Major hub

Large port

Medium port

Small port

Seasonal route

Scotland

141 ports

ports: 141
Operators: 24
McInroy's Point to Hunter's Quay: 20m
Aberdeen to Lerwick: 12h 30m

CalMac, Shetland Islands Council Ferries and 19 other companies sail between 138 ports in Scotland. Ferries also sail to Scotland from Belfast, Larne and Ballycastle. The main crossing, from McInroy's Point to Hunter's Quay, takes 20 minutes and runs 43 times a day; the longest within Scotland, from Aberdeen to Lerwick, takes 12½ hours. Some sailings take cars, others foot passengers only. Some lines are seasonal.

Ferries to Scotland

4 routes

Northern Ireland

Ballycastle to Port EllenKintyre Express1h 15mDaily, in season Ballycastle to CampbeltownKintyre Express1h 30mDaily, in season Larne to CairnryanP&O Ferries2h6 a day Belfast to CairnryanStena Line2h 22m6 a day

Destinations in Scotland

7

Firth of Clyde19 ports Isle of Arran2 ports

Inner Hebrides29 ports Islay2 ports Isle of Jura2 ports Isle of Mull5 ports Isle of Skye5 ports Small Isles4 ports

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs8 ports

Loch Ness2 ports

Outer Hebrides11 ports

Shetland19 ports

Ferry companies in Scotland

Calls at Kennacraig, Port Askaig, Wemyss Bay and 50 other portsCars on some sailings

5m–7h 30m

Shetland Islands Council Ferries

Calls at Laxo, Whalsay, Toft and 14 other portsCars

7m–5h

Calls at Tingwall, Rousay, Kirkwall and 17 other portsCars on some sailings

20m–3h 35m

NorthLink Ferries

Calls at Aberdeen, Lerwick, Kirkwall and two other portsCars

1h 30m–14h 30m

Western Ferries

Calls at McInroy's Point and Hunter's QuayCars

20m

From BelfastCars

2h 22m

From LarneCars

2h

Argyll and Bute Council

Calls at Cuan, Luing, Port Appin and five other portsCars on some sailings

5m–10m

Cruise Loch Lomond

Calls at Balmaha, Luss, Inchcailloch and three other portsFoot passengers onlySeasonal

30m–1h 15m

Pentland Ferries

Calls at Gills Bay and St Margaret's HopeCars

1h 10m

Glenelg Skye Ferry

Calls at Glenelg and KylerheaCarsSeasonal

15m

Calls at Corran and ArdgourCars

5m

Western Isles Cruises

Calls at Mallaig, Inverie and Tarbet (Loch Nevis)Foot passengers only

30m–1h 30m

Highland Ferries

Calls at Cromarty, Nigg, Fort William and CamusnagaulCars on some sailings

10m

Kintyre Express

From BallycastleFoot passengers onlyHigh speedSeasonal

1h 15m–1h 30m

Loch Katrine Cruises

Calls at Trossachs Pier and StronachlacharFoot passengers onlySeasonal

1h

Maid of the Forth

Calls at South Queensferry, Inchcolm, Inchkeith and InchmickeryFoot passengers onlySeasonal

30m–1h 30m

Cruise Loch Ness

Calls at Fort Augustus and Urquhart CastleFoot passengers onlyHigh speedSeasonal

45m

Calls at Leverburgh, St Kilda, Tarbert (Harris) and Shiant IslesFoot passengers onlySeasonal

1h 30m–3h 30m

Calls at Arisaig, Eigg, Muck and RumFoot passengers onlySeasonal

1h–2h 15m

Anstruther Pleasure Cruises

Calls at Anstruther and Isle of MayFoot passengers onlySeasonal

1h

Jura Passenger Ferry

Calls at Tayvallich and CraighouseFoot passengers onlyHigh speedSeasonal

50m

Calls at Sandwick and MousaFoot passengers onlySeasonal

15m

Calls at Tarbet (Sutherland) and Handa IslandFoot passengers onlySeasonal

10m

Questions

Where do ferries to Scotland leave from?

From Belfast to Cairnryan (2 hours 20 minutes, six times a day), Larne to Cairnryan (2 hours, six times a day), Ballycastle to Campbeltown (an hour and a half, every day in season) and Ballycastle to Port Ellen (1 hour 15 minutes, every day in season).

Which ferry companies sail in Scotland?

CalMac: Kennacraig, Port Askaig, Wemyss Bay and 50 other ports. Shetland Islands Council Ferries: Laxo, Whalsay, Toft and 14 other ports. Orkney Ferries: Tingwall, Rousay, Kirkwall and 17 other ports. NorthLink Ferries: Aberdeen, Lerwick, Kirkwall, Stromness and Scrabster. Western Ferries: McInroy's Point and Hunter's Quay. Stena Line: from Belfast. P&O Ferries: from Larne. Argyll and Bute Council: Cuan, Luing, Port Appin, Point (Lismore), Ellenabeich, Easdale, Port Askaig and Feolin. And 16 other companies.

Can I take my car on a ferry in Scotland?

Partly. Some sailings take cars, others foot passengers only.

Do ferries in Scotland run all year?

Yes. CalMac, Shetland Islands Council Ferries and 10 other companies sail all year round; some lines are seasonal.