Post by James Fujita on Apr 19, 2011 23:28:20 GMT -8
It's been a week and I'm still organizing photos, but I thought I would treat you to a glimpse into what Ireland's rail system is like... at least, the American tourist's impression ;D
We started from Dublin Airport. Nice place.
We took a bus from there to Belfast. Typical intercity bus, nothing too special. Very early in the morning on a Sunday so no traffic.
An Irish intercity bus ticket vending machine.
The border between Ireland and Northern Ireland is unmarked to avoid trouble. Here's what it might look like.
Our bus arrived at Great Victoria Street Railway Station, one of two major stations in Belfast (the other is Belfast Central, which oddly isn't very central). Great Victoria Street is very central and it was near our hotel. Not very impressive, but the Europa Hotel (not our hotel) is on top of it.
Best thing about the station was the shopping mall which linked the station with the busy downtown. More stations should be like that.
Belfast's buses are pink. Belfast's city bus system, Ulster Bus (intercity) and the Northern Ireland Railways all seem to be part of the same system.
Even the Giant's Causeway shuttle bus is part of Translink.
We did most of our sightseeing by tour bus or taxi, but we rode this articulated intercity bus to Derry.
Like most of the United Kingdom, trains in Northern Ireland are all diesel, including the Enterprise from Belfast to Dublin.
A lot of Irish intercity trains are diesel as well.
These DMU trains are marked "commuter".
But, the Dublin area has electric commuter trains. DART, the Dublin Area Rail Transit, reminded me of something from Japan. My tourist map calls DART the oldest suburban railway...
Commuter trains in Dublin have faregates
Dublin's most famous trains are probably the low-floor, light rail tram system known as Luas.
I rode Luas a couple of times.
I could see a low-floor streetcar in Los Angeles, especially downtown.
We started from Dublin Airport. Nice place.
We took a bus from there to Belfast. Typical intercity bus, nothing too special. Very early in the morning on a Sunday so no traffic.
An Irish intercity bus ticket vending machine.
The border between Ireland and Northern Ireland is unmarked to avoid trouble. Here's what it might look like.
Our bus arrived at Great Victoria Street Railway Station, one of two major stations in Belfast (the other is Belfast Central, which oddly isn't very central). Great Victoria Street is very central and it was near our hotel. Not very impressive, but the Europa Hotel (not our hotel) is on top of it.
Best thing about the station was the shopping mall which linked the station with the busy downtown. More stations should be like that.
Belfast's buses are pink. Belfast's city bus system, Ulster Bus (intercity) and the Northern Ireland Railways all seem to be part of the same system.
Even the Giant's Causeway shuttle bus is part of Translink.
We did most of our sightseeing by tour bus or taxi, but we rode this articulated intercity bus to Derry.
Like most of the United Kingdom, trains in Northern Ireland are all diesel, including the Enterprise from Belfast to Dublin.
A lot of Irish intercity trains are diesel as well.
These DMU trains are marked "commuter".
But, the Dublin area has electric commuter trains. DART, the Dublin Area Rail Transit, reminded me of something from Japan. My tourist map calls DART the oldest suburban railway...
Commuter trains in Dublin have faregates
Dublin's most famous trains are probably the low-floor, light rail tram system known as Luas.
I rode Luas a couple of times.
I could see a low-floor streetcar in Los Angeles, especially downtown.