The Belfast black taxi cab have been used in Belfast from 1970s. They were used as a means of transport for the working class community in Belfast where The Troubles broke out.

A Taxi Service Instead of Busses

The black taxis were used almost as a bus service on the Falls Road and the Shankill Road. The Falls Road is Catholic/ Irish and the Shankill Road is Protestant/ British meaning all the drivers on the Falls Road were Catholic and on the Shankill Road all the drivers were Protestant. They were used to bring people from the working class communities into the City Centre. People stood at the side of the road and held their hand out when the black taxi was passing.

The Belfast black taxi cab stopped and once you got in, the number of people varied between 4 or 5 strangers in the cab. People felt safe with that number of people in the black taxis. Over the years people have decided with about 50 black taxis left on the Falls Road. And none left on the Shankill Road. Today the main use of the black taxis in Belfast is for tourist transportation.

The Tour

The tourists are picked up from the hotel they are staying in. Then brought around the Shankill and Falls Road where murals are on the gable ends of the homes in communities. The murals are of the history of what is known as the Troubles of Northern Ireland. The drivers bring the tourists into both communities where  the wall art is explained to you in detail. The Troubles ended in 1998 with the signing of the Good Friday Peace Agreement. Ever since the wall murals have become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Belfast. And what better way to see the Belfast murals than to use a Belfast black taxi cab?

Also on your tour check out the Jackie Coulter and Bobby Sands murals, as well as other murals explained in our article here. There is no better way to experience Belfast’s history than to take part in the best black taxi tour in Belfast. Our tours have been praised by TripAdvisor and featured on Rick Steve’s Europe. We offer a Belfast Murals Tour, a Giants Causeway from Belfast tour, and Private Hire services. All perfect for your trip to Belfast. Book today for your taxi tour of Belfast.