There are 10 ways to get from Preston to Ballymena by train, plane, bus, car ferry, busferry, or car
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Train to Manchester Airport, fly to George Best Belfast City Airport, train
best- Take the train from Preston 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 Ballymenatrain
4h 52m£56–154Train to Manchester Airport, fly to Belfast International Airport
cheapest- Take the train from Preston to Manchester Airporttrain
- Fly from Manchester Airport (MAN) to Belfast International Airport (BFS)plane MAN - BFS
4h 52m£46–141Train, Bus, car ferry
- Take the train from Preston to Glasgow Centraltrain
- Take the bus from Glasgow Buchanan to Cairnryan Stena Terminalbus 923
- Take the car ferry from Cairnryan to Belfastcarferry
- Take the train from York Street to Ballymenatrain Re
11h 21mTrain, car ferry
- Take the train from Preston to Liverpool Lime Streettrain
- Take the car ferry from Liverpool to Belfastcarferry
- Take the train from York Street to Ballymenatrain Re
12h 38m£57–129Bus, bus and ferry, train
- Take the bus from Bus Station to Bus Stationbus 181
- Take the busferry from Glasgow Buchanan to Belfast, Europa Buscentrebusferry 923
- Take the train from Belfast Grand Central to Ballymenatrain Re
12h 42mTrain, train to Liverpool, fly to Belfast International Airport
- Take the train from Preston to Warrington Bank Quaytrain
- Take the train from Warrington Central to Liverpool South Parkwaytrain
- Fly from Liverpool (LPL) to Belfast International Airport (BFS)plane LPL - BFS
- Take the train from Antrim to Ballymenatrain
4h 56m£55–141Train to Liverpool, fly to George Best Belfast City Airport, train
- Take the train from Preston to Warrington Bank Quaytrain
- Fly from Liverpool (LPL) to George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD)plane LPL - BHD
- Take the train from Belfast Lanyon Place to Ballymenatrain
4h 56m£61–154Train to Leeds Bradford International Airport, fly to George Best Belfast City Airport, train
- Take the train from Preston to Bradford Interchangetrain
- Fly from Leeds Bradford International Airport (LBA) to George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD)plane LBA - BHD
- Take the train from Belfast Lanyon Place to Ballymenatrain
6h 30m£72–172Bus, bus and ferry
- Take the bus from Bus Station to Buchanan Bus Stationbus
- Take the busferry from Glasgow Buchanan to Belfast, Europa Buscentrebusferry 923
- Take the bus from Bridge Street to Ballymena Bus & Rail Centrebus 218 / ...
13hDrive, car ferry
- Drive from Preston to Cairnryancar
- Take the car ferry from Cairnryan to Larnecarferry
5h 52m£77–295
Preston to Ballymena by train, foot, car ferry, and bus
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Preston to Ballymena is to train and car ferry which costs £55 - £130 and takes 12h 38m.
The fastest way to get from Preston to Ballymena is to train and fly which takes 4h 52m and costs £55 - £160.
No, there is no direct bus from Preston station to Ballymena. However, there are services departing from Bus Station and arriving at Ballymena Bus & Rail Centre via Glasgow Buchanan and Bridge Street. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 13h.
The distance between Preston and Ballymena is 249 miles.
The best way to get from Preston to Ballymena without a car is to train and Bus and car ferry which takes 11h 21m and costs .
It takes approximately 4h 52m to get from Preston to Ballymena, including transfers.
Preston to Ballymena bus services, operated by FlixBus, depart from Bus Station.
Preston to Ballymena bus services, operated by FlixBus, arrive at Buchanan Bus Station.
There are 235+ hotels available in Ballymena.
What companies run services between Preston, England and Ballymena, Mid and East Antrim, Northern Ireland?
There is no direct connection from Preston to Ballymena. However, you can take the train to Manchester Airport, walk to Manchester Airport (MAN) airport, fly to George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD), walk to George Best Belfast City Airport, take the line 600 bus to Bridge End, walk to Belfast Lanyon Place, then take the train to Ballymena. Alternatively, you can take a train from Preston to Ballymena via Glasgow Central, Waterloo Street, George Square, Glasgow Buchanan, Cairnryan Stena Terminal, Cairnryan, Port Of Belfast, Stena Line terminus, Nelson Street Bus Lane, and York Street in around 11h 21m.
