Planning this Scotland to Dublin trip had me scratching my head for days. Let me break down how I actually tested the options myself instead of just reading forum posts.
The research phase
First thing I did was dump all possible routes on my kitchen table:
- Option 1: Fly direct Glasgow to Dublin
- Option 2: Overnight ferry from Cairnryan
- Option 3: Drive through Northern Ireland + ferry
Actually trying the flight
Booked the cheapest Glasgow-Dublin flight I found. Woke up at 4am to catch the airport bus. Security lines crawled like snails – nearly missed boarding despite arriving “early”. Flight itself? Fine, just cramped. But here’s the kicker: spent 6 hours total door-to-door when you count bus transfers and waiting around airports. Luggage fees murdered my budget too.
Ferry experiment
Next attempt was the Cairnryan to Belfast ferry. Drove down from Edinburgh in pissing rain. Boarding felt chaotic with cars backing up everywhere. Once aboard, discovered my “cabin” smelled like stale cigarettes. Tried sleeping through engine vibrations – impossible. Next morning dragged myself off the ship, drove 2 more hours to Dublin through endless roundabouts. Total time: 15 soul-crushing hours. Pros? Could bring unlimited snacks.
Final option: Road trip + short ferry
Gathered mates for this one. Split petrol costs five ways. Drove from Glasgow to Cairnryan (3 hours), then hopped the 2 hour ferry to Larne. Weirdly efficient compared to overnight ferry. Grabbed sandwiches while driving through Northern Ireland countryside. Actual border crossing? Literally just a signpost – no checks. Total drive time after docking was another 2 hours. Big win: scenery was mint, and everyone chipped in for fuel.
So what actually worked?
Straight comparison based on my ass-in-seat time:
- Plane: Fastest but most stressful & expensive with hidden costs
- Overnight Ferry: Budget-friendly if you ignore sanity loss. Like sleeping in a washing machine
- Drive + Short Ferry: Surprisingly smooth with friends. Cost split made it cheapest overall
Ended up booking Drive/Ferry combo for my next trip. Pro tip: book ferry slots WAY earlier than you think – slots disappear faster than biscuits at tea time.
