There are 6 ways to get from Edinburgh to Mainland by plane, train, ferry, or bus
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly from Edinburgh Airport
best- Fly from Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Kirkwall (KOI)plane EDI - KOI
2h 42m£150–390Train, ferry via Aberdeen
cheapest- Take the train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeentrain Edinburgh - Aberdeen
- Take the ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminalferry Nl2
10h 8m£29–117Bus, ferry
- Take the bus from Queensferry Street to Bus Station Stance 3bus M90
- Take the bus from Inverness Union Street to Scrabster Ferry Terminalbus
- Take the ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminalferry Nl1
10h 51m£37–91Train, ferry
- Take the train from Edinburgh Waverley to Invernesstrain
- Take the train from Inverness to Wicktrain
- Take the ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminalferry Nl1
13h 12m£51–128Train to Glasgow Airport, fly
- Take the train from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Streettrain
- Fly from Glasgow Airport (GLA) to Kirkwall (KOI)plane GLA - KOI
3h 34m£178–398Bus, ferry via Edinburgh Bus Station
- Take the bus from Edinburgh Bus Station to Inverness Bus Station Stance 3bus
- 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
11h 9m£57–79
Edinburgh to Mainland by train, foot, and ferry
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Edinburgh to Mainland is to train and ferry via Aberdeen which costs £28 - £120 and takes 10h 8m.
The fastest way to get from Edinburgh to Mainland is to fly which takes 2h 42m and costs £150 - £390.
The distance between Edinburgh and Mainland is 217 miles.
The best way to get from Edinburgh to Mainland without a car is to train and ferry via Aberdeen which takes 10h 8m and costs £28 - £120.
It takes approximately 2h 42m to get from Edinburgh to Mainland, including transfers.
There are 189+ hotels available in Mainland.
What companies run services between Edinburgh, Scotland and Mainland, Orkney Islands, Scotland?
Loganair flies from Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Kirkwall (KOI) twice daily.
- Website
- loganair.co.uk
Flights from Edinburgh Airport to Kirkwall
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £140–380
Flights from Edinburgh Airport to Kirkwall via Lerwick
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 30m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- £140–380
Flights from Glasgow Airport to Kirkwall
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £160–380
- Phone
- +44 344 811 0141
- Website
- scotrail.co.uk
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 28m
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- £16–55
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Inverness
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 43m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- £23–65
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Train from Inverness to Wick
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 22m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- £17–30
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £17–18
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 345 722 5333
- customers@lner.co.uk
- Website
- lner.co.uk
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 32m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £21–25
- Website
- https://www.lner.co.uk/
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Inverness
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 32m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £20–65
- Website
- https://www.lner.co.uk/
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 27m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £8–24
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 330 060 0500
- enquiry@sleeper.scot
- Website
- sleeper.scot
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 6m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- £60–80
- Website
- https://www.sleeper.scot/
- Sleeper Berth Classic
- £210–230
- Sleeper Seat
- £60–80
- Sleeper Berth Club Solo
- £250–290
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Inverness
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 15m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- £60–80
- Website
- https://www.sleeper.scot/
- Sleeper Berth Classic
- £210–230
- Sleeper Seat
- £60–80
- Sleeper Berth Club Solo
- £260–300
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- info@citylink.co.uk
- Website
- citylink.co.uk
Bus from Queensferry Street to Bus Station Stance 3
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 53m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £23–35
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
- Phone
- 01698 653164
- enquiries@parksofhamilton.co.uk
- Website
- parksofhamilton.co.uk
Bus from Queensferry Street to Bus Station Stance 3
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 53m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Website
- https://www.parksofhamilton.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
- 0141 352 4444
- enquiries@megabus.com
- Website
- uk.megabus.com
Bus from Edinburgh Bus Station to Inverness Bus Station Stance 3
- Ave. Duration
- 4h
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- £14–20
- 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
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £29–40
- Website
- https://www.stagecoachbus.com/
- 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
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