Extend Belfast nights out with Translink festive late-night bus and train services
With Christmas party planning well underway, Translink has revealed full details of its popular late-night bus, coach and train services at weekends starting on Friday 29th November and Saturday 30th November.
Working with a range of partners including the Belfast’s Business Improvement Districts, Hospitality Ulster, Visit Belfast and local taxi companies fonaCAB and Valuecabs, the aim is to encourage revellers to use public transport to visit the city and enjoy all the festive delights that Belfast has to offer in the knowledge they can get a bus, coach or train home.
Late-night Belfast Metro services will start first on Friday 29th November, with later evening shopping and socialising expected with Black Friday. Services will start around midnight and run through to 1.30am
Additional Goldliner/Urby bus services will start on Saturday 30th November and operate every Friday and Saturday from Belfast to towns and cities across Northern Ireland departing at various times from around midnight.
Rail services will also operate later services across all lines on both Friday and Saturday nights from Saturday 30th November departing at various times up to midnight.
The late-night services will run for 4 weekends up to and including Saturday 21st December.
Commenting on the return of the late-night timetable, Translink Group Chief Executive, Chris Conway said:
“We are encouraging people to get familiar with the late-night services on offer and build them into their festive planning for great nights out in Belfast. People can extend their night out whether it’s going to the panto, socialising with family or friends or a shopping trip. Using greener public transport to get in and out of the city also means it’s a little gift to the planet too!
“We are pleased to be working with city partners again who will be helping us promote these services. We look forward to playing our part in helping to boost the night-time economy, supporting employment, tourism and keeping people better connected to the fantastic hospitality and festivities that the city has to offer”, Chris concluded.
Full details are available on the Translink website at www.translink.co.uk/latenightservices and more details will follow soon.
Commenting on the return of late night services
Clare Guinness, CEO of Belfast Chamber:
Belfast’s night-time economy is key to the city’s vibrancy, especially during the festive season. Translink’s extended late-night services will help more people enjoy everything the city offers, from shopping and dining to entertainment, while supporting city centre businesses and providing safer, greener travel. We look forward to a busy, successful holiday season for Belfast.
Joel Neill, Operations Director, Hospitality Ulster said:
“Hospitality Ulster are very happy to see Translink’s festive late-night bus and train services start. We are happy to have played our part in ensuring that Belfast city centre is well served during the festive season and that customers can come and go from the city on public transport late into the night.
“This is a crucial enabler that will serve to boost Belfast’s night-time economy and support the hospitality businesses in our city centre that are so important within the local economy. We would encourage as many people as possible to avail of these services, to both stay safe and to prove that demand for such late-night services exists so that this approach may be replicated at different times of the year and in different regions.”
Mary Jo McCanny from Visit Belfast said, “Ensuring Belfast is accessible at Christmas is key to the whole city region thriving this festive period. Providing locals and visitors with safe and reliable transport options will continue to cement our status as a welcoming, exciting destination packed with warm hospitality, a top retail offering, as well as outstanding world class attractions and events.”
