24/09/2018

Guide To Glide

Glider is the new, effortless and smooth way to travel. It’s easy to use, frequent, accessible and excellent value, running approximately every 7 to 8 minutes throughout most of the day.

The Glider G1 service operates a direct cross-city service between east and west Belfast and the Glider G2 service operates between Belfast City Centre and Titanic Quarter. Glider is fully integrated with Metro with the same great value fares and tickets which you can use on both Glider and Metro.

Where do I get Glider in the city centre?
G1 Services eastbound pick up at Wellington Place, Chichester Street and Custom House Square. G1 Services westbound pick up at May Street (St George’s Market), May Street (City Hall) and College Square East. G2 Services to Titanic Quarter pick up at May Street (St George’s Market), May Street (City Hall), Wellington Place, Chichester Street and Custom House Square.

What’s new?
With Glider you complete all your ticketing before you board with ticket vending machines and Smartcard validators at every halt speeding up boarding. Simply buy a ticket or tap your Smartcard and when Glider arrives push the button on the door. Glider also has improved passenger information and greater bus priority along the routes.

Facilities on board
The new Glider vehicles are modern, high capacity (carrying up to 105 passengers) and feature:
• free Wi-Fi and USB charging points in seated areas;
• audio visual passenger information and CCTV;
• double glazing with air conditioning; and
• a mixture of accommodation including standard seating, priority seating, wheelchair space, space for prams, buggies and standing room.

Metro Feeder services
• Dedicated Metro Feeder services will operate from Ballybeen (4A) and Coopers Mill (4B) to connect with Glider G1 services at Dundonald Park and Ride, where they will terminate.
• Dedicated Metro Feeder services will operate from Poleglass (10C), Lagmore (Mount Eagles 10D) and Twinbrook (10E) to connect with Glider G1 services at the Colin Connect stop on the Stewartstown Road, where the Metro Feeder services will terminate.

Ticket to Glide
Before you board Glider you must always buy your ticket or tap your Smartcard.
• Tap your Smartcard or Concessionary SmartPass at a validator.
• Buy a paper ticket for your journey. Cash, Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards are accepted, including Contactless payment.
• mLink app buy one day, weekly and monthly tickets for unlimited travel on the Metro and Glider networks. These tickets automatically activate upon purchase.

Concessionary SmartPass travel on Glider Tap your Concessionary SmartPass on a validator at the Glider halt which will make a beep and display a green tick. You can then board Glider and travel free. Half Fare SmartPass holders are entitled to free travel on Glider. Half Fare SmartPass holders travelling on Metro, NI Railways and Ulsterbus will continue to pay 50% of the single ticket fare.

Metro Feeder service tickets You can choose to buy a single paper ticket on the Metro Feeder service to anywhere on the Glider network or a paper day ticket for travel anywhere on the Glider and Metro networks. If you tap your SmartPass or Smartcard on-board the Metro Feeder bus service, you should also always tap your card at a validator at the Glider halt before boarding Glider. No additional journey or travel will be deducted except if using an Inner Zone Smartlink card.

Choose from our great range of value Smartcards and then simply tap and Glide. Glider has the same great value fares and tickets as Metro.
• dayLink Unlimited day travel on Glider and Metro. Buy travel for one day, 5 or 10 days and use whenever you want.
• Smartlink Weekly or Monthly Travel Card Unlimited travel on Glider and Metro for one week or one month.
• Multi Journey Smartlink Card Ideal if you travel in and out of the City Centre by Glider or Metro. Available for Inner, City and Extended zones. Not valid for Glider journeys across the City Centre. Your limit of travel is displayed on the validator after successful validation. You can check your journey balance by obtaining a mini statement from any Glider ticket vending machine

If a Metro bus comes along and you wish to board, but you have already validated your Smartcard for Glider, just tap your Smartcard on the ticket machine beside the driver when you board Metro. No additional journey will be deducted if you are travelling in the same direction and within 90 minutes of validation at the Glider halt. yLink Smartcard holders should use a ticket vending machine to buy their discounted ticket before boarding Glider.

With the introduction of Glider G1 and G2 some services and stops in Belfast are changing.

Metro 4 Changes
(including services 4a, 4b, 18,19 and 19a)

The Upper Newtownards Road will now be served by Glider G1 services operating cross-city from East (Dundonald Park and Ride) to West (McKinstry Road).

Metro Feeder services to Glider
Service 4a will operate from Ballybeen to Dundonald Park and Ride only as a Metro Feeder Service to connect with Glider G1 service.
Service 4b will operate from Coopers Mill to Dundonald Park and Ride only as a Metro Feeder Service to connect with Glider G1 service

Other Changes
• Service 18 will operate as 4e as a new Metro corridor 4 Dundonald and King’s Road with no change to individual routes.
• Service 19 will operate as 4d as a new Metro corridor 4 Dundonald and King’s Road with no change to individual routes.
• Service 19a will operate as 4c as a new Metro corridor 4 Dundonald and King’s Road with no change to individual routes.
• Service 4x will be replaced with Glider G1 service

Metro 10 Changes
(including services 10a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, x, 80 and 81)

The Falls Road will now be served by Glider G1 services operating cross-city from West (McKinstry Road) to East (Dundonald Park and Ride).

Metro Feeder services to Glider
Service 10c will operate from Poleglass to Colin Connect only as a Metro Feeder Service to connect with Glider services.
Service 10d will operate from Lagmore/Mount Eagles to Colin Connect only as a Metro Feeder Service to connect with Glider services.
Service 10e will operate from Twinbrook to Colin Connect only as a Metro Feeder Service to connect with Glider services.

Other Changes
• Service 10b will operate between Belfast City Centre and Glencolin only.
• Service 10f and 10g will operate additional services during school times only.
• Service 10h will operate from Saint Anne’s (Blacks Road) via Suffolk Road, Glen Road and Falls Road to Belfast City Centre.
• Service 82 will operate as 10j as part of the Metro corridor 10 Falls Road with no change to route.
• Service 10a, 10x, 80, 80a, 81 and 81a NO CHANGE

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