To reach Orkney, you first need to make your way north on the mainland. From there, ferries depart that will take you to the islands.
Info on Orkney:
» General information
» Getting there
» Best time to travel
» Round trips
» Attractions
» Trip suggestion (currently only available in German)
My travel guide:
Since most visitors to the island pick up a hire car at one of Scotland’s major airports, the two car ferries are the most popular connection between the British mainland and Orkney. Where there used to be only one provider, NorthLink Ferries, Pentland Ferries has provided competition for a number of years now.
NorthLink Ferries: Thurso – Stromness, Aberdeen – Kirkwall
NorthLink Ferries usually cover the route from Scrabster, near Thurso, three times a day during the high season (June to August): at 8:45am, 1:15pm and 7pm. The crossing takes almost exactly an hour and a half. Prices for the crossing vary considerably depending on the season.
- Off-season runs roughly from early January to just before the end of March, and from November to just before Christmas
- Shoulder season runs from the last week of March to mid-June, as well as September and October, plus the last two weeks of November and the first week of January
- High season runs from mid-June to the end of August
Scrabster-Stromness
| Off-season | Shoulder season | High season | |
| Passengers | |||
| Adults | £22.10 | £23.95 | £26.00 |
| Children | £11.20 | £12.00 | £12.95 |
| Infants | free | free | free |
| Concessions | £19.89 | £21.56 | £23.40 |
| Vehicles | |||
| Car/motorhome (under 6 metres) | £72.00 | £74.00 | £79.00 |
| Vehicles over 6 metres, surcharge per metre | £12.95 | £15.25 | £16.70 |
| Bicycles | free | free | free |
| Motorbikes | £21.20 | £23.95 | £27.00 |
Aberdeen to Kirkwall
Alternatively, you can also travel directly from Aberdeen to Kirkwall with NorthLink. The crossing takes six hours.
| Off-season | Shoulder season | High season | |
| Passengers | |||
| Adults | £27.50 | £35.00 | £42.00 |
| Children | £13.75 | £17.15 | £20.85 |
| Infants | free | free | free |
| Concessions | £24.75 | £31.50 | £37.80 |
| Vehicles | |||
| Car/motorhome (under 6 metres) | £108.00 | £141.00 | £149.00 |
| Vehicles over 6 metres, surcharge per metre | £14.40 | £17.15 | £19.35 |
| Bicycles | free | free | free |
| Motorbikes | £23.95 | £29.00 | £34.50 |
You’ll find all the exact details at this link.
Pentland Ferries: Gill’s Bay – St Margaret’s Hope
Pentland Ferries sail three times a day, and even four times a day during the high season (July/August). They dock on the southern tip of Orkney, at South Ronaldsay. That’s why the crossing only takes an hour, which is very welcome news for anyone prone to seasickness. Approximate costs:
- Adults: £23
- Children: £11
- Cars: £55
- Motorbikes: £25
- Motorhomes
- up to 5 metres: £55
- 5-6 metres: £77
- 6-8 metres: £114
- over 8 metres: £150
- Bicycles: free
- Bike racks: £6
The ferry normally departs Gill’s Bay for Orkney at 9:30am, 1pm and 6:45pm, and returns to the mainland at 7:45am, 11:30am and 5pm.
More information on the Pentland Ferries website.
The high flyers: Loganair by plane
Loganair’s flight service doesn’t just operate between the islands – the airline also flies to Kirkwall from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness. Planes depart daily from Edinburgh and Glasgow. A daily flight also departs from Aberdeen and Inverness, with the price varying depending on booking and airport.
Visit the Loganair website here
Note: the earlier you book, the cheaper it gets!
Getting to the ferries without a car
The ferry port at Scrabster, near Thurso, can be reached by Citylink bus; from Glasgow or Edinburgh, passengers need to pay around £75 one way, with a journey time of over six hours, changing at least once in Inverness.
By train with Scotrail, the journey from Glasgow or Edinburgh to Thurso takes around eight hours, changing at least once in Inverness. One-way costs range between £40 and £75.
Gill’s Bay can only be reached by bus with Stagecoach; the journey from Inverness currently takes almost six hours, and the fare must be asked of the driver.
IMPORTANT NOTE: all prices given here are intended as rough examples. I have gathered them from the online booking tools. They are based on the officially published 2026 fares of NorthLink Ferries and Pentland Ferries and come with absolutely no guarantee.