Travel to Belfast

[#1]

My wife is thinking of going to a small town just outside Belfast to spend the New Year with a girlfriend friend by plane.
We know, as a non-UK national she'll need her passport but she'll only want a one-way ticket as I'm thinking of driving out there a week later and returning together afew days after that.
Has anyone got experience of driving from mainland UK to Northern Island?
Where to get the ferry (Hollyhead)?
Would there be a problem with the one-way plane ticket?
Anything else I should know?
The last time I went to Ireland (Eire) was almost 44 years ago when I was 6 

[#2]

I don't know about the situation about one way tickets - maybe sean will be around and will know ( he lives in NI )
but here is a list of all ferries
http://www.directferries.co.uk/northern_ireland.htm
depends where in UK you are as there are ferries from Scotland, England and Wales

[#3]

We live in East Kent.
One of the reasons for driving back is so that we can stop off over nights in a few places to extend our break.

[#4]

Liverpool seems best then - stopover in the city to see the new harbour features etc.
but more frequent from Fleetwood

[#5]

Thanks for the link Mal.
I've also found a few others.
May have to think again as I never knew travel by ferry was so expensive - average around £250  
Also wondering whether I'd meet any other problems travelling out alone but back with SWMBO.
PErhjaps someone who has experience of these things will reply 

[#6]

also Belfast has two airports Easy Jet goes from Stansted to Belfast  International, RyanAir from Stansted to Belfast City, and Technically you dont need a passport, just means of Identity,  used my Photo Driving licence, as Belfast is part of the UK, but if you use the Ferry from Fishguard/ Roslare, that is to Eire and would need your SWMBO passport, the border between Eire and Northern Island is virtually non existant

[#7]

Hollyhead goes to Eire, as well

[#8]

Quote

May have to think again as I never knew travel by ferry was so expensive - average around £250

Haven`t checked the website.... so this may not be any use, but worth considering..... On the Isle Of Wight Ferry, if you travel after 11.30 pm and before 06.00 the fare is cheaper....
also. .... check to see if it is cheaper to get a 7 day return  rather than a one way ticket.... ...
So you need to look to see if there are different fares for time of travel, and also to see what is cheaper in respect of "type" of ticket/journey you are "intending" to make 

[#9]

Some special offers here - but may be thinner due to Christmas / New year holidays
http://www.directferries.co.uk/offers.htm

[#10]

i'm puzzled.  why would someone need a passport for what is an internal flight?  northern ireland is part of the uk.

[#11]

Non-British nationals do.
SHMBO has just (yesterday) received confirmation that her application for British Citizenship has been successful but can't get a Britsh Passport till next year after she receives her certificate. She will have to travel on her non-British passport.

[#12]

ah.  thanks for the clarification.

[#13]

but as I said earlier, you dont need a passport to travel to Northern Island as it is part of the UK, you only need it for Eire which isnt, it just like travelling to the isle of Wight.  Airlines require photo evidence  of identity for all internal flights

[#14]

Actually, pierre, it seems you are only half right and I had been misled by a link sent to me.
Currently no passport is required for travel around the CTA (common travel area). This includes the Rebublic of Ireland.
UK Border Agency

Quote

What is the common travel area? The common travel area (CTA) is a 'free movement' area comprising the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Bailiwick of Guernsey, the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Isle of Man. The CTA is an immigration arrangement, and it does not regulate the movement of goods. Customs restrictions apply on all CTA routes except those between the Isle of Man and the United Kingdom. (For customs purposes the Isle of Man is part of the United Kingdom.) Proposals have been developed which would modernise the CTA, but it would not be abolished.

What I have been reading is the proposed changes to the CTA.

Quote

If our proposals are introduced, travellers whose passport was issued by a country outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland will be subject to immigration checks - as on all other international routes - when they travel by air or sea between the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom. They will need to carry a passport or identity document that satisfactorily establishes their identity and nationality. Visa nationals will also need the appropriate visa when travelling to the United Kingdom.

But, it seems, some airlines (Ryanair being one) are insisting that all passengers carry a passport or EAA Identity card and will NOT accept a Driver's Licence.

[#15]

I flew Easy Jet September and that was on a driving licence, sod Ryan flair as  dont have a current passport - and dont forget Belfast is in the UK and not the Republic of Eireland (Eire) - so no Immigration on direct flights or ferries on new or old CTA.  And as I said the land border virtually does not exist between the two, crossed it at least eight times on my trip and the only difference was that NI has white lines down the side of the road and Eire has yellow and there speed limits are in KM/hr