There are 6 ways to get from Manchester to Islay by bus, ferry, train, or plane
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Bus, ferry