There are 6 ways to get from Belfast to Mainland by plane, busferry, bus, ferry, train, 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)BHD - KOI
4h 25m£182–432Car ferry, bus, train, ferry
cheapest- Take the car ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan
- Take the bus from Stena Terminal to Buchanan Bus Station923
- Take the train from Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeen
- Take the ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry TerminalNl2
18h 9m£92–297Bus and ferry, bus, ferry
- Take the busferry from Belfast, Europa Buscentre to Glasgow Buchanan923
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Union StreetE8
- Take the bus from Union Street to Ferry TerminalE6
- Take the ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry TerminalNl1
16h 55mBus and ferry, train, ferry
- Take the busferry from Belfast, Europa Buscentre to Glasgow Buchanan923
- Take the train from Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeen
- Take the ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry TerminalNl2
17h 25mBus and ferry, bus, ferry via Inverness
- Take the busferry from Belfast, Europa Buscentre to Glasgow Buchanan923
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Bus Station Stance 3
- Take the bus from Bus Station Stance 3 to Ferry TerminalX99
- Take the ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry TerminalNl1
17h 19mFerry, train
- Take the ferry from Larne to Cairnryan
- Take the train from Stranraer to Ayr
- Take the train from Ayr to Glasgow Central
- Take the train from Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeen
- Take the ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry TerminalNl2
18h 57m£116–413
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 - £300 and takes 18h 9m.
The fastest way to get from Belfast to Mainland is to fly which takes 4h 25m and costs £180 - £440.
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 bus and ferry which takes 16h 55m and costs .
It takes approximately 4h 25m 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, Aer Lingus, and easyJet fly from George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Kirkwall (KOI) twice daily.
Transport is disrupted due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Read more
- Website
- loganair.co.uk
Flights from George Best Belfast City Airport to Kirkwall via Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 15m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- £190–430
Flights from George Best Belfast City Airport to Kirkwall via Edinburgh
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 10m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- £190–430
- Phone
- +44 344 811 0141
- Website
- scotrail.co.uk
Train from Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 46m
- 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
- £16–25
- 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
- +44 (0)131 510 4007
- ride@ember.to
- Website
- ember.to
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Union Street
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 22m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Website
- https://www.ember.to/
Bus from Union Street to Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 28m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Website
- https://www.ember.to/
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- info@citylink.co.uk
- Website
- 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/
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/
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
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £8–19
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.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
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- £15–21
- 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/
- Phone
- +44 845 600 0449
- info@northlinkferries.co.uk
- Website
- northlinkferries.co.uk
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
Ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £20–36
- Website
- https://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/
- Low
- £20–25
- Peak
- £31–36
- 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
- £30–160
- 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
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