There are 8 ways to get from Chester 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 Warrington Bank Quay to Glasgow Centraltrain
- Take the train from Glasgow Central to Ayrtrain
- Take the bus from Rail Station to Old Pierbus 360 / ...
8h 10m£108–183Bus
cheapest- Take the bus from Chester Bus Interchange to Buchanan Bus Stationbus 830
- Take the bus from Glasgow Buchanan to Cairnryan Stena Terminalbus 923
8h 20m£45–71Car ferry via Douglas
- Take the carferry from Liverpool to Isle of Man Douglascarferry
- Take the carferry from Isle of Man Douglas to Port of Larnecarferry
- Take the carferry from Larne to Cairnryancarferry
13h 17m£59–268Drive 242.6 mi
- Drive from Chester to Cairnryancar 242.6 mi
4h 20m£60–87Car ferry
- Take the carferry from Liverpool to Belfastcarferry
- Take the carferry from Belfast to Cairnryancarferry
13h 24m£64–157Train to Liverpool, fly to Belfast International Airport, train, car ferry
- Take the train from Chester to Liverpool South Parkwaytrain
- Fly from Liverpool (LPL) to Belfast International Airport (BFS)plane LPL - BFS
- Take the train from York Street to Larne Harbourtrain
- Take the carferry from Larne to Cairnryancarferry
8h 1m£69–352Fly 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 carferry from Larne to Cairnryancarferry
7h 53m£73–378Train to Manchester Airport, fly to George Best Belfast City Airport, train, car ferry
- Take the train from Chester to Manchester Airporttrain
- 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 carferry from Larne to Cairnryancarferry
8h 31m£82–371
Chester to Cairnryan by train and bus
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Chester to Cairnryan is to bus which costs £45 - £75 and takes 8h 20m.
The fastest way to get from Chester to Cairnryan is to drive which takes 4h 20m and costs £60 - £90.
No, there is no direct bus from Chester to Cairnryan. However, there are services departing from Chester Bus Interchange and arriving at Cairnryan Stena Terminal via Glasgow Buchanan. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 8h 20m.
No, there is no direct ferry from Chester to Cairnryan. However, there are services departing from Liverpool and arriving at Cairnryan via Isle of Man Douglas and Larne. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 13h 17m.
The distance between Chester and Cairnryan is 326 miles. The road distance is 244 miles.
Book your Chester to Cairnryan ferry tickets online with Omio.
The best way to get from Chester to Cairnryan without a car is to train and bus which takes 8h 10m and costs £100 - £190.
It takes approximately 8h 10m to get from Chester to Cairnryan, including transfers.
Chester to Cairnryan bus services, operated by National Express, depart from Chester Bus Interchange station.
Chester to Cairnryan bus services, operated by National Express, arrive at Buchanan Bus Station.
What companies run services between Chester, England and Cairnryan, Scotland?
You can take a bus from Chester Bus Interchange to Cairnryan Stena Terminal via Buchanan Bus Station and Glasgow Buchanan in around 8h 20m. Alternatively, you can take a train from Chester to Cairnryan via Liverpool James Street, Liverpool, Isle of Man Douglas, Port of Larne, and Larne in around 13h 17m.
- Website
- easyjet.com
Flights from Liverpool to Belfast International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 53 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £21–95
Flights from Liverpool to George Best Belfast City Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £30–120
Flights from Manchester Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £28–110
- Website
- aerlingus.com
Flights from Manchester Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 13m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £35–100
- Phone
- +44 (0)345 528 0253
- Website
- Avanti West Coast
Train from Warrington Bank Quay to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 46m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £70–120
- Website
- Avanti West Coast
- Phone
- +44 (0)344 811 0141
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Glasgow Central to Ayr
- Ave. Duration
- 53 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £16–26
- Website
- ScotRail
- Phone
- 03333 211 202
- Website
- Transport for Wales
Train from Chester to Liverpool South Parkway
- Ave. Duration
- 34 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £7–12
- Website
- Transport for Wales
Train from Chester to Manchester Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £16–27
- Website
- Transport for Wales
- Phone
- +44 28 9066 6630
- Website
- Translink
Train from York Street to Larne Harbour
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £7–11
- Website
- Translink
Train from Belfast Lanyon Place to Larne Harbour
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £7–11
- Website
- Translink
Train from Belfast Lanyon Place to Larne Harbour
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £7–11
- Website
- Translink
- Phone
- 0345 810 1000
- [email protected]
- Website
- Stagecoach West Scotland
Bus from Rail Station to Old Pier
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- £8–12
- Website
- Stagecoach West Scotland
- Phone
- +44 (0)3717 81 81 81
- Website
- National Express
Bus from Chester Bus Interchange to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 5h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- £40–70
- Website
- National Express
- Phone
- +44 28 9066 6630
- Website
- Translink
Bus from Glasgow Buchanan to Cairnryan Stena Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 20m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- £4
- Website
- Translink
- Belfast urban network
- £4
- 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
- £13–16
- 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
- £11–14
- Schedules at
- steam-packet.com
- Phone
- +44 01304 44 88 88
- [email protected]
- Website
- P&O Ferries
Car ferry from Larne to Cairnryan
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £25–220
- Website
- P&O Ferries
- 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
- P&O Ferries
- 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
- P&O Ferries
- 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
- P&O Ferries
- Passenger Standard
- £25–45
- Passenger Car
- £130–220
- Phone
- +44 844 770 7070
- [email protected]
- Website
- Stena Line
Car ferry from Liverpool to Belfast
- Ave. Duration
- 8h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £36–100
- Website
- Stena Line
- Passenger
- £36
- Car Passenger
- £139
Car ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 22m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £20–36
- Website
- Stena Line
- Passenger
- £36
- Car Passenger
- £149
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Booking & Getting There
Yes, the driving distance between Chester to Cairnryan is 244 miles. It takes approximately 4h 20m to drive from Chester to Cairnryan.
There are 212+ hotels available in Cairnryan.







































