For a Giant’s Causeway trip from Dublin, two coach day trips are listed online on WizardTrip. They have 8,290 and 5,879 reviews, with ratings of 4.9 out of 5 (as of 18 October 2026). In both cases, the guide speaks English and departure is early in the morning, in central Dublin.
The first, at 13 hours, begins with a political tour of Belfast by Black Cab and includes admission to Dunluce Castle. The second, at 12.5 hours, adds the Dark Hedges but makes only a photo stop at Dunluce. This article compares their schedules, meals and rules, then says which to take based on your profile.
Giant’s Causeway trip from Dublin: what you need to know
The Giant’s Causeway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the north Antrim coast. Both listings attribute it to volcanic activity more than 60 million years old. The site has about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns. The listing for the trip with the Dark Hedges specifies that most of them are hexagonal.
Dublin is in Ireland, the Causeway in Northern Ireland: each trip therefore takes a full day by coach. Neither picks travelers up at the hotel: you join a meeting point in the city center. According to the Dark Hedges listing, the Northern Irish currency is the pound sterling, and most places accept cards.
The 13-hour trip with the Belfast Black Cab tour
The 13-hour trip with the Belfast Black Cab tour offers two meetings in central Dublin. The first is at the Starbucks café at 1 College Green, at 7 am. The second, at 7:05 am, is at the Dublin Bus office at 59 O’Connell Street Upper. The bus is gray, with a silver dog logo.
Arrival in Belfast is planned around 9:15 am, with a restroom and refreshments stop. Next comes the political tour by Black Cab, with 6 people at most per taxi, with a driver-guide from the city. It crosses the Falls and Shankill districts, with their political murals and Peace Walls. You can sign the Peace Wall.
The tour deals with the Troubles, and the listing warns that some subjects may be sensitive. It ends in front of the Titanic Belfast, whose admission is not included; a café and restrooms are on the ground floor. Departure from Belfast is around 11:20 am, by the Antrim Coast Road and the Glens of Antrim.
At Dunluce, around 12:40 pm, you have 30 minutes in the ruins, admission included. Perched on cliffs facing the North Atlantic, the castle may remind Game of Thrones fans of the Pyke fortress, according to the listing.
The Causeway comes around 1:30 pm. The program states 2 hours on site, its detail 2 hours 15 minutes. The listing cites the Giant’s Boot, the Wishing Chair and the Organ. Lunch is not included, and the listing points to a nearby pub for eating. Amanda writes in July 2026: “Bring snacks, there is little time to eat.”
The return generally includes a 20-minute stop at Castlebellingham, around 6:45 pm. Arrival in Dublin is planned around 8 pm, on D’Olier Street, near O’Connell Bridge. The listing reminds you that these times remain approximate and depend on traffic or weather.
The price includes the guide, transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, the program’s admission fees and the Black Cab tour. Meals, drinks, the hotel transfer and restrooms on board are not included. The group has up to 63 people.
The 12.5-hour trip with the Dark Hedges and Belfast
The trip with the Dark Hedges meets at 6:45 am in front of the Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, on Parnell Square N. Arrive 5 to 10 minutes early. The first stop comes about two hours later, at a service area where you can buy sandwiches and snacks. The listing specifies that no lunch stop is planned.
Dunluce Castle is only a 5-minute photo stop, with no admission. The Giant’s Causeway follows, for 1 hour 30 minutes. Grace writes in September 2026: “I wish this tour had stopped at Dunluce Castle rather than just driving past.”
Next come 20 minutes at the Dark Hedges, an avenue of beech trees planted in the 18th century by the Stuart family at the entrance to Gracehill House. The trees form an arch over the road. This avenue appears in Game of Thrones as the King’s Road.
The coach then drops travelers near Belfast City Hall, for about 1 hour. The listing cites the lantern of its 53-meter dome, the Crown Liquor Saloon and Albert Clock. You can end the trip in Belfast; a luggage compartment is available on board during the day. Otherwise, the return to Dublin is planned around 7:30 pm, in front of the same gallery.
