Laganside Bus Station
3
3
Date of visit: September 2025
I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: a hidden impairment, accessing toilets and moving around.
I use or have experience of: changing places toilet, disabled toilet, hidden impairment, powerchair, toilet with hoist, toilets, walking aid, wheelchair
Overall Rating
Average
With the arrival of Belfast’s shiny new Grand Central Station, I’ll admit I initially overlooked Laganside Bus Station. There’s no longer a shop or café here, but the station is still very much in use, with buses coming and going from its 11 stances. Between the accessible toilet, accessible buses and three different entrances, I’ve definitely come across worse bus stations on my travels. though I wonder if it might be replaced by Grand Central before long.
Disabled Access In and Around
Average
I arrived via the Donegall Place entrance to the bus station, which I found to be the most accessible. This route faces the River Lagan. This entrance has two automatic doors activated by a touch pad. The left door is pinned shut, which is frustrating, although the door that does open is wide enough for a manual chair. Just look out for the small lip at the threshold. As you enter, there are stairs to your left and a descending ramp to the right. Both the stairs and ramp have handrails on either side. The floor throughout is tiled and there is more than enough space for even the largest mobility devices. There are 11 bus stances at this location, accessed through two sets of automatic sliding doors marked stands 1–6 and 7–11. There are plenty of seats in this area: metal benches with backrests but no armrests. Departure information is displayed on a screen on the wall next to the doors to stands 7–11. The Translink website mentions that there is a hearing loop at the station but I did not see any signage for this. I noticed braille on the bathroom signage but not anywhere else. As for the other entrances, there are two on Marlborough Street. One has two heavy manual glass doors and the other has automatic doors with a touch pad. These open towards the car park. This exit leads to a back street where I found bins and cars parked over pavements, making this a difficult route for wheelchair users. The final entrance is via Prince Street. This route takes you down a side street, has a dropped kerb and leads you through a gate to the bus stances. If you are coming from Queen’s Square this is the easiest and most level route.
Accessible facilities: Drop-off point, Single-level venue, Seating at regular intervals
Parking & Transport
Poor
I travelled to this place by walk or wheel
Parking is available at the Go Park multistorey by the Donegall Quay entrance to the bus station. It has 282 spaces, including some accessible bays, though I couldn’t find the exact number. This car park isn’t owned by the bus station itself, and parking here can be on the pricey side. On-street parking is also available along Ann Street and Victoria Street, but I didn’t spot any designated accessible spaces. If you’re looking for bus connections beyond the 11 stances at Laganside, the closest stop is at Queens Square, where a wide range of services operate, including the 3a, 3j, 4c, 4e, 5a, 5c, 6a, 6d, 6e, 94, 94b, 203a, 203b, 206, 208, 600, 649, 649a and 655.
Accessible facilities: Dedicated off-site parking
Accessible Toilets
Poor
Signage to the toilet is clear, with a yellow square on the wall showing the wheelchair symbol along with braille markings — something I always appreciate. The toilet itself is down a narrow corridor, which doesn’t leave enough space to turn in a wheelchair. If it is occupied, you may find yourself having to reverse back out. The door requires a RADAR key and opens outward. It’s fairly light but awkward to manage in such a tight space. Inside, the toilet is neat. There’s just about enough space to turn a wheelchair and room for a second person if needed. There’s a right-side transfer space that was free of obstructions, which is always a bonus. Grab rails are fitted on both sides of the toilet and by the small sink, which has a lever-style tap. The red cord hangs to the left when seated but it’s in poor condition — no bangles to hold on to, and it looks like it’s been tied back at the ceiling. The facilities are definitely showing their age, but they were clean.
Facilities: Accessible toilet
Staff
Excellent
I spoke to one member of staff when I had to access the loo. They were quick to help and unlocked the door for me.
