Case study · Belfast · Grand Central Station
Translink Belfast — Ireland's biggest hub becomes audible.
Rail, Goldliner, Ulsterbus and Metro under one roof: Belfast Grand Central rolls out NaviLens on platforms, bus stands, exits and services to guide every traveller by voice in 42 languages.
Translink
Integrated public-transport operator of Northern Ireland
Grand Central
Largest transport hub on the island
8 + 26
Rail platforms and bus stands
42
Voice languages supported
The client
Translink
— Belfast Grand Central
Translink is Northern Ireland's integrated public-transport operator. It brings together NI Railways, Ulsterbus, Goldliner and Metro Belfast, and connects the region with the Republic of Ireland and Belfast's airports.
Belfast Grand Central Station opened in 2024 as the largest integrated transport facility on the island of Ireland: 8 rail platforms, 26 bus stands and airport services. NaviLens is present on platforms, stands, exits, toilets and ticket machines.
§ The challenge
An intermodal station, read out loud.
- 01
A brand-new, huge station
Opened in 2024, Belfast Grand Central brings NI Railways trains, Goldliner, Ulsterbus and Metro together in one building. Finding your way across three levels, 8 rail platforms and 26 bus stands is a challenge even for regular travellers.
- 02
Dynamic information on screens
Stands, platforms and ticket machines show live information (Stand 7–10, Stand 20 Sydenham, Stand 23, Platform 4) on digital displays that aren't readable for people with sight loss or who don't read English.
- 03
Coherence with tactile paving and exits
Every junction of tactile guidance, every exit (Durham Street Exit) and every service (accessible toilets, baby-change room, Translink machines) needed an audible information layer to guarantee a truly independent journey.
§ The solution
One code per platform, stand and service.
Translink places NaviLens codes next to every overhead stand and platform display. Pointing the phone, the free app reads out the stand/platform number, the services (212 Derry, 300 Aldergrove, 600 Sydenham…) and the next departure in the user's language.
The layer extends to exits (Durham Street), accessible toilets, the baby-change room and Translink ticket machines — with no civil works and fully compatible with the operator's blue and green corporate signage.
§ Timeline
From opening to accessible hub.
- 2024
Belfast Grand Central Station opens
Translink opens the largest integrated station on the island of Ireland, bringing NI Railways trains and Goldliner, Ulsterbus and Metro services under one roof.
- 11 Sep 2024
Official Translink Accessibility Guide
Translink publishes the Belfast Grand Central Station «Accessibility Guide» —in PDF and audio— produced with Imtac, Guide Dogs NI, RNIB and other stakeholders. It recognises NaviLens as the accessible wayfinding layer of the hub.
- Rollout
NaviLens across platforms and stands
NaviLens codes on platform headers (Platform 1, Platform 4), on every bus stand (7–10, 20, 23…), exits (Durham Street, Grosvenor Road), accessible toilets and Translink ticket machines.
- 20 May 2025
Guide Dogs UK recognition
Peter Lock, Principal Habilitation Specialist at Guide Dogs UK, publishes a blog highlighting Belfast Grand Central as a benchmark accessible station thanks to NaviLens and the colour-coded tactile paving.
- Today
Permanent accessible layer
Translink keeps NaviLens as a free tool for people with sight loss, travellers with reduced mobility and international tourists arriving at the hub.
§ Walkthrough
Platforms, stands and services out loud.
Platform
Platform 4 — NI Railways
Platform 4 header with a NaviLens code next to the platform pictogram. The app reads «Platform 4 · 06:35 Carrickfergus, Downshire · 07:10 Londonderry» while a 3010 train waits on the track.
Platform
Tactile junction with three codes
Three NaviLens codes placed at the junction of the tactile guidance lines on the platform approach: left, right and centre, so the app can tell you which way to go.
Bus
Stand 7–10 — Derry / Aldergrove
Overhead display of Stands 7–10 with services 212 to Derry Londonderry and 300 to Belfast International Airport (Aldergrove). The NaviLens code above the screen mirrors the information by voice.
Bus
Stand 20 — Sydenham
Stand 20 with service 600 to Sydenham (George Best Belfast City Airport). The NaviLens code next to the stand number lets you hear the destination and next service without reading the screen.
Bus
Stand 23
Stand 23 with a NaviLens code next to the number and the «Refer to timetables» display. Identifies the stand from several metres away, no focusing required.
Exit
Durham Street Exit
Exit sign to Durham Street with an integrated NaviLens code. The app guides you to the correct exit of the hub and connects to Belfast's street network.
Facilities
Baby-change room
NaviLens code next to the baby changing room door. Identifies the service without relying on the visual pictogram.
Access
Pedestrian access & assistive info
«Assistive information — scan this code and get accessible wayfinding information» sign with NaviLens and QR. An explicit layer for users with sight loss.
Tickets
Train tickets — Translink
Four Translink sales and top-up machines. NaviLens codes embedded in the «Train tickets» header guide travellers to the correct queue and read the operating instructions.
Detail
NaviLens code on the floor
Close-up of the NaviLens code at the tactile junction on the platform: the app detects it from several metres away, even from a low angle.
Platform
Platform 1 — Larne / Whitehead
Platform 1 header with a NaviLens code next to the large «1». The app reads out the destination and the calling-at services: Larne Harbour, Whitehead, Carrickfergus or Yorkgate.
Exit
Exit · Grosvenor Road
Blue «Exit (Grosvenor Road)» sign with embedded NaviLens code. When scanned, the app announces the exit to Grosvenor Road and links to the hub's outer street network.
Facilities
Toilets · overhead sign
Overhead sign with pictograms for male, female, baby-change and accessible toilets. The NaviLens code lets you locate the toilet block without reading the signage.
Facilities
Accessible Toilet · door
Access to the KCC accessible toilet with push button, NFC reader and a NaviLens code next to the automatic door. The app announces «Accessible Toilet — Red engaged, Green free» before you enter.
Detail
Floor code · stairs
NaviLens code at the foot of a flight of stairs, aligned with the tactile guidance line. Marks a key decision point: go up, continue straight or take the lift.
§ What they said
What they said, in their own words.
“Armed with a mobile phone and the NaviLens app, the floor comes alive with audio instructions, providing you with information at key junctions to allow you to make an informed choice of which way you can turn, and where each branch may take you.”
“This is by no means perfect but having a vision impairment myself, it's a big stride in the right direction for inclusion and independent travel. In most instances the need for any assistance is totally removed.”
“Belfast Grand Central Station is set to be the largest fully integrated, multi-modal transport facility on the island of Ireland. Working alongside our key stakeholders, accessibility has been at the heart of the design — including NaviLens technology to support customers with sight loss to navigate the station independently.”
§ Results
A hub for everyone.
100% free
NaviLens / NaviLens GO app at no cost to the traveller
Voice + 42 languages
Service, destination, time and stand read aloud
Multimodal
Rail, urban bus, intercity and airport in the same accessibility language
§ And your network?
Your next station can also speak.
Tell us about your network, your pain points and the KPIs you want to move. We’ll show you how NaviLens would fit —with comparable cases.
