Straight answers to practical questions about driving, travelling, parking and getting around Northern Ireland.
Yes. Translink’s eligibility guidance includes full-time students on qualifying courses in Northern Ireland, Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.
Yes. Translink currently offers the 24+ Student Railcard free to eligible full-time students aged 24 and above.
No. The 24+ Student Railcard is a rail concession, not a general Metro or Ulsterbus discount card.
No. The 24+ Student Railcard is for eligible students aged 24 or over who attend full-time education.
No. yLink is a concession/discount card, not a prepaid travel card for storing journeys.
Yes. Translink allows yLink holders to register their card number in mLink to access eligible discounted mobile tickets.
No. A yLink card is photo-personalised and must only be used by the named cardholder.
No. Translink states that yLink reductions apply to eligible standard adult tickets and cannot be combined with other special offers or discounted fares.
Yes. Translink advertises yLink discounts of up to 50% on qualifying Enterprise singles and one-month returns, with a separate reduction on weekly and monthly tickets.
Yes. yLink is advertised for eligible NI Railways weekly and monthly tickets as well as singles and qualifying day returns.
Yes. Translink advertises a 50% discount on eligible Ulsterbus and Goldliner cash and mLink single tickets for yLink holders.
The first yLink card is free under Translink’s published application offer.
No. yLink eligibility is based on age, not student status; it is available to people aged 16 to 23.
Translink sells the Family and Friends ticket from drivers on the day of travel, main bus and railway stations, and ticket vending machines at Glider halts.
No. The Metro and Glider Family Day ticket is for Metro and Glider travel, not NI Railways.
Yes. Translink requires the group to travel together when using a Family and Friends ticket.
Under the standard conditions, Family and Friends tickets are available after 9.30am on Mondays to Fridays.
No. The Family and Friends day ticket is expressly valid for travel within Northern Ireland only.
Yes. The Northern Ireland Family and Friends ticket covers eligible Ulsterbus, Goldliner, NI Railways, Metro, Foyle Metro and Glider services within Northern Ireland.
The Family and Friends ticket covers up to two adults and four children, with at least one adult and one child travelling.
Yes. The Department for Infrastructure lists free ferry travel for children under five on the Ballycastle–Rathlin service.
Yes. Translink permits passengers to consume alcohol on Enterprise trains only when it was purchased on board.
No. The Belfast Visitor Pass has a defined Ulsterbus validity area and does not cover general Ulsterbus journeys across Northern Ireland.
Not where a station validator is available. Translink says iLink cards must be validated before each rail journey using the station reader, where provided.
No. Translink requires iLink users to tap the card at a Glider-stop validator before boarding.
Yes. Translink identifies Metro among the services covered by a valid iLink card within its purchased geographic zone.
Yes. Translink offers discounted single or return Enterprise tickets to eligible 60+ SmartPass holders.
Yes. Translink says a valid Senior SmartPass entitles its holder to free Enterprise travel between Belfast and Dublin.
No. Translink states that wheelchair spaces on its bus services are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis at stops.
Yes. Translink lists an accessible toilet among the facilities provided on NI Railways trains.
