There are 6 ways to get from Belfast to Mainland by plane, busferry, train, ferry, bus, or car ferry
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly
best- Fly from George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Kirkwall (KOI)plane BHD - KOI
4h 20m£172–422Car ferry, bus, train, ferry
cheapest- Take the car ferry from Belfast to Cairnryancarferry
- Take the bus from Stena Terminal to Buchanan Bus Stationbus 923
- Take the train from Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeentrain
- Take the ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminalferry Nl2
17h 52m£91–186Bus and ferry, train, ferry
- Take the busferry from Belfast, Europa Buscentre to Glasgow Buchananbusferry 923
- Take the train from Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeentrain
- Take the ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminalferry Nl2
17h 7mBus and ferry, bus, ferry
- Take the busferry from Belfast, Europa Buscentre to Glasgow Buchananbusferry 923
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Bus Station Stance 3bus M10
- Take the bus from Bus Station Stance 3 to Ferry Terminalbus X99
- Take the ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminalferry Nl1
17h 26mBus and ferry, bus, ferry via Inverness
- Take the busferry from Belfast, Europa Buscentre to Glasgow Buchananbusferry 923
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Bus Station Stance 3bus
- Take the bus from Inverness Union Street to Scrabster Ferry Terminalbus
- Take the ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminalferry Nl1
17h 35mFerry, train
- Take the ferry from Larne to Cairnryanferry
- Take the train from Stranraer to Ayrtrain
- Take the train from Ayr to Glasgow Centraltrain
- Take the train from Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeentrain
- Take the ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminalferry Nl2
18h 40m£116–405
George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Kirkwall (KOI) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Belfast to Mainland is to car ferry and bus and train and ferry which costs £90 - £190 and takes 17h 52m.
The fastest way to get from Belfast to Mainland is to fly which takes 4h 20m and costs £170 - £430.
The distance between Belfast and Mainland is 325 miles.
The best way to get from Belfast to Mainland without a car is to bus and ferry and train and ferry which takes 17h 7m and costs .
It takes approximately 4h 20m to get from Belfast to Mainland, including transfers.
There are 177+ hotels available in Mainland.
What companies run services between Belfast, Northern Ireland and Mainland, Orkney Islands, Scotland?
Loganair and Aer Lingus fly from George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Kirkwall (KOI) 3 times a week.
- Website
- loganair.co.uk
Flights from George Best Belfast City Airport to Kirkwall via Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 10m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- £180–440
- Phone
- +44 344 811 0141
- Website
- scotrail.co.uk
Train from Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 28m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £26–85
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Train from Stranraer to Ayr
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 21m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- £16–17
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Train from Ayr to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £6–13
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 28 9066 6630
- Website
- translink.co.uk
Busferry from Belfast, Europa Buscentre to Glasgow Buchanan
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 5m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- info@citylink.co.uk
- Website
- citylink.co.uk
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Bus Station Stance 3
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 40m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £24–35
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
Bus from Stena Terminal to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 10m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £13–19
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- enquiries@megabus.com
- Website
- uk.megabus.com
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Bus Station Stance 3
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 40m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- £14–21
- Website
- https://uk.megabus.com
- Phone
- 01224591381
- bluebird.enquiries@stagecoachbus.com
- Website
- stagecoachbus.com
Bus from Bus Station Stance 3 to Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 39m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- £29–40
- Website
- https://www.stagecoachbus.com/
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- flixbus.fr
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Bus Station Stance 3
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 55m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £7–17
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- Phone
- +44 (0)131 510 4007
- ride@ember.to
- Website
- ember.to
Bus from Inverness Union Street to Scrabster Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 28m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £1–40
- Website
- https://www.ember.to/
- Phone
- +44 845 600 0449
- info@northlinkferries.co.uk
- Website
- northlinkferries.co.uk
Ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £20–36
- Website
- https://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/
- Low
- £20–25
- Peak
- £31–36
Ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £13–19
- Website
- https://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/
- Low
- £13–17
- Peak
- £16–19
- Phone
- +44 844 770 7070
- info.se@stenaline.com
- Website
- stenaline.dk
Car ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 22m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £30–45
- Website
- https://www.stenalinetravel.com/
- Phone
- 01304 44 88 88
- customer.services@poferries.com
- Website
- poferries.com
Ferry from Larne to Cairnryan
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £25–220
- Website
- https://www.poferries.com/en
- Passenger Standard
- £25–45
- Passenger Car
- £130–220
Want to know more about travelling around United Kingdom
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Related travel guides
Travelling to the UK: What do I need to know?
Read the travel guide
Want to know more about Flixbus?
Read the travel guide





































