***Operational Opening of Belfast Grand Central Station, Bus Services commencing from Sun 8th September, Phased opening – passengers to check timetables before travelling.
Rail Services – date to be confirmed***
Construction work on the new world class Belfast Grand Central Station is at a stage which will soon allow the public to have the opportunity to see inside Ireland’s largest state of the art integrated
transport hub for trains, coaches and buses. From next month, services will be introduced in phases with buses currently operating from the
Europa Buscentre to move over first on Sunday 8th September followed by rail operations, date to be confirmed. Public Realm work around the station will continue in to 2025. Extensive training is underway for staff in preparation for the move alongside a comprehensive testing, training and commissioning programme for the connecting rail line and new signalling technology.
***Belfast Grand Central Station Phased Opening***
Bus Services Only – Sunday 8th September The Europa Buscentre will close on Saturday 7th September. Services operating from the Europa Buscentre will transfer to the new station with the first service operating on Sunday the 8th September at 5am.
***Cross Border Enterprise Rail Services***
There will be a new 2 hourly cross border rail timetable in place from Monday 26th August. This is to accommodate the new hourly Enterprise Belfast / Dublin services due to be introduced later this year.
When the new Grand Central Station opens, all Enterprise services will operate to and from the new station and will no longer serve Lanyon Place Station.
The current bus substitution arrangements will also continue for cross border passengers until the station opens and the train line reopens between Belfast and Lisburn.
Local Train Services arrangements until opening date
Currently the rail line is closed between Lisburn and Belfast Lanyon Place to complete the engineering works to connect the track and install new signalling for the new station as well as take forward the required safety testing, commissioning and training. It also facilitates the construction of the new bus stands.
Until Monday 26th August: Travelling to / from Belfast City Centre and to / from Lisburn Train Station including rail halts along Lisburn Road:
• Travelling from stations on the Bangor, Larne or Derry~Londonderry lines into Belfast, get off at either York Street or Lanyon Place Stations and either walk, cycle or use scheduled Metro
or Glider services to interchange between Belfast Stations (including Botanic and City Hospital) or access the city centre.
• Botanic and City Hospital Train Stations are closed.
• Express bus substitution services operate between Lisburn Train Station and Europa Buscentre until Saturday 7th September and Grand Central Station from Sunday 8th
September.
• Bus substitution services operate between Belfast Lanyon Place and Europa Buscentre serving stops adjacent to City Hospital, Queens University and Botanic.
Route as follows:
o Lanyon Place – Northern Mall, Great Victoria Street – Bradbury Place – Lisburn Road – University Road – Bradbury Place – Bruce Street – Lanyon Place Station
• Adelaide, Balmoral, Finaghy, Dunmurry, Derriaghy, Lambeg and Hilden rail halts will be
closed. Passengers for these stations can use scheduled Metro/Ulsterbus services along the
Lisburn Road.
• Valid rail tickets will be accepted on scheduled bus services.
From Tuesday 27 Aug until further notice
Travelling to and from Belfast City Centre and to/from Lisburn Train Station including rail
halts along Lisburn Road:
• Travelling from stations on the Bangor, Larne or Derry~Londonderry lines into Belfast, get off at either York Street or Lanyon Place Stations and either walk, cycle or use scheduled Metro
or Glider services to interchange between Belfast Stations (including Botanic and City Hospital) or access the city centre.
• Botanic and City Hospital train stations are closed.
• Express bus substitution services operate between Lisburn Train Station and Europa
Buscentre until Saturday 7th Sept and Grand Central Station from Sunday 8th Sept.
Monday to Friday:
• Bus substitution services will operate between Belfast Lanyon Place and Lisburn Train Stations serving rail halts along the Lisburn Road to serve nearby schools.
Route as follows:
o Lanyon Place Train Station
o Northern Mall, Gt Victoria Street (Out) Bruce Street (Rtn)
o Bradbury Place (Botanic)
o Elmwood Ave/City Hospital, Lisburn Road
o Adelaide, Lisburn Road
o Kings Hall, Balmoral
o Finaghy Crossroads
o Dunmurry, Tesco
o Derriaghy
o Lambeg
o Hilden
o Lisburn Train Station
This shuttle service will operate approximately every 10mins at peak times (morning and afternoon/ evening) and every 30 minutes off peak.
Weekends only:
• Bus substitution services operate between Belfast Lanyon Place and Europa Buscentre serving stops adjacent to City Hospital, Queens University and Botanic.
Route as follows:
o Lanyon Place – Northern Mall, Great Victoria Street – Bradbury Place – Lisburn Road – University Road – Bradbury Place – Bruce Street – Lanyon Place Station
• Valid rail tickets will be transferable to these services and passengers will also have the option to buy a ticket on board.
• From Monday 2nd September, new smart School Travel Passes will also be transferable to the bus substitution services and pupils will simply tap on to travel.
• Regular Metro and Ulsterbus services operating along the Lisburn Road will also be enhanced.
Bus Timetables and City Centre Bus Stop Changes
Adjustments to Ulsterbus / Goldliner and Metro timetables are currently operating to help maintain bus service reliability and performance during increased traffic pressures on the city centre network.
The location of some city centre stops has also changed these will continue until further notice. These are necessary to maintain service reliability as public realm improvements around Grand
Central Station are delivered requiring road and lane closures.
More information is available at the links below: www.translink.co.uk/metrostopchanges www.translink.co.uk/ulsterbusstopchanges
***NI Water Fire Mains connection (Sunday 11th August) – Durham Street***
NI Water undertaking Fire mains connection work, confirmed closure of 2 lanes (northbound) of Durham Street to complete this connection. They have had approval to do the work on Sunday 11th August and will revert to a 1 lane closure for a further 2 days (Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th) to complete the work on the footpath.