Two options exist. Free seats are assigned first come, first served. Reserved seats are in the first 3 rows, left or right side. The price includes a guide with live commentary and an air-conditioned vehicle. Apart from food, drinks and souvenirs, the listing announces no costs on site.
The group has up to 53 people. The listing’s data indicate a possible cancellation in bad weather, without detailing the terms.
The two trips compared
| Black Cab trip | Dark Hedges trip | |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 13 hours | 12.5 hours |
| Departure and return | Departure at 7 am or 7:05 am, return around 8 pm | Departure at 6:45 am, return around 7:30 pm |
| Belfast | Black Cab tour (6 people per taxi at most), then stop at Titanic Belfast | About 1 hour near City Hall; trip can end there |
| Dunluce Castle | 30 minutes, admission included | 5-minute photo stop, admission not included |
| Giant’s Causeway | About 2 hours | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Dark Hedges | No | 20 minutes |
| Meals | Not included; pub near the Causeway | Not included; morning stop at a service area |
| Group and guide | 63 people at most, English-speaking guide | 53 people at most, English-speaking guide |
| Cancellation | Full refund up to 24 hours before | Full refund up to 24 hours before |
| Price | From €85 | From €80 |
Where can you eat during the trip?
Neither listing includes lunch in the price. With the Black Cab tour, the listing mentions a café at Titanic Belfast and a pub near the Causeway. With the Dark Hedges, it recommends a packed lunch, as no lunch stop is planned. The morning stop, at a service area, lets you buy sandwiches and snacks.
Is it suitable for children and people with reduced mobility?
Both listings accept strollers. The Black Cab one nevertheless excludes children aged 2 and under: check this before booking. The Dark Hedges one advises against the trip for young children. If they are used to long coach journeys and walking, it asks for a seat per child and a personal car seat.
On fitness, the listings differ. The first judges the trip suitable for all levels. The second requires at least a moderate level of fitness. It advises against the trip in case of spinal injury, pregnancy or poor cardiovascular health. For the black taxis, accessibility may vary: the listing asks you to notify in advance if an accessible taxi is needed. The other listing does not mention wheelchairs.
Which one should you choose?
- You want to understand Belfast’s recent history: the 13-hour trip and its political Black Cab tour.
- You insist on going inside Dunluce Castle: the same trip, which devotes 30 minutes to it, admission included.
- You want to see the Dark Hedges: the 12.5-hour trip, with 20 minutes on site.
- You want to end the day in Belfast: the 12.5-hour trip, which allows it.
- You want to choose your seat on the coach: the 12.5-hour trip, with its first 3 rows that can be reserved.
For the rest of your stay, the capital’s tours and excursions are gathered on the Things to do in Dublin page. Those of the country are on the Ireland page.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Giant’s Causeway trip from Dublin?
The trip with the Belfast Black Cab tour lasts 13 hours, from a departure around 7 am to a return around 8 pm. The one with the Dark Hedges lasts 12.5 hours, from 6:45 am to about 7:30 pm. Arrival times are approximate.
How long do you stay at the Giant’s Causeway?
The 13-hour trip allows about 2 hours on site, 2 hours 15 minutes in the detail of its listing. The 12.5-hour one allows 1 hour 30 minutes. Neither includes lunch.
Can you go inside Dunluce Castle during the trip?
Only with the 13-hour trip, which allows 30 minutes in the ruins, admission included. The 12.5-hour trip makes only a 5-minute photo stop, with no admission.
Are the Dark Hedges part of the trip from Dublin?
Yes, in the 12.5-hour trip, with 20 minutes on site. The 13-hour trip does not cite them: it goes through Belfast, Dunluce Castle and the Giant’s Causeway.
Should you bring your own food for the Giant’s Causeway from Dublin?
Yes, it is better to. No lunch is included and the listings advise bringing snacks. On the 12.5-hour trip, no lunch stop is planned, but the morning stop lets you buy sandwiches and snacks.
Can you cancel a Giant’s Causeway trip?
Yes, with a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. This is the rule in both listings compared, which both offer immediate confirmation.
Activities mentioned in this guide
All activities in Dublin, with their prices and reviews: Things to do in Dublin
