Robert Plant: Belfast

Pippy1976

I really wanted to go see this dude in Dublin. Tickets are all sold out. I'm thinking of buying one for the Belfast gig.

Only problem is, none of my friends would be interested in going / have kids and can't go / can't make it that night because their boyfriend is cooking dinner... or whatever.

Wondering would it be weird to go on my own. I wouldn't normally mind if i was going to the Dublin one but to go out of town on my own might be weird, no?

What do you guys think? I don't want to miss out because I'm too chicken to go on my own but it's still daunting as a single female. Y'know?

bboybaboy19

Go. Have the time of your life. Realise it wasn't weird at all.

rock whore

I do it often for gigs in Belfast. Book the Aircoach, 23 euro return ticket. Get a taxi from the bus station to Ulster hall , about a fiver eachway, and head straight home after the gig. The aircoach runs hourly all night so you'll be home in your leaba by the time the clubs are chucking out in dublin.

You'll usually see fellow gig-goers on the bus too.

edit: I also find audiences in Belfast to be very friendly, chatty and enthusiastic about the bands, go for it!

Pippy1976

That Aircoach idea sounds great but what if I meet up with lovely people and want to go out?

Although, knowing me I'll really want my own leaba and to wake up on familiar soil the next morning.

Does it really run hourly all through the night? I live a bit south of Dublin so could leave my car somewhere... but where..?

rock whore

well, one should never pass up the chance to go out with lovely people!

Check the site for their routes. They run one to Leopardstown but don't know if that is the one that goes to belfast.

horseburger

Pippy1976 wrote: »

That Aircoach idea sounds great but what if I meet up with lovely people and want to go out?

Although, knowing me I'll really want my own leaba and to wake up on familiar soil the next morning.

Does it really run hourly all through the night? I live a bit south of Dublin so could leave my car somewhere... but where..?

The Aircoach bus runs hourly on the half hour throughout the night, from Glengall Street, just off Great Victoria St, (The Belfast Opera House on Great Victoria St is on the corner of Glengall St) with a first stop at Dublin airport and then Dublin City Centre.

http://aircoach.ie/timetables/route-705-x-belfast-dublin-airport-dublin-city-express

Aircoach also have services from the airport to other parts of Dublin, like Greystones/Bray, Killiney/Dalkey and also Ballsbridge

http://aircoach.ie/timetables

The Bus Eireann/Translink Ulster Bus is hourly to and from Belfast until 11pm when it then leaves every two hours from the Europa Bus Centre from 11pm till 5am. After 11pm, the entrance to where the bus leaves, at a gate on the Glengall St side of the bus station. (The Europa Bus Station locks up at 11pm).

The Bus Eireann/Translink Ulster Bus services to Belfast from Bus Aras are also every two hours between 11pm and 5am.

http://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=246

The Bus Eireann/Translink Ulster Bus service from Belfast to Dublin stops at Sprucefield, Banbridge, Newry, Dublin Airport and then Bus Aras.

The Ulster Hall is on Bedford Street, which is not too far a walk from Great Victoria Street or Glengall Street.

Pippy1976

That's fantastic. I think I'm definitely going to do it. I like seeing bands / going to gigs outside of Dublin. It adds to the excitement and good to see other venues.

I think I'll opt for the Air Coach. Thank you so much for all your help. Hope I meet some nice people on my journey!

horseburger wrote: »

The aircoach bus runs hourly on the half hour through the night, from Glengall Street, just off Great Victoria St, (The Belfast Opera House is on the corner of Glengall St) with a first stop at Dublin airport and then Dublin City Centre.

http://aircoach.ie/timetables/route-705-x-belfast-dublin-airport-dublin-city-express

Aircoach also have services from the airport to other parts of Dublin, like Greystones/Bray, Killiney/Dalkey and also Ballsbridge

http://aircoach.ie/timetables

The Bus Eireann/Translink Ulster Bus is hourly to and from Belfast until 11pm when it then leaves every two hours from the Europa Bus Centre from 11pm till 5am. After 11pm, the entrance to where the bus leaves, at a gate on the Glengall St side of the bus station. (The Europa Bus Station locks up at 11pm).

The Bus Eireann/Translink Ulster Bus services to Belfast from Bus Aras are also every two hours between 11pm and 5am.

http://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=246

The Bus Eireann/Translink Ulster Bus service from Belfast to Dublin stops at Sprucefield, Banbridge, Newry, Dublin Airport and then Bus Aras.

ts_editor

rock whore wrote: »

Get a taxi from the bus station to Ulster hall , about a fiver eachway

Aw, don't do that.
Directly across the road from the bus station/Europa is 'The Crown Bar', on the corner. Take that side street and cut through to Bedford St. The Ulster Hall is just to the right, on the opposite side. 2 minutes.
It's not shady, the side street opens out into a square at one point behind The Crown and Robinson's and gets lots of foot traffic.

The Ulster Hall is a good venue.
Try the bar upstairs, rather than huddling around the one inside the door.

Pippy1976

ts_editor wrote: »

Aw, don't do that.
Directly across the road from the bus station/Europa is 'The Crown Bar', on the corner. Take that side street and cut through to Bedford St. The Ulster Hall is just to the right, on the opposite side. 2 minutes.
It's not shady, the side street opens out into a square at one point behind The Crown and Robinson's and gets lots of foot traffic.

The Ulster Hall is a good venue.
Try the bar upstairs, rather than huddling around the one inside the door.

I'll be on my own so there'll be lots of 'huddling around' on my own trying not to be noticed!! Thanks for the heads up re. the side street.

horseburger

Pippy1976 wrote: »

I'll be on my own so there'll be lots of 'huddling around' on my own trying not to be noticed!! Thanks for the heads up re. the side street.

Keep in mind that if you book online with Aircoach, a good bit in advance, it is a bit cheaper than the cash fare, 10 euros single fare and 20 return, if you book a few weeks in advance

For example I was looking at the booking section on the website and there seems to be different fares when booking online depending on the time you choose.

If you book online to go to Belfast return tomorrow at 10.30am it comes up as 15 euros single and 23 return, but, if I select the 2.30pm bus it says 10 single and 22 return

going by the website, if you book for travel at least 2 weeks in advance or more, it comes up as 10 single and 20 return.

So perhaps the fare, when booking online increases slightly when booking quite near to the date of travel and maybe the fare increases depending on availability of seats? I'm not sure but its good to have the option of the reduced fares:)

(the cash fare from Dublin City centre to Belfast is 17 euros single and 24 euros return)

They also have reduced fares booking online for their Dublin Cork service

Reoil

I flew to Manchester to see Tori Amos by myself...