Yes, and this is one of the strongest reasons to plan a private transfer through this area. Several iconic filming locations used in Game of Thrones are clustered in County Antrim within a short distance of Ballymena. The Dark Hedges, the atmospheric beech tree tunnel known to fans as the Kingsroad, is one of the most photographed spots in Northern Ireland and lies just a short drive away. Ballintoy Harbour, Cushendun Caves, and Larrybane are all reachable within an hour. A Daytrip driver familiar with the region can connect these stops into a single efficient route rather than leaving you to piece it together with a rental car and a map.
Public transport will get you between Belfast and Ballymena, but it deposits you at a station with no practical way to reach the coastal attractions, filming locations, or rural glens that make this region worth visiting. The rail journey covers the roughly 45 km (28 miles) between the two cities in around 45 minutes, but from Ballymena town center you would still need separate arrangements to reach Glenariff Forest Park, the Antrim coast, or the Dark Hedges. A Daytrip private transfer runs door to door on your schedule, and you can add sightseeing stops along the way so the journey itself becomes part of the experience rather than a logistics problem to solve.
Ballymena works well in both roles. As a town it has a genuine local character, a busy market heritage, and the kind of everyday Northern Irish life that travelers who want something beyond the tourist trail tend to appreciate. The nearby Braid River valley and the surrounding Antrim hills offer low-key walking and countryside that does not appear in most guidebooks. That said, many travelers find Ballymena most rewarding as a strategic stop on a longer route, whether between Belfast and the Causeway Coast or as a natural midpoint on a journey across Northern Ireland. A private transfer gives you the freedom to treat it as either, without being locked into a fixed itinerary.
The route between Belfast and Ballymena passes through some of the most scenic countryside in Northern Ireland, and there is genuine flexibility in how you shape it. Travelers often ask to stop at Carrickfergus Castle, a well-preserved Norman castle that sits right along the coast between the two cities. Others prefer to extend slightly toward the Antrim Glens, visiting Glenariff, sometimes called the Queen of the Glens, for its woodland trails and waterfalls. If you are connecting onward to the Causeway Coast, stops at the Rope Bridge at Carrick-a-Rede or the coastal village of Cushendall can be built into the transfer at your request.
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So, so happy I stumbled upon this website to book two private transports while visiting Lima, Peru. They were both one-way trips approximately 3 hours in length. Great communication as soon as everything was booked via email and I then downloaded their app. I had a few issues with the app and the customer service was awesome trying to assist me in getting it corrected. Honestly impressive customer service which gave you a positive feeling that you made the right choice. Both drivers were right on time - No issues whatsoever! Can't say enough about the service and ease of everything when travelling so far away. Great job to the daytrip team! Would strongly recommend.
Ballymena sits at the heart of County Antrim, roughly 45 km (28 miles) northwest of Belfast and within easy reach of some of Northern Ireland's most celebrated landscapes. From here, the Antrim Coast and Glens are practically on your doorstep, putting the Causeway Coastal Route, the Dark Hedges, and Carrickfergus Castle all within a comfortable day's drive. Rather than committing to Belfast accommodation and fighting city traffic each morning, Ballymena gives travelers a quieter starting point with direct access to the region's most rewarding scenery.
The Antrim Coast and Glens Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covers a wide stretch of coastline and inland valleys that are genuinely difficult to experience fully without your own transport. Distances between highlights can seem modest on a map but the roads are narrow, coastal, and often winding, which means journey times vary and driving an unfamiliar route takes concentration that cuts into the enjoyment. Having a local driver handle navigation means you can focus on the scenery, get recommendations on where to stop for the best viewpoints, and adjust the route in real time if weather or timing shifts your priorities. For visitors with limited days in Northern Ireland, this is often the difference between seeing the region and actually experiencing it.
Daytrip is a private car service platform that connects you with local drivers who will transport you door-to-door. We also give you the opportunity to explore sights/attractions along the way. We drive, you discover.
Daytrip offers private door-to-door transfers with optional sightseeing stops, hourly driver hire, and curated day trips â all with local English-speaking drivers and operating across 130+ countries.
For private trips, you can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before departure. For the Daytrip Pool shared shuttle, we offer 3 ticket options when booking: Non-refundable, Flexible with cancellations 24 hours before departure, and Super-flexible with cancellations up to 15 minutes before departure.
Yes! Book a private, door-to-door airport transfer with a local English-speaking driver. Enjoy fixed and transparent pricing, no hidden fees, and the option to pay in advance without the hassle of exchanging cash at a foreign airport.
You will receive the vehicle that best fits the number of travelers in your group, ranging from a sedan to a van for groups of up to 7. Depending where you travel, you can book anything from a sedan comparable to a Toyota Corolla to a Mercedes V-Class to a Classic Cuban Car. While the exact model may vary, we always ensure that the vehicle provided meets your needs in terms of safety, reliability, and comfort. You may be upgraded to a larger vehicle class free of charge depending on availability. Since our largest vehicle seats 7, for groups larger a combination of vehicles will be used. We will send you the exact vehicle details a few days before your trip.
Everywhere except the USA, drivers will supply appropriate child seats (just let us know during booking). In the USA, certain states require you to supply your own child seats.