- Both northbound lanes (between Hope Street and Grosvenor Road) will be closed for the day.
- The southbound lane(s) will remain operational.
- Diversions in place via Hope Street/Bruce Street and Grosvenor Road (see attached traffic management plans).
**Durham Street Notification***
NI Water will undertake work on Durham Street to connect a Fire Mains next Tuesday 30th July. The works will involve 1 lane closure northbound on Durham Street and is expected will be complete on that day, however, it might run into Wednesday morning latest.
- One northbound lane closure that reopens before the filter lane to Grosvenor Road
***Belfast Grand Central Station – Great Victoria St/Grosvenor Rd/Howard St Junction Improvement Works***
In order to facilitate enhancements to the crossings at the Great Victoria Street/Grosvenor Road/Howard Street junction , GRAHAM are installing a temporary traffic signal system on Thursday 18 July which will include changing the position of the existing pedestrian crossing points on Great Victoria Street, Grosvenor Road and Howard Street.
This temporary traffic signal system will be in place for 8 weeks while the works are carried out.
With the temporary nature of these works, there will be no tactile pavement at the temporary crossing points, however there will be drop kerbs installed to accommodate users. Pedestrian management measures will be implemented on the ground to advise of these changes.
On completion of these works the crossings will return to the existing position, with new tactile pavement installed, and there will be an enhanced 6m wide pedestrian crossing on Great Victoria Street to facilitate safer and easier crossing.
***Belfast Grand Central Station – street works update***
NI Water will undertake work on Durham Street to connect a Fire Mains for one day, Wednesday 17th July. The works will involve 1 lane closure northbound on Durham Street for the day *One northbound lane closure that reopens before the filter lane to Grosvenor Road
***Update on Belfast Grand Central Station – Great Victoria St/Grosvenor Rd/Howard St Junction Improvement Works***
GRAHAM will be commencing further works to carry out the enhancements to the crossings at the Great Victoria Street/Grosvenor Road/Howard Street junction on Monday 15th July 2024.
These works will predominately be carried out during day-time hours between 9:30am and 4:00pm and will last approximately 8 weeks. Weekend work may also be required to aid the completion of the works.
Night time works will be required on Thursday 18th July 2024 to install the temporary traffic light system at the junction to facilitate the construction works. These works will not involve any noisy activities.
Various lane closures will be required on Great Victoria Street, Grosvenor Road, Howard Street and Fisherwick Place throughout this period at off-peak times between 9:30am and 4:00pm, subject to DfI approval. An inbound and outbound traffic lane will be maintained at all times on all roads at this junction during these works.
***Belfast Grand Central Station street works – Grosvenor Road***
There will be some work on the carriageway of Grosvenor Road to enable installation of pedestrian crossing points at the Stanley Street junction. These works will be carried out on Sunday 21st July 2024 and will involve lane closures west bound between Durham Street and the Westlink; however, the traffic management plans allow for 1 lane heading Citybound to run at all times.
Diversions will be in place via Grosvenor Rd, Fisherwick Place, College Square East, College Avenue, Divis Street and Falls Road.
***Update 28th June 2024***
Translink will be running additional bus substitution services from early July when changes to train timetables come into effect to facilitate rail infrastructure works for the new Belfast Grand Central Station, on track for operational opening this autumn.
Passengers are being encouraged to plan their trip ahead of time using information on the website www.translink.co.uk or Journey Planner and allow extra time for their journey.
Essential engineering works take place on the railway line between Belfast and Lisburn, with a line closure planned from Wednesday 3rd July until early autumn. Train services from Lanyon Place to Lisburn stations will be affected. These works are essential to complete the rail infrastructure works and all the safety testing, commissioning and training that must be completed to enable the opening of the world class facility.
Express bus substitutions will be in operation between Belfast and Lisburn and a shuttle service will operate between Lanyon Place and Europa Buscentre approximately every 30 minutes, serving stops adjacent to City Hospital, Queens University and Botanic.
Passengers using the Lisburn Line stations will need to use the regular scheduled Metro and Ulsterbus Lisburn Road services. Valid rail tickets will be valid on these services. All train passengers should check their timetables before making their journeys.
Some bus service timetable changes and bus stop relocations are also coming into effect in Belfast City Centre for Ulsterbus/Goldliner and Metro. Full information is available on the Translink website: www.translink.co.uk
Translink will have additional staff on the ground on the run up to the changes to help guide passengers.
Translink’s David Curry, General Manager Bus Services, said: “Ten times larger than current facilities, Belfast Grand Central Station will be a game changer helping inspire and reimagine the city – one where more people travel on public transport, walk, wheel and cycle.
“The hub will be a major international gateway with enhanced connectivity across Northern Ireland, cross border and local airports creating a better connected, cleaner and healthier city for everyone.
“Designed to be fully inclusive and able to cater for 20 million passenger journeys a year, it will be the largest integrated transport facility on the island of Ireland bringing the opportunity to further enhance service frequency in the longer term.
“Beyond transportation, this new facility will be a new destination in the heart of the city where people meet thanks to a range of popular hospitality and retail outlets offering a unique blend of convenience and leisure.
“With reduced passenger numbers during the summer period, we have carefully planned a range of travel options to minimise the overall impact and ensure people can continue to make their journeys and access the city.
“The important message to all our passengers is to check the Journey Planner or website for timetable information before their journey. Our teams will be hosting pop-up information days at train and bus stations later this month and I encourage the public to attend to find out more about these works and their impact.
“I want to thank all our passengers and local neighbours for their support and patience as we progress these essential works.”
Further details on Belfast Grand Station and the works programme can be found here: