Holyhead - Dublin ferry
Holyhead - Dublin ferry | |||
Location Map ( geo) | |||
![]() | |||
The Ulysses at Holyhead | |||
| |||
From: | Holyhead | ||
To: | Dublin | ||
Distance: | 108.5 km (67.4 miles) | ||
County | |||
Anglesey • Dublin | |||
Opening Date | |||
c1801 | |||
Current Operator | |||
Irish Ferries & Stena Line | |||
Toll | |||
from £69 (Cars) | |||
On road(s) | |||
• A55 • R131 | |||
Crossings related to the A55 | |||
Crossings related to the R131 | |||
The Dublin to Holyhead route is the major ferry crossing from Ireland to Great Britain. While not as short as Cairnryan to Larne, and not long enough to allow overnight rest (e.g. Birkenhead to Belfast or Liverpool to Dublin), it offers a short-sea route with excellent road connections to major destinations on both sides. For this reason the route is known in Ireland as the 'land bridge' route to Europe, as the route is a key road road for freight from Ireland to travel to the continent via Wales, England, and the channel ports.
Services
The route is operated by Irish Ferries and Stena Line, and connects the M50 Dublin Port Tunnel with the A55 North Wales Expressway. It is also possible to travel by train, though there is currently no direct rail connection at the Dublin end - a bus service (most recently operated by Nolan Coaches) can take passengers to the R105 St George's Quay, close to Tara Street and Connolly stations.
At one time, the Irish Ferries ship Ulysses was the biggest ro-pax ferry in the world and was featured in a Discovery Channel documentary. Most sailings are under four hours, however, Irish Ferries also operate a high speed service which completes the crossing in under two hours, previously with the HSC Johnathan Swift and from 2018 using the Dublin Swift. This service only runs during March - September, and only then when the wave height is lower than 1m. If the Swift is cancelled, passengers are automatically put on the next crossing, however this may be several hours later, and use a slower (but more reliable) service. Consequently, the Swift has attracted complaints about its reliability.
In 2021, Stena Line reduced the service on this route, opening a new service from Holyhead to Belfast to cater for changing demand patterns on the Irish Sea as a result of the Coronavirus Pandemic and Brexit.
History
The Holyhead - Dublin route has been the principal crossing between Britain and Ireland since Thomas Telford constructed an improved mail route in 1821-23 (which is now the A5) to allow a shorter ferry crossing than Liverpool. The original ferry loading point was at the Admiralty Arch, Holyhead, which was also the original end of the A5. From the mid-19th to the mid-20th century, rail became the preferred mode of transport. After goods transport by road became popular, the port was redeveloped, and the current terminal meets the A55 further inland, while the ferries dock on Salt Island, further north. Similarly, the Port of Dublin has been redeveloped over reclaimed land and the Holyhead ferries dock towards the east of the port, while Liverpool ferries dock to the west.
Routes
British Side
Route | To | Notes |
Holyhead, Bangor |
Irish Side
Route | To | Notes |
Dublin Airport, Drogheda, Belfast (M50), East-Link Bridge, Ringsend |
Ferries
Name | IMO | Operator | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Stena Estrid | 9807293 | Stena Line | 2020-date | |
Stena Adventurer | 9235529 | Stena Line | 2003-date | |
HSS Dublin Swift | 9243227 | Irish Ferries | 2018-date | |
Epsilon | 9539054 | Irish Ferries | 2013-date | Shared with Dublin to Cherbourg |
Ulysses | 9214991 | Irish Ferries | 2001-date | |
WB Yeates | 9809679 | Irish Ferries | 2019-date | Shared with Dublin to Cherbourg (typically operates this route during winter months) |
Superfast X | 9211511 | Stena Line | 2015-2020 | |
Oscar Wilde | 8506311 | Irish Ferries | Provides some seasonal operations to increase capacity temporarily, e.g. around Christmas | |
Isle of Inishmore | 9142605 | Irish Ferries | 1997-2001 | |
Isle of Innisfree | 9107942 | Irish Ferries | 1995-1997 | |
Leinster | 7915228 | B&I Line | 1988-1993 | Subsequently operated as Isle of Inishturk on Pembroke to Rosslare route |
Stena Nordica | 9215505 | Stena Line | 2009-2015 | |
HSS Jonathan Swift | 9188881 | Irish Ferries | ? - 2018 | |
Stena Seatrader | 7301491 | Stena Line | ?-2008 | |
Stena Traveller | 8917390 | Stena Line | 1995-? | |
Stena Cambria | 7813937 | Stena Line | 1991-1996 |
Links
RTE
- Irish Ferries Launch Isle of Inishmore (1996)
- Ulysses Car Ferry (2001)
Irish times