Exactly How to Get to Isle of Skye
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Finding out how to get to Isle of Skye can be confusing. Are there any flights? Can you drive? Do you need to take a ferry? And can you get there by public transport?
Having been to Skye many times I have tried nearly every route described below.
The below post describes in detail how to travel to the Isle of Skye by car, bus, train and plane (to Inverness), as well as how to get there from the most popular tourist destinations in Scotland.
Summary of Travelling to Isle of Skye
The best way of getting to the Isle of Skye is by car. The good news is that there is a bridge from mainland Scotland so there is no need to take a ferry.
Bus is the easiest way of getting to Isle of Skye by public transport since there are no trains. The closest train station is at Kyle of Lochalsh by the bridge to Isle of Skye. From here you can take the bus to Skye.
You can’t fly to Skye because there is no airport. The nearest airport is Inverness, a 3-hour drive away.
Can You Drive to Skye?
Yes, you can drive to the Isle of Skye from mainland Scotland. Driving is easy because there is a bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh which is called the Skye Bridge.
How Much Does it Cost to Cross the Bridge of Skye?
Crossing the Isle of Skye Bridge is free, there is no toll charge.
Driving Timings and Distances to Skye
All the driving times and distances in this post are to Portree:
- From Aberdeen: drive time 5 hours – distance 249km / 217 miles
- From Edinburgh: drive time 5-6.5 hours – distance 378km / 235 miles
- From Fort William: drive time 2.5-3 hours – distance 173km / 108 miles
- From Glasgow: drive time 5-6.5 hours – distance 346km / 215 miles
- From Glencoe: drive time 3-3.5 hours – distance 199km / 124 miles
- From Inverness: drive time 3 hours – distance 183km / 114 miles
- From London: drive time 11.5-15 hours – distance 1028km / 639 miles
- From Mallaig: drive time 2 hours – distance 76km / 47 miles
I highly recommend renting a car with RentalCars.
How Do you Get the Ferry to the Isle of Skye?
There is no need to get a ferry to Skye. You can drive over the Isle of Skye Bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh.
However, from Mallaig, as well as several of the Scottish islands, use one of the following Isle of Skye ferry routes:
- Mallaig to Armadale: The most popular ferry is the 25 minute ride from Mallaig to Skye. Anyone staying around Mallaig should use this ferry rather than the Skye Bridge
- North Uist to Uig: North Uist is one of the islands in the Outer Hebrides. The North Uist beaches are fantastic. An added bonus is that the are many nice bed and breakfast in North Uist
- Isle of Harris to Uig: Harris is also in the Outer Hebrides and famous for its beaches and cute villages such as Northton. The Uig to Tarbert ferry is the best way to travel to Harris
- Raasay to Sconser: Take the small car ferry to the island of Raasay to visit the distillery. You can even stay at the distillery overnight!
- Glenelg to Kylerhea: Another small ferry which only takes a couple of cars. The main reason to visit Glenelg is to see the Iron Age broches
The Glenelg to Kylerhea ferry is operated by Skye Ferry and tickets are purchased on the boat.
All the other ferries are operated by Calmac and you should buy tickets online in advance, especially for the ferry to Harris which sells out early during the summer.
Can You Get to the Isle of Skye by Public Transport?
Yes, you can get to the Isle of Skye by public transport. Bus is the best option since there is no train station on Skye. However, you can travel to Skye by using a combination of train and bus.
How to Get to the Isle of Skye by Bus?
From Glasgow, Inverness, Fort William and Glencoe there is a direct bus to the Isle of Skye. From Edinburgh and Aberdeen there are no direct buses but you can get to Skye by changing in Inverness or Glasgow.
For details on which bus to take read the below section. It sets out how to travel to the Isle of Skye from each of the most popular tourist destinations in Scotland and London.
Insider tip: Bus companies such as Citylink have explorer bus passes which allows you unlimited bus travel for 3, 5 or 8 days. They also offer student discounts.
How to Get to Isle of Skye by Train?