- Website
- easyjet.com
Flights from Manchester Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £30–110
Flights from Manchester Airport to Belfast International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £35–110
Flights from Liverpool to Belfast International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £28–100
Flights from Liverpool to George Best Belfast City Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- £35–100
- Website
- aerlingus.com
Flights from Manchester Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 8m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £35–120
Flights from Leeds Bradford International Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £40–120
- Website
- ryanair.com
Flights from Manchester Airport to Belfast International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £19–70
- Phone
- +44 800 200 6060
- [email protected]
- Website
- northernrailway.co.uk
Train from Preston to Manchester Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 16m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £16–30
- Website
- https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/
Train from Preston to Liverpool Lime Street
- Ave. Duration
- 52 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £14–25
- Website
- https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/
Train from Preston to Manchester Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 16m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £16–30
- Website
- https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/
Train from Warrington Central to Liverpool South Parkway
- Ave. Duration
- 25 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £5–9
- Website
- https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/
Train from Preston to Bradford Interchange
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 21m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £20–40
- Website
- https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 345 600 1671
- [email protected]
- Website
- tpexpress.co.uk
Train from Preston to Manchester Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £15–26
- Website
- https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/
Train from Preston to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 36m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £65–120
- Website
- https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/
Train from Preston to Liverpool Lime Street
- Ave. Duration
- 47 min
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £12–22
- Website
- https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/
Train from Preston to Manchester Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £15–26
- Website
- https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/
Train from Warrington Central to Liverpool South Parkway
- Ave. Duration
- 14 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £4–8
- Website
- https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 28 9066 6630
- Website
- translink.co.uk
Train from Belfast Lanyon Place to Ballymena
- Ave. Duration
- 39 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–12
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Train from York Street to Ballymena
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–12
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Train from York Street to Ballymena
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–12
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Train from Belfast Grand Central to Ballymena
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–12
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Train from Antrim to Ballymena
- Ave. Duration
- 12 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £6–9
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Train from Belfast Lanyon Place to Ballymena
- Ave. Duration
- 39 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–12
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Train from Belfast Lanyon Place to Ballymena
- Ave. Duration
- 39 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–12
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 (0)345 528 0253
- Website
- avantiwestcoast.co.uk
Train from Preston to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 19m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £65–120
- Website
- https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
Train from Preston to Warrington Bank Quay
- Ave. Duration
- 22 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £9–16
- Website
- https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
Train from Preston to Warrington Bank Quay
- Ave. Duration
- 22 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £9–16
- Website
- https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 330 060 0500
- [email protected]
- Website
- sleeper.scot
Train from Preston to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 28m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- £55–90
- Website
- https://www.sleeper.scot/
- Phone
- 03457 125 678
- Website
- eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk
Train from Warrington Central to Liverpool South Parkway
- Ave. Duration
- 19 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £6–10
- Website
- https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.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/
Busferry from Glasgow Buchanan to Belfast, Europa Buscentre
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Busferry from Glasgow Buchanan to Belfast, Europa Buscentre
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Bus from Bridge Street to Ballymena Bus & Rail Centre
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 (0)3717 81 81 81
- Website
- nationalexpress.com
Bus from Bus Station to Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 55m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £30–80
- Website
- https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
Bus from Bus Station to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 20m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £30–85
- 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 Bus Station to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 55m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £21–35
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- Phone
- +44 844 770 7070
- [email protected]
- Website
- stenaline.dk
Car ferry from Cairnryan to Belfast
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 22m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £12–36
- Website
- https://www.stenalinetravel.com/
- Passenger
- £36
- Car Passenger
- £149
Car ferry from Liverpool to Belfast
- Ave. Duration
- 8h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £36–90
- Website
- https://www.stenalinetravel.com/
- Passenger
- £36
- Car Passenger
- £139
- Phone
- 01304 44 88 88
- [email protected]
- Website
- poferries.com
Car ferry from Cairnryan to Larne
- 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

















































