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 47m£170–420Bus, ferry via Aberdeen
cheapest- Take the bus from Edinburgh, Bus Station to Union Square Bus Stationbus Uk092 / ...
- Take the ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminalferry Nl2
11h£36–64Train, ferry via Aberdeen
- 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 9m£49–122Bus, ferry
- Take the bus from Queensferry Street to Bus Station Stance 3bus M90
- Take the bus from Inverness Union Street to Scrabster Vehicle Terminalbus
- Take the ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminalferry Nl1
10h 56m£50–95Train, 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£125–255Train 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 28m£221–524
Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Kirkwall (KOI) flights
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Edinburgh to Mainland is to bus and ferry via Aberdeen which costs £35 - £65 and takes 11h.
The fastest way to get from Edinburgh to Mainland is to fly which takes 2h 47m and costs £170 - £420.
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 9m and costs £45 - £130.
It takes approximately 2h 47m to get from Edinburgh to Mainland, including transfers.
There are 215+ 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 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £160–410
Flights from Glasgow Airport to Kirkwall
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £240–490
- Phone
- +44 (0)344 811 0141
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 30m
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- £50–85
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Inverness
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 43m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- £70–120
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Inverness to Wick
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 22m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- £65–110
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £18–30
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 32m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £40–60
- Website
- London North Eastern Railway Limited (LNER)
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Inverness
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 32m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £60–90
- Website
- London North Eastern Railway Limited (LNER)
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £55–85
- Website
- Cross Country
- Phone
- +44 330 060 0500
- Website
- Caledonian Sleeper
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 6m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- £29–40
- Website
- Caledonian Sleeper
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Inverness
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 15m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- £40–60
- Website
- Caledonian Sleeper
- Phone
- 0345 528 0409
- customerexperience@lumo.co.uk
- Website
- Lumo
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street
- Ave. Duration
- 53 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £7–14
- Website
- Lumo
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- info@citylink.co.uk
- Website
- Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd
Bus from Queensferry Street to Bus Station Stance 3
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 58m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £30–60
- Website
- Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd
- Single
- £30–60
- Phone
- 01698 653164
- enquiries@parksofhamilton.co.uk
- Website
- Park's of Hamilton
Bus from Queensferry Street to Bus Station Stance 3
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 53m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £24–35
- Website
- Park's of Hamilton
- Phone
- +44 (0)131 510 4007
- ride@ember.to
- Website
- Ember
Bus from Inverness Union Street to Scrabster Vehicle Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 28m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £13–19
- Website
- Ember
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Edinburgh, Bus Station to Union Square Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- Every 20 minutes
- Estimated price
- £15–24
- Website
- Flixbus
- Phone
- +44 845 600 0449
- info@northlinkferries.co.uk
- Website
- NorthLink Ferries
Ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £20–36
- Website
- NorthLink Ferries
- Low
- £20–25
- Peak
- £31–36
Ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £13–19
- Website
- NorthLink Ferries
- Low
- £13–17
- Peak
- £16–19
Ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £13–19
- Website
- NorthLink Ferries
- Low
- £13–17
- Peak
- £16–19
Ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £20–36
- Website
- NorthLink Ferries
- Low
- £20–25
- Peak
- £31–36
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