There are 8 ways to get from Birkenhead to Cairnryan by train, bus, car ferry, car, or plane
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Train, bus
best- Take the train from Liverpool Lime Street to Glasgow Centraltrain
- Take the train from Glasgow Central to Ayrtrain
- Take the bus from Rail Station to Old Pierbus 360 / ...
7h 47m£116–201Car ferry
cheapest- Take the car ferry from Liverpool to Belfastcarferry
- Take the car ferry from Belfast to Cairnryancarferry
11h 22m£49–133Bus
- Take the bus from Liverpool, Liverpool One to Manchester Central Coach Stationbus 170 / ...
- Take the bus from Shudehill Interchange to Buchanan Bus Stationbus
- Take the bus from Glasgow Buchanan to Cairnryan Stena Terminalbus 923
10h 19mDrive 229.3 mi
- Drive from Birkenhead to Cairnryancar 229.3 mi
4h 8m£56–81Car ferry via Douglas
- Take the car ferry from Liverpool to Isle of Man Douglascarferry
- Take the car ferry from Isle of Man Douglas to Port of Larnecarferry
- Take the car ferry from Larne to Cairnryancarferry
11h 30m£49–251Fly Liverpool to Belfast International Airport, train, car ferry
- Fly from Liverpool (LPL) to Belfast International Airport (BFS)plane LPL - BFS
- Take the train from York Street to Larne Harbourtrain
- Take the car ferry from Larne to Cairnryancarferry
7h 26m£70–341Bus to Manchester Airport, fly to George Best Belfast City Airport, train, car ferry
- Take the bus from Liverpool, Liverpool One to Manchester Airportbus
- Fly from Manchester Airport (MAN) to George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD)plane MAN - BHD
- Take the train from Belfast Lanyon Place to Larne Harbourtrain
- Take the car ferry from Larne to Cairnryancarferry
7h 52m£69–360Fly Liverpool to George Best Belfast City Airport, train, car ferry
- Fly from Liverpool (LPL) to George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD)plane LPL - BHD
- Take the train from Belfast Lanyon Place to Larne Harbourtrain
- Take the car ferry from Larne to Cairnryancarferry
7h 19m£72–347
Liverpool (LPL) to Belfast International Airport (BFS) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Birkenhead to Cairnryan is to drive which costs £55 - £85 and takes 4h 8m.
The fastest way to get from Birkenhead to Cairnryan is to drive which takes 4h 8m and costs £55 - £85.
No, there is no direct bus from Birkenhead to Cairnryan. However, there are services departing from Liverpool, Liverpool One and arriving at Cairnryan Stena Terminal via Charlotte Street, Shudehill Interchange and Glasgow Buchanan. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 10h 19m.
No, there is no direct ferry from Birkenhead to Cairnryan. However, there are services departing from Liverpool and arriving at Cairnryan via Belfast. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 11h 22m.
The distance between Birkenhead and Cairnryan is 316 miles. The road distance is 230.6 miles.
Book your Birkenhead to Cairnryan ferry tickets online with Omio.
The best way to get from Birkenhead to Cairnryan without a car is to train and bus which takes 7h 47m and costs £110 - £210.
It takes approximately 7h 47m to get from Birkenhead to Cairnryan, including transfers.
Birkenhead to Cairnryan bus services, operated by National Express, depart from Liverpool, Liverpool One station.
Birkenhead to Cairnryan bus services, operated by National Express, arrive at Manchester Central Coach Station.
What companies run services between Birkenhead, England and Cairnryan, Scotland?
You can take a bus from Liverpool, Liverpool One to Cairnryan Stena Terminal via Manchester Central Coach Station, Charlotte Street, Shudehill Interchange, Buchanan Bus Station, and Glasgow Buchanan in around 10h 19m. Alternatively, you can take a car ferry from Liverpool to Cairnryan via Belfast in around 11h 22m.
- Website
- easyjet.com
Flights from Liverpool to Belfast International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £28–95
Flights from Manchester Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £30–110
Flights from Liverpool to George Best Belfast City Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- £35–110
- Website
- aerlingus.com
Flights from Manchester Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 8m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £35–120
- Phone
- +44 345 600 1671
- [email protected]
- Website
- tpexpress.co.uk
Train from Liverpool Lime Street to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 21m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- £80–140
- Website
- https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 (0)344 811 0141
- Website
- scotrail.co.uk
Train from Glasgow Central to Ayr
- Ave. Duration
- 53 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £18–35
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 28 9066 6630
- Website
- translink.co.uk
Train from York Street to Larne Harbour
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £7–11
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Train from Belfast Lanyon Place to Larne Harbour
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £7–11
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Train from Belfast Lanyon Place to Larne Harbour
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £7–11
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
- Phone
- 0345 810 1000
- [email protected]
- Website
- stagecoachbus.com
Bus from Rail Station to Old Pier
- Ave. Duration
- 52 min
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- £8–12
- Website
- https://www.stagecoachbus.com/about/west-scotland
- Phone
- +44 (0)3717 81 81 81
- Website
- nationalexpress.com
Bus from Liverpool, Liverpool One to Manchester Central Coach Station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 35m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–21
- Website
- https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
Bus from Liverpool, Liverpool One to Manchester Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £6–17
- Website
- https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- [email protected]
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.fr
Bus from Shudehill Interchange to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 5m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £25–45
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
Bus from Liverpool, Liverpool One to Manchester Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £4–7
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- Phone
- +44 28 9066 6630
- Website
- translink.co.uk
Bus from Glasgow Buchanan to Cairnryan Stena Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 20m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 844 770 7070
- [email protected]
- Website
- stenaline.dk
Car ferry from Liverpool to Belfast
- Ave. Duration
- 8h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £36–95
- Website
- https://www.stenalinetravel.com/
- Passenger
- £36
- Car Passenger
- £139
Car ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 22m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £13–36
- Website
- https://www.stenalinetravel.com/
- Passenger
- £36
- Car Passenger
- £149
- Phone
- +44 8722 992 992
- [email protected]
- Website
- steam-packet.com
Car ferry from Liverpool to Isle of Man Douglas
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £13–17
- Schedules at
- steam-packet.com
Car ferry from Isle of Man Douglas to Port of Larne
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £11–15
- Schedules at
- steam-packet.com
- Phone
- 01304 44 88 88
- [email protected]
- Website
- poferries.com
Car ferry from Larne to Cairnryan
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £25–220
- Website
- https://www.poferries.com/en
- Passenger Standard
- £25–45
- Passenger Car
- £130–220
Car ferry from Larne to Cairnryan
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £25–220
- Website
- https://www.poferries.com/en
- Passenger Standard
- £25–45
- Passenger Car
- £130–220
Car ferry from Larne to Cairnryan
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £25–220
- Website
- https://www.poferries.com/en
- Passenger Standard
- £25–45
- Passenger Car
- £130–220
Car ferry from Larne to Cairnryan
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £25–220
- Website
- https://www.poferries.com/en
- Passenger Standard
- £25–45
- Passenger Car
- £130–220
Want to know more about travelling around United Kingdom
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Related travel guides
Travelling to the UK: What do I need to know?
Read the travel guide
Want to know more about Flixbus?
Read the travel guide
More Questions & Answers
Yes, the driving distance between Birkenhead to Cairnryan is 231 miles. It takes approximately 4h 8m to drive from Birkenhead to Cairnryan.
There are 219+ hotels available in Cairnryan.







































