GALWAY TO BELFAST BY CAR?

carlost

Driving to belfast from galway on friday afternoon. is it quicker to go by motorway to dublin and on up or to go more direct route through Cavan?

Fey!

We'd normally go Roscommon, Longford, Monaghan, Portadown, Armagh, Belfast; takes about 4:15 from Galway city to the Belfast Seacat terminal.

You could go N6, M6, M50, M1 (with tolls on all three motorways), which would be a much better road until you hit the border.

Cionád

Fey! wrote: »

You could go N6, M6, M50, M1 (with tolls on all three motorways), which would be a much better road until you hit the border.

And on some Friday evenings the traffic crossing the border is immense.

roosterman71

I'd say the direct route. The motorway will have 3 tolls (M4, M50, M1). Plus motorway driving is mind numbingly boring. See the country on your travels, and happy driving

stealthyspeeder

Fey! wrote: »

We'd normally go Roscommon, Longford, Monaghan, Portadown, Armagh, Belfast; takes about 4:15 from Galway city to the Belfast Seacat terminal.

You could go N6, M6, M50, M1 (with tolls on all three motorways), which would be a much better road until you hit the border.

I used to to this most weekends last year, definately the best and quickest route!

keefg

I was in a pub in England a few months ago and was chatting to my friends work mate who told how much he was looking forward to his trip to Ireland this summer.

"Where are you going?" I ask.

"Just a short break to Galway for 4 days" he replied.

Me.."Ahh Galway is brilliant, you'll have a great time. Are you flying into Galway or driving up from Shannon airport?"

Him...."Ooo no, we got great deal into Belfast so we're driving to Galway from there. I've checked it all out on the internet and it's only about an hour and a half drive"

I nearly choked on my feckin' pint

When I told him it would take nearer to 5 hours to drive from Belfast to Galway he turned bright red and had to endure cries of "HA HA HA...You w@nker" from the rest of his work mates.

Big Nasty

According to Google Maps:

Motorway, 374km, 4hrs 34 min:
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Eyre+Square,+Eyre+Square,+Galway,+Co.+Galway,+Ireland&geocode=FY_lLAMdDel1_w%3B&dirflg=&daddr=belfast&f=d&sll=53.277173,-9.049816&sspn=0.025969,0.077162&ie=UTF8&ll=54.014225,-7.34436&spn=1.633264,4.938354&z=8

Cross Country, 308km, 4hrs 41min:
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Eyre+Square,+Eyre+Square,+Galway,+Co.+Galway,+Ireland&geocode=FY_lLAMdDel1_w%3BFc-WNwMd4_-E_ympZ-Wv5YVeSDGQc9T7pscAEw%3B&dirflg=&daddr=53.9747358,-8.0609571+to:belfast&f=d&sll=53.277173,-9.049816&sspn=0.025969,0.077162&ie=UTF8&ll=54.014225,-7.34436&spn=1.633264,4.938354&z=8&via=1

Martron

i reckon for ease, use the motorway. At the end of the day if travelling cross country was easy it would just be the way ha ha.

but in all fairness travelling cross cointry with every little bottle neck town on a friday could add more time than google. might say.

the motorway would be handier, providing there is no accidents.

unless you are in a race or something i would take the motor way.

schoolbag2

id say go via sligo for one of the best driving roads in the country(sligo to enniskillan), very doable in 3hrs early in the morning but enniskillan is a pain in the arse during shop opening hours.

motorway via dublin is not a great idea as youll hit all the wrong areas at peak times(dublin fri afternoon, Newry Fri evening...)

carlost

cheers folks