You cannot get the train all the way to Skye. The closest train station to Skye is Kyle of Lochalsh, on the mainland side of the Isle of Skye Bridge.
Trains to Kyle of Lochalsh only run from Inverness and take 2 hours and 35 minutes. From Kyle of Lochalsh the only way of getting to the Isle of Skye is by bus, which takes about 1 hour to Portree.
Check the bus schedule before booking your train ticket. Some have good connections so you can make the journey in just over 4 hours. Others have a long wait for the bus. The earlier trains tend to have the best connections.
Insider tip: Buy train tickets from Trainline early, they are normally released about 3 months ahead of time. Tickets bought on the day are very expensive.
Anyone taking the train to the Isle of Skye should look into the rail cards offered. They can also be purchased on Trainline.
Railcards give you 1/3 off the price for the tickets. You have to pay £30 for the railcard which lasts for one year but you make it back very quickly in lower fares.
The railcards that are most useful are:
- 16-25 or 26-30: for people between the ages of 16 and 30
- Two Together: for two people travelling together (you need to name both people on the card application)
- Family and Friends: you can name up to 4 adults that can use the card but only pay for two. In addition, the card gives 60% off for 4 children aged 5-15
In addition to Scotland, the railcards can be used in England and Wales.
Can You Fly to the Isle of Skye?
No, there are no Isle of Skye flights.
There are no flights to the Isle of Skye because there is no airport. The nearest airport is Inverness, a 3-hour drive away. The airports in Glasgow and Edinburgh are a 5 – 6.5 hours drive from Skye.
If you are travelling from within the UK, fly to Inverness.
However, there are few internal flights to Inverness. From abroad fly to Glasgow or Edinburgh. Any other domestic flight is unlikely to make sense and my recommendation is to hire a car and drive.
How Do You Get to Isle of Skye From Various UK Destinations?
Aberdeen
Car: It is 5 hours by car from Aberdeen to Skye.
Train: You cannot travel from Aberdeen to the Isle of Skye by train. However, trains run to Kyle of Lochalsh.
The train from Aberdeen to Inverness takes about 2 hours and from Inverness it is 2 hours and 35 minutes to Kyle of Lochalsh. From Kyle of Lochalsh it is 1 hour by bus to Portree.
Bus: There is no direct bus from Skye to Aberdeen but you can travel via Inverness. Megabus operate buses from Aberdeen to Inverness which take 3 hours and 30 minutes.
From Inverness bus 917 takes 3 hours and 20 minutes to Portree.
Edinburgh
Car: It is a 5-6.5 hour drive from Edinburgh to Skye depending on the route and traffic.
There are several options shown on Google Maps. I drive past Perth, skirting the Cairngorms National Park, before driving to Spean Bridge and across to Skye.
It is a long drive so plan some stops. Two interesting places to explore are Blair Castle and Eilean Donan Castle.
Train: There is no Edinburgh to Skye train. However, you can travel by train to Kyle of Lochalsh via Inverness.
The train from Edinburgh to Inverness takes between 3 hours and 20 minutes and 4 hours and to Kyle of Lochalsh it is an additional 2 hours and 35 minutes from Inverness.
By public transport the most comfortable way to travel from the Isle of Skye to Edinburgh would be by bus from Portree to Inverness. From there take the train to Edinburgh.
This takes roughly the same time as the bus option described below but it will probably cost a bit more. Trains tend to be more expensive than buses.
Bus: The bus from Edinburgh to the Isle of Skye takes 8 hours and 30-45 minutes. There are no direct buses. The best route involves a change to bus 915 or 916 at Buchanen bus station in Glasgow.
For more details read my guide on how to get to Isle of Skye from Edinburgh
Fort William
Car & Ferry: Between Skye and Fort William there are two options by car:
1. Via Isle of Skye Bridge – No Ferry
The quickest route is travelling north to Invergarry, turn west and cross the bridge to Skye. It is 2.5-3 hours from Fort William to Portree.
2. Via Mallaig – Ferry Required
The second route is via Mallaig. There is no Fort William to Skye ferry but there is a Mallaig to Skye ferry. Mallaig is a 1 hour and 10 minute drive from Fort William.
