BE), Glasgow (BA), Isle of Man (BE), Leeds/Bradford (BE), Liverpool (BA), London City (BE), London Gatwick (BE), Manchester (BA), Sheffield (BA) and Southampton (BA).

City of Derry airport is served from Glasgow and Manchester by British Airways, and from London Stansted by Ryanair.

Republic Of Ireland

Ryanair is very strong to the Republic of Ireland, as is Aer Lingus (0645 737 747, www.aerlingus.ie) and BA. Some Aer Lingus/BA flights are "code-share", meaning either airline can issue tickets for them. The main destination, of course, is Dublin, but many regional airports are also served. Fares are fiercely competitive, though weekends (out Friday/back Sunday) see prices rise. Gill Airways (0191 214 6666, www.gill-airways.com) flies from Newcastle, while Aer Arran (00 353 1 814 1058) has a service from Sheffield. The latest player, implausible as it may seem, is the Luxembourg airline Luxair (01293 596 633), which flies from Manchester to the Irish capital for a reasonable £62 return.

Flight Options: Dublin from Birmingham (Aer Lingus, BA, Ryanair), Bristol (BA, Ryanair), Cardiff (BA, Ryanair), East Midlands (BMI), Edinburgh (Aer Lingus, BA), Exeter (BE), Glasgow (Aer Lingus), Isle of Man (BE), Leeds/Bradford (BA, Ryanair), Liverpool (Ryanair), London City (Aer Lingus), London Gatwick (Aer Lingus, BA, Ryanair), London Heathrow (Aer Lingus, BMI), London Stansted (Ryanair), Luton (Ryanair), Manchester (Aer Lingus, Luxair, Ryanair), Newcastle (Gill), Prestwick (Ryanair), Sheffield (Aer Arran) and Southampton (BA).

More regional airports in the Republic than ever are served direct from the UK: Cork from Birmingham (Aer Lingus, BE), Glasgow (BA), London Gatwick (BA), London Heathrow (Aer Lingus), London Stansted (Aer Lingus, Ryanair), Manchester (BA), Newcastle (BA) and Plymouth (BA); Kerry and Knock from London Stansted (Ryanair); Shannon from Birmingham (BE), London Gatwick (BA), London Heathrow (Aer Lingus), London Stansted (Ryanair) and Manchester (BA); and Waterford from Luton (Euroceltic Airlines, 0870 040 0100).

By Sea

The new Ulysses, flagship of Irish Ferries (08705 17 17 17), is the biggest car ferry in the world. It competes against Stena HSS ferries, and a host of conventional and high-speed vessels across the Irish Sea. For a snapshot of options and prices, we asked for fares on selected services and dates: a weekend for two people, travelling with a car, in mid-June; and a fortnight in July for a family of four, again with a car.

* Cairnryan-Larne on P&O Irish Ferries (0870 242 4777) Weekend: £141, off-peak hours; £175, peak hours. Fortnight: £218, off-peak hours; £238, peak hours (both these are Apex fare, and must be booked four weeks in advance)

* Stranraer-Belfast on Stena Line (08705 70 70 70) Weekend: £154. Fortnight: £234 (Apex fare, must be booked 14 days in advance)

* Troon-Belfast on Sea Containers (08705 523 523); Weekend: £178. Fortnight: £280

* Heysham-Belfast on Sea Containers (08705 523 523); Weekend: £204. Fortnight: £310

* Liverpool-Belfast on Norse Merchant Ferries (0870 600 4321). Weekend: £215. Fortnight: £250 (day travel; £370 at night, includes berths)

* Liverpool-Dublin on Norse Merchant Ferries (0870 600 4321) Weekend: £190 (prices includes cabin). Fortnight: £250

* Liverpool-Dublin on P&O Irish Ferries (0870 242 4777) Weekend: £159 (plus £30 each way for two-berth cabin). Fortnight: £322 (plus £60 each way for four-berth cabin)

* Liverpool-Dublin on Sea Containers (08705 523 523) Weekend: £204. Fortnight: £310

* Holyhead-Dublin on Irish Ferries (08705 17 17 17) Weekend: £189. Fortnight: £299

* Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire on Stena Line (08705 70 70 70) Weekend: £219 Fortnight: £339 (this price is for the HSS; £50 less for the slower Super Ferry)

* Fishguard-Rosslare on Stena Line (08705 70 70 70) Weekend: £214 (this price is for the high-speed Lynx; £30 less for the slower Super Ferry). Fortnight: £329 (£50 less for the Super Ferry)

* Pembroke-Rosslare on Irish Ferries (08705 17 17 17) Weekend: £169. Fortnight: £299

* Swansea-Cork on Swansea-Cork Ferries (01792 456 116) Weekend: £155 (supplement for cabin: £64 per person). Fortnight: £315 (cabins £64 per person)

Rail and Sail

For foot passengers, Stena Line (08705 455 455) has a range of deals using its ferries. Best value of all is the Dublin Duo, available only for two people travelling together; each pays £39 return from London via Holyhead and Dun Laoghaire to the Irish capital. A Super Advance return from London to Rosslare via Fishguard costs £40, while a ticket to Cork and back is £80 return. From Glasgow, travel to Belfast via Stranraer for £39 return.

More information

* Northern Ireland Tourist Board, St Anne's Court, 59 North Street, Belfast BT1 1NB (028 9023 1221); 24 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4DG (08701 555 250); James Miller House, 98 West George Street, Glasgow G2 1PJ (0141 572 4030); www.discovernorthernireland.com

* Irish Tourist Board/Bord Failte, 150 New Bond Street, London W1S 2AQ (0800 039 7000, www.irelandtravel.co.uk)

by Derya Filiz

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