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Belfast–Bangor line

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Bangor line
NI Railways Class 3000 approaching Seahill.
Overview
StatusOperational
LocaleNorthern Ireland
Termini
Stations14
Service
TypeCommuter rail
Regional rail
Heavy rail
SystemNI Railways
ServicesBelfast-Bangor
Operator(s)NI Railways
Rolling stockClass 3000 "C3K"
Class 4000 "C4K"
Technical
Number of tracksDouble track
Track gauge1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
ElectrificationUn-electrified
Operating speed70 mph (110 km/h)
Route map

(Click to expand)
Year
closed
Great Victoria Street
2024
Belfast Grand Central Belfast-Derry railway line Belfast-Dublin railway line Belfast-Larne railway line Belfast-Newry railway line Bus interchange
City Hospital Belfast-Derry railway line Belfast-Larne railway line
Botanic Tunnel
Botanic Belfast-Derry railway line Belfast-Larne railway line
Lanyon Place Belfast-Derry railway line Belfast-Larne railway line
Titanic Quarter
(Bridge End)
Queen's Quay
1976
1950
Ballymacarrett
1976
Victoria Park
1981
Sydenham Belfast City Airport
Tillysburn
1945
Kinnegar
1957
Holywood
Marino
Cultra
Craigavad
1957
Seahill
Helen's Bay
Crawfordsburn
1997
Carnalea
Bangor West
Bangor Bus interchange

The Belfast to Bangor line (known simply as the Bangor line by NI Railways[1]) is a railway line in Northern Ireland, originally part of the Belfast & County Down Railway. All services are operated by NI Railways, the only operator for Northern Ireland (NI). Unlike the rest of the United Kingdom, no railway in NI is part of the National Rail network and none is owned by Network Rail. Services run every half-hour, with up to six trains per hour in each direction (3 express and 3 stopping services) at peak times.[2]

All NIR services on this line terminate at Belfast Grand Central stopping at stations in between.

Until 2024, trains operated as through services between Bangor and Portadown or Newry via Lanyon Place and Great Victoria Street. Since the opening of Grand Central station, Bangor Line trains now terminate and start back from Grand Central, with services to Portadown and Newry operating separately from Grand Central.[3][2][4]

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The Belfast-Bangor Line is part of the key link into Belfast city centre. Trains run from Lanyon Place to Sydenham for planes from George Best Belfast City Airport.

Museum rail access

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The Bangor Line serves important museums including the Ulster Museum, where passengers can alight at Botanic and for the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum alight at Cultra.

There is a private rail siding at Cultra[5] which is used occasionally for access by the museum to the main rail network, but is not used by passenger services.

The Odyssey & Titanic Quarter

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Passengers can alight at Titanic Quarter station for the Odyssey Arena and the Titanic Quarter.

References

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  1. ^ "NI Railways Route Map" (PDF). Translink. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Bangor-Portadown Line Timetable". Translink. Archived from the original on 29 March 2024. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  3. ^ "Bangor Line Timetable From Sunday 13 October 2024 - To Sunday 08 December 2024". translink.co.uk. Translink. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  4. ^ "BGCS Works". translink.co.uk. Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Northern Ireland Railways Network Statement 2025" (PDF). Translink. 31 January 2024. p. 15. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024. There are some connections to private sidings at Whitehead and Cultra.