The ferry takes 25 minutes and docks in Armadale on Skye.
In total the journey from Fort William to Skye (Portree) is 3-3.5 hours.
Time your drive past Glenfinnan to see the Jacobite Steam Train cross the viaduct. Some of the best places to visit near Arisaig are the beautiful beaches in the area and in close by Morar village look out for the monster in Loch Morar.
Read the ‘How to get from Mallaig to Skye’ section below for more information on the ferry.
Train: There is no Fort William to Skye train. There is also no train from Fort William to Inverness. Therefore, taking the train is not a viable option.
Bus: Bus numbers 915 and 916 from Glasgow to Skye stop in Fort William. From the bus station in Fort William it is 3 hours to Portree.
There is also an indirect route using bus 919 and 917 changing at Loch Ness Youth Hostel. It adds one hour to the journey from Fort William to the Isle of Skye.
Glasgow
Car: Driving to the Isle of Skye from Glasgow takes between 5 and 6.5 hours depending on traffic.
There are a couple of ways to drive from Glasgow to the Isle of Skye. Starting from Glasgow city centre there is little between the two main routes although I recommend the first one.
Starting from the airport you should pick route 1, otherwise you have to drive through the city centre and there is often heavy traffic.
- The route goes through Glencoe and Fort William. On the way stop at the viewpoint in Glencoe and at Eilean Donan Castle. Consider doing a detour to Kilchurn Castle or Inveraray Castle.
- The second route is past Stirling, Perth and skirting the Cairngorms National Park. It has lots of castles you can visit. Choose between Stirling Castle, Blair Castle, Taymouth Castle Estate and Eilean Donan Castle.
Train: There are no direct trains from Glasgow to Skye.
A couple of times a day there is a direct train to Inverness which takes 3 hours and 20 minutes. Most trains require you to change in either Stirling or Perth but it doesn’t add much to the travel time.
From Inverness take the train to Kyle of Lochalsh station and then the bus to Skye.
Further detail can be found below under “Travelling to Isle of Skye from Inverness” section below.
Bus: The bus from Glasgow to the Isle of Skye takes 7 hours.
Citylink operate the 915 and 916 buses from Buchanen bus station in Glasgow to Portree and Uig on Skye.
For more details read my guide on how to get to Isle of Skye from Glasgow
Glencoe
Car: There are two routes from Glencoe to the Isle of Skye by car:
- The quickest is past Fort William and Invergarry. It is a 3-3.5 hour drive from Portree on Skye to Glencoe
- The second route takes 4 hours and involves a ferry from Mallaig to Skye. It takes longer than route 1 but you can stop at Glenfinnan to see the viaduct and also see the beaches in Mallaig, such as Camusdarach beach near Mallaig and Silver Sands near Mallaig. For more detail see the section on “Travelling from Mallaig” below
Bus: The 915 and 916 buses between Skye and Glasgow stop in Glencoe. It is about 5 hours from Glencoe to Skye.
Inverness
Car: From Inverness to Isle of Skye it is a 3 hour drive. From Inverness airport add 5 minutes.
Google Maps show 3 routes. I drive along Loch Ness and past Drumnadrochit because it has the best roads.
Train: There is no Inverness to Skye train but there is a train to Kyle of Lochalsh, by the bridge to the Isle of Skye. The train takes 2 hours and 35 minutes.
From Kyle of Lochalsh you can take a bus to Portree. Board bus 915, 916 or 917 for the one-hour journey to Portree.
Check the bus schedule before booking your train tickets because some combinations take around 4 hours while others take well over 6 hours.
Bus: Bus 917 is a direct bus from Inverness to Skye and takes 3 hours and 15 minutes.
An alternative bus from Inverness to the Isle of Skye is bus 919 to Fort William and then take bus 915 or 916 from there. It takes about 4 hours in total from Inverness.
For more details read my guide on how to get to Isle of Skye from Inverness
London
Wondering how to get to Isle of Skye from London? The best way from London to Skye involves first travelling to Inverness.
