Tens of thousands of spectators are expected to attend throughout the week. To minimise road traffic congestion and reduce the Championship’s carbon footprint, The R&A is recommending that spectators consider the use of public transport, which will be significantly enhanced for travel convenience, or car share with others in their group. Those staying in the local area should consider active travel (walking, wheeling or cycling).

There will be no public car parking available at Royal Portrush or in the immediate surrounding area. All public parking will be provided at managed Park & Ride sites, with the exception of pre-booked Accessible parking.

To assist with traffic management and reduce congestion in the vicinity of Portrush, temporary traffic regulations and parking restrictions will be introduced. These will be enforced by the Police Service of Northern Ireland in order to minimise disruption to local residents and businesses, assist traffic flow and increase safety and security for all road users.

By Rail

From Belfast

There will be additional early morning trains from Belfast with ticket pre-booking available online on selected services, along with additional evening services from Portrush and Coleraine.

There will also be enhanced capacity on normal timetabled services to Portrush.

Passengers boarding trains in Belfast will be able to travel direct to Portrush without changing.

From Derry~Londonderry

An hourly service will operate to/from Derry~Londonderry and Coleraine terminating at Coleraine, where a bus service will be available to transport passengers to Portrush.

General

Rail timetables, ticket options and online pre-booking will be available on the Translink website.

By Public Bus

Bus/coach timetables, ticket options and online pre-booking for selected services will be available on the Translink website.

Goldline Service

Spectators can use the regular 218 Goldliner coach service from Belfast or 234 Goldline from Derry~Londonderry to Coleraine with easy transfer to the local 140 bus service to Portrush.

Special Belfast – Portrush Coach Service

Additional special coaches will operate between Belfast Grand Central Station in Belfast to Portrush with pre-booking available online.

Local Service 140

During the Championship week, the local Ulsterbus service between Coleraine and Portrush (140 service) will operate at a 5-minute frequency to facilitate passenger flows to/from The Open. This service will stop at major caravan sites along the route to/from Portrush and will also connect with onward journeys to Belfast and Derry-Londonderry.

Local Service 402

The coastal bus service from Ballycastle to Portrush (402 service) will operate at a 20-minute frequency during the week of the Championship and the service will be extended to operate earlier in the morning and later in the evening to accommodate spectators travelling to/from The Open.

By Car or Motorcycle

Spectators choosing to travel to the event by car or motorcycle will be directed to The Open Park & Ride sites by Variable Messaging Signs (VMS) and specific black and yellow event signs provided by The AA.

By Coach or Minibus (including camper vans / RVs)

Spectators choosing to travel to the event by private coach or minibus will be directed to Coach and Minibus parking by Variable Messaging Signs (VMS) and specific black and yellow event signs provided by The AA.

If you are a coach or minibus operator intending to deliver spectators to The Open, click here for more information.

Directions

Fans are advised to turn off satellite navigation systems and follow the appropriate signage to ensure the smoothest journey to and from The Open.

From the South East (Belfast)

Follow the M2 towards Antrim. Take the A26 to Ballymena and follow the M2/A26 towards Coleraine/Portrush. On approach to Coleraine, follow signs for the appropriate parking facility.

From the North West (Derry~Londonderry)

Follow the A2 towards Limavady. Take the A37 then continue on the A29 towards Coleraine/Portrush. On approach to Coleraine, follow signs for the appropriate parking facility.

From the South (Armagh/Mid Ulster)

Follow the A29 towards Coleraine/Portrush. On approach to Coleraine, follow signs for the appropriate parking facility.

From the North East (Ballycastle)

Follow the A2 from Ballycastle to Bushmills. Continue on the A2 and on approach to Portrush follow signs for the appropriate parking facility.

Private Vehicle Parking

Click here for more information about parking at The Open.

By Taxi

There will be a designated taxi rank and private hire drop off/pick-up area in operation for The 153rd Open from 13-20 July. This will be located close to the main public entrance to the course. On approach to The Open, ask the driver to follow signs for taxis and private hire vehicles to avoid the road access restrictions. Demand for taxi and private hire vehicles is expected to be high, so it is strongly recommended to book in advance.

By Bicycle

A bicycle park will be available close to the main entrance to Royal Portrush Golf Club. This will be signposted from the existing cycle paths in the area.

By Air

The below listed airports all operate scheduled flights as well as the arrival and departure of private jets:

• City of Derry Airport (27 miles / 43km away)
• Belfast International Airport (46 miles / 74km away)
• Belfast City Airport (62 miles / 100km away)
• Dublin Airport (158 miles / 252km away)

These airports also accept charter flights. Please contact the airport directly through their websites to book.

An official helicopter landing site will be in operation at The 153rd Open. Further details will be published here when available.

By Sea

Larne is the closest port to Royal Portrush Golf Club with passenger ferry services direct from Scotland. P&O Ferries operates the shortest, fastest and most frequent Irish Sea crossings, from Cairnryan to Larne in just two hours. 

There are both public transport and car hire options available at Larne for passengers travelling without a vehicle. Royal Portrush Golf Club is approximately 52 miles (83 km) away from Larne Port.

For further information and to book, please visit the P&O website.