There are 5 ways to get from Mainland to Islay by plane, ferry, bus, or train
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 Kirkwall (KOI) to Islay (ILY)KOI - ILY
7h 45m£270–1,000Ferry, bus
cheapest- Take the ferry from Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminal to Scrabster Ferry TerminalNl1
- Take the bus from Ferry Terminal to Bus Station Stance 3X99
- Take the bus from Bus Station Stance 2 to Bus Station919
- Take the bus from Bus Station to Station Road918
- Take the ferry from Oban Ferry Terminal to Colonsay Ferry Terminal
- Take the ferry from Colonsay Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry TerminalCm9
17h 16m£72–176Ferry, bus via Inverness
- Take the ferry from Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminal to Scrabster Ferry TerminalNl1
- Take the bus from Ferry Terminal to Union StreetE6
- Take the bus from Bus Station Stance 2 to Bus Station919
- Take the bus from Bus Station to Station Road918
- Take the ferry from Oban Ferry Terminal to Colonsay Ferry Terminal
- Take the ferry from Colonsay Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry TerminalCm9
16h 53mFerry, bus, train
- Take the ferry from Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminal to Scrabster Ferry TerminalNl1
- Take the bus from Ferry Terminal to Union StreetE6
- Take the train from Inverness to Glasgow Queen Street
- Take the train from Glasgow Queen Street to Oban
- Take the ferry from Oban Ferry Terminal to Colonsay Ferry Terminal
- Take the ferry from Colonsay Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry TerminalCm9
19h 55mFerry, bus via Glasgow
- Take the ferry from Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminal to Scrabster Ferry TerminalNl1
- Take the bus from Ferry Terminal to Union StreetE6
- Take the bus from Bus Station Stance 3 to Buchanan Bus StationM10
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Argyll Arms Hotel926
- Take the ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry TerminalCm9
18h 39m
Kirkwall (KOI) to Islay (ILY) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Mainland to Islay is to ferry and bus which costs £70 - £180 and takes 17h 16m.
The fastest way to get from Mainland to Islay is to fly which takes 7h 45m and costs £270 - £1,000.
The distance between Mainland and Islay is 260 miles.
The best way to get from Mainland to Islay without a car is to ferry and bus via Inverness which takes 16h 53m and costs .
It takes approximately 7h 45m to fly from Kirkwall (KOI) to Islay (ILY), including transfers and time at the airport.
There is no direct flight from Kirkwall Airport to Islay Airport. The quickest flight takes 7h 45m and has one stopover.
Loganair offers flights from Kirkwall Airport to Islay Airport.
There are 44+ hotels available in Islay.
What companies run services between Mainland, Orkney Islands, Scotland and Islay, Scotland?
Loganair flies from Kirkwall (KOI) to Islay (ILY) once daily.
- Website
- loganair.co.uk
Flights from Kirkwall to Islay via Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 5m
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- £270–1,000
Flights from Kirkwall to Islay via Lerwick, Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 45m
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- £310–1,200
- Phone
- +44 344 811 0141
- Website
- scotrail.co.uk
Train from Inverness to Glasgow Queen Street
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 38m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- £23–65
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Train from Glasgow Queen Street to Oban
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 6m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £20–40
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 (0)131 510 4007
- ride@ember.to
- Website
- ember.to
Bus from Ferry Terminal to Union Street
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 26m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Website
- https://www.ember.to/
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- info@citylink.co.uk
- Website
- citylink.co.uk
Bus from Bus Station Stance 2 to Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 9m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £12–17
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
Bus from Bus Station Stance 3 to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 40m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £24–35
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Argyll Arms Hotel
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 44m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £10–14
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
- Phone
- 01586 552319
- enquiries@westcoastmotors.co.uk
- Website
- westcoastmotors.co.uk
Bus from Bus Station to Station Road
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 33m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- £6–10
- Website
- https://www.westcoastmotors.co.uk/
- Phone
- 01224591381
- bluebird.enquiries@stagecoachbus.com
- Website
- stagecoachbus.com
Bus from Ferry Terminal to Bus Station Stance 3
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 49m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- £29–40
- Website
- https://www.stagecoachbus.com/
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- enquiries@megabus.com
- Website
- uk.megabus.com
Bus from Bus Station Stance 3 to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 40m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- £15–21
- Website
- https://uk.megabus.com
- Phone
- +44 845 600 0449
- info@northlinkferries.co.uk
- Website
- northlinkferries.co.uk
Ferry from Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminal to Scrabster 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 (0)1475 650 397
- enquiries@calmac.co.uk
- Website
- calmac.co.uk
Ferry from Oban Ferry Terminal to Colonsay Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 15m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- £7–60
- Website
- https://www.calmac.co.uk
- Passenger Fare
- £7–11
- Car Fare
- £50–60
Ferry from Colonsay Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- £4–30
- Website
- https://www.calmac.co.uk
- Passenger Fare
- £4–7
- Car Fare
- £24–30
Ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 55m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £6–50
- Website
- https://www.calmac.co.uk
- Passenger Fare
- £6–9
- Car Fare
- £40–50
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