I live in London and I always fly to Inverness, hire a car and drive to Skye. The overnight train to Inverness is also a good option but it is much more expensive than flying.
All the details are shown above on how to get from Inverness to Isle of Skye but the easiest option is driving, which takes 3 hours. Alternatively, there is a direct bus or you can take the train to Kyle of Lochalsh and a bus onwards from there.
Car: London to the Isle of Skye by car it takes 11.5-15 hours depending on the route and traffic.
Flight: There is no airport on Skye so there are no flights from London to the Isle of Skye.
The closest airport is Inverness which is a 1 hour and 25 minute flight from London. British Airways, Easyjet and Ryanair fly between London and Inverness.
Train: There is no London to Skye train since there is no train station on Skye. However, you can take the Caledonian Sleeper to Inverness – a 10.5 hour overnight train from London Euston.
Bus: It is possible to get the bus from the Isle of Skye to London but I don’t recommend it.
It involves first travelling to Glasgow and then to London. In total the journey to the Isle of Skye from London would be 15.5-17.5 hours.
Mallaig
Car & Ferry: The most convenient route from Mallaig to Skye is by car and ferry. The Mallaig to Skye ferry docks in Armadale and takes 25 minutes. From Armadale it is a 1 hour drive to Portree.
The ferry leaves frequently both in summer and winter. You must be at the ferry terminal 20 minutes before departure with a car and 10 minutes as a foot passenger.
Ferries are operated by Calmac. It is best to buy tickets in advance but most ferries are not full so you can normally just turn up. Please note that anyone with a campervan or mobile home must buy tickets in advance. You will not be allowed to use the standby lanes.
On route to Portree stop at Armadale Castle and Torabhaig Distillery. On the way back do a detour to Dornie to see Eilean Donan Castle.
Train: There is no viable route by train from Mallaig to the Isle of Skye.
Bus: There is a bus stop at the ferry terminal and one in the village which is called called Allt a-Thuat. It is just past the post office in Armadale.
Board bus 52 to Broadford where you can change to one of the buses heading north to Portree. The quickest connections only take 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Bus 52 only runs a couple of times a day. Plan your ferry time depending on the bus schedule.
For more details and ferry times read my guide on how to get to Isle of Skye from Mallaig
Oban
Car: From Oban to Portree takes 4 hours by car. The fastest route is via Invergarry and across the Skye Bridge.
The route through Mallaig adds at least half an hour, probably more, since you have to take the ferry from Mallaig and it is difficult to coordinate times. There is no reason to take this longer and more complicated route unless you want to stop in Mallaig or Arisaig on the way.
Bus: If travelling by bus from Oban to the Isle of Skye you have to change in Fort William.
In Oban take the 918 bus to Fort William. It departs twice a day but only the morning departure allows you to pick up a connecting bus to Skye in Fort William the same day. In total the bus takes 7.5 hours from Oban to Portree.
From Portree to Oban there are 3 buses per day. The first 2 arrive in time for the connection to Oban. The journey takes 6.5 – 9 hours. The early morning departure is the quickest.
Train: Although both Oban and Fort William have a train station there are no direct trains between these two stations.
You can back track from Oban to the village of Crianlarich where you can pick up the 915 or 916 bus which runs between Glasgow and Skye.
Ferry: Many people wonder whether you can get a ferry from Oban to Skye. However, there is no ferry from Oban to Skye.
Final Thoughts on How to Get to the Isle of Skye
Regardless of where you are starting from, I strongly recommend renting a car and driving to Isle of Skye.
Not only is it the easiest way of getting to the Isle of Skye it is useful to have a car whilst there. Bus schedules are limited both in terms of times and destinations.
If driving from one of the cities further away, such as Glasgow or Edinburgh, think about whether you want to make it into a road trip.
You are passing some fantastic areas to explore such as Glencoe, Airsaig and Morar (close to Fort William) and the Cairngorms National Park.
LOOKING FOR MORE ON THE AREA AROUND ISLE OF SKYE?
