On this page: Travelling to Belfast | Visas and documentation to enter Northern Ireland, UK | Travelling via European Union Countries | Getting to Queen’s University Belfast
When planning your travel, please note that Northern Ireland is in the United Kingdom. All attendees must ensure that they have obtained any visa or other documentation that may be required to visit the United Kingdom before travelling. If you are transiting through the Republic of Ireland in the European Union (i.e. via Dublin), you may need separate EU visas depending on your nationality. See “European Union Countries” below for more information.
Getting to Belfast
By plane:
Belfast International Airport – located 13 miles (21 Kilometres) northwest of Belfast.
George Best Belfast City Airport – located just three miles (5 kilometres) from Belfast City Centre.
By ferry:
Fast ferry services, including Stena Line and P&O Ferries make multiple daily crossings from Northern Ireland to ports in Scotland and England.
Bus and train:
- NI Railways: Northern Ireland’s train service provider has services running from Portadown, Bangor, Larne, Derry / Londonderry, Portrush and Dublin.
- Metrobus: Providing travel throughout the greater Belfast area.
- Translink: A public transport operator providing direct services to and from cities across Northern Ireland, including Dublin, Derry / Londonderry, Coleraine, Newry and Armagh.
- AirCoach: Buses between Dublin Airport and Belfast.
Find more information on getting to Belfast here.
Visas and documentation required to enter Northern Ireland, UK
The information below is from UK Visas and Immigration and is current as of Aug. 25, 2025. It is intended to provide a high-level summary only. Please visit the UK Visas and Immigration website for the most accurate and up-to-date information on Visa Requirements and Electronic Travel Authorizations (ETAs) that are now mandatory for people arriving from 85 countries.
Additional information on UK visa requirements can be found on this website: Visa requirements for entering Ireland.
You may need additional EU visas if you’re travelling through a country in the European Union (including Dublin, Ireland). See “Travelling via European Union countries” below for further information.
Travelling with a Canadian, USA, Australian, New Zealand, South Korean, or most European Union country passports:
You’ll need an electronic travel authorization (ETA) or a visa
What you need to apply for depends on your circumstances.
You need an ETA for some business and academic activities, but you must get a visa if you plan to work in the UK.
You will need to apply for an ETA to come to the UK if you’re either:
- invited as an expert in your profession doing a ‘permitted paid engagement’
- visiting for certain business or academic activities, but not working in the UK
You must meet the eligibility requirements and only be doing permitted activities.
Travelling with a South African passport:
You’ll need a visa to work, do business or academic research in the UK
The visa you need to apply for depends on your circumstances.
Business or academic visits:
You can apply for a Standard Visitor visa if you’re coming to the UK for certain business or academic activities, such as:
- going to meetings or conferences
- doing academic research
- doing certain paid engagements or events (a ‘permitted paid engagement’) for UK-based organisations
Travelling with a Chinese passport:
You’ll need a visa to work, do business or academic research in the UK
The visa you need to apply for depends on your circumstances.
Business or academic visits:
You can apply for a Standard Visitor visa if you’re coming to the UK for certain business or academic activities, such as:
- going to meetings or conferences
- doing academic research
- doing certain paid engagements or events (a ‘permitted paid engagement’) for UK-based organisations
Travelling via European Union countries:
Additional steps and EU visas may be required if you travel to Belfast via a country in the European Union, including via Dublin, Ireland. To learn more, visit the Travel to Europe website: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/pub.
Travelling via Dublin
If you are transiting through Dublin on your way to Belfast, you may need a separate visa to enter Dublin, depending on your nationality. If this is the case, you may need 2 visas: 1) To enter Dublin (Republic of Ireland), and 2) to enter Belfast (United Kingdom).
See the Irish Immigration Website for visa requirements based on your nationality.
Supporting letters
Delegates from some countries may require a visa supporting letter from the conference organizer. Where this is the case, you can request this letter when completing your event registration. We will need your full name (as on your passport), address, country, passport number, nationality, travel dates and the date of the visa application. Visa supporting letters can only be sent to delegates after payment of the necessary conference registration fee.
Getting to Queen’s University Belfast
By bus:
All public transport in Northern Ireland is organised by the Translink company. Visit their website for more information on fares, timetables, journey planners and online ticket bookings. The Metrobus provides travel throughout the greater Belfast area.
By car:
If you are planning on driving to Queen’s, use the following address:
Queen’s University Belfast,
University Road,
Belfast,
BT7 1NN,
Northern Ireland, UK
By bike:
The Belfast Bikes scheme launched in April 2015. There are currently over 50 Belfast Bikes docking stations and over 400 bikes linking up the city, with three docking stations on campus. Campus docking stations can be found outside the Students’ Union, the McClay Library and Elms BT9 Student Village. The scheme enables you to collect a bike from one docking station and leave it somewhere else in town.
Learn more here.
