[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

And how did you find Belfast Swissdiver? Had you been before?

[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

Hi capetonianm,

I grew up on the East Antrim coast with views of the Mull of Kintyre and the scenery never fails to amaze me when I return.

Our accent is very strange to say the least, and it varies considerably only 20 miles up the road!

Glad you enjoyed!

[PhilipHart]

@capetonianm,

Notwithstanding your heartfelt praise for the land of my birth, I think the good burghers of Lisburn and Armagh might take exception to the description of their cities as villages :-/

[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

Does Ballymena not have city status 😉

[PhilipHart]

@alexpo1

‘fraid not, according to wikipedia 🙁

[SGJNI1961]

Did the guard offer an explanation why you could not buy the upgrade from him/her on the train itself? Odd, I always do. At least you got better value and a decent seat. Many in the coach with you I wonder?

capetonianm, you say the nicest things about my part of the world, thank you.

[Swissdiver]

SGJNI1961,
Yes. Tickets were verified before boarding on this train so the inspectors were not selling tickets on board.

[Swissdiver]

alexpo,
Part of the fun was it was my first time. I went there to have dinner with a friend who was kind enough to give me a quick tour.
I found it amazing for two reasons: the city’s (and region’s) recent history and the amazing effort (including investments) to make it a nice place. So I have to go back, but this time for more than an evening (among other things, I really way to see this amazing Titanic museum).

[LuganoPirate]

Interesting thread of which I missed the beginning when first started so there’s some hindsight here! Sounds a great trip and one I’d love to do.. I’ve not been to Ireland for years so would love to see how it’s changed and especially see the Titanic museum.

Out of curiousity SwissDiver, where do they do border control. Is it at the border or when you arrive?

[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

Good morning Swissdiver and LP.

I have yet to visit the Titanic Museum.

LP, for your information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Ireland%E2%80%93United_Kingdom_border

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/10526826/Britain-boosts-Irish-border-checks-in-bid-to-improve-security.html

[PhilipHart]

@LuganoPirate

There are NO checks as such across the land border, and certainly none on the train route.

If you drive, there are a bunch of ANPR cameras, but that is hardly the same as an individual passport check.

When arriving in Northern Ireland from GB by any transport method, there are obviously no checks because it is part of UK. (Very, very occasionally the PSNI turn up to randomly screen arriving travellers for security reasons, but not as a border issue)

When arriving at Dublin airport – and I presume other ROI airports – one has to show a passport when arriving from GB.

However, conversely, when one travels from Dublin to GB, there will not be a UK Border Agency soul in sight. The same is true on sea transport from ROI to GB (though I can’t speak for t’other direction, as I haven’t travelled that way for aeons.

Hope this clarifies the situation.

[TominScotland]

PhilipHart, I understand that the requirement to show a passport (or equivalent id) on arriving at Irish airports from the UK is a logistical and not a legal matter. For organisational reasons, all arriving passengers are channelled through a common route so that it it is easier to check everyone rather than have individual lines for UK/ non-UK entrants. As I posted here some while back, this means also showing your passport when arriving (domestically) from Farranfore – my question to the Immigration Officer about independence for the Kingdom of Kerry was met with an explanation that its “nothing to do with us, just the way Dublin Airport want things organised”…..

[Swissdiver]

Right, no passport control whatsoever between the Republic and Northern Ireland.
And as Tomin wrote, everyone goes though immigration at Dublin Airport, for organisational reasons. From London though, the officer sometime just lets you go without check…

[Swissdiver]

capetonianm,

Looks like a nice program. I’d add though a drink at the Crown pub, next to the Europa Hotel (I was told it was sometimes referred as the most bombed hotel in the world…). Amazing to see these boxes allowing anyone to drink without being seen.

[PhilipHart]

@TominScotland

You are 110% spot on. Thanks for the more detailed clarification.

The necessity to present passports at DUB is entirely down to the cockamamie way the airport was redeveloped.

I caveated the other ROI airports because DUB is the only one I have ever flown into.

[Author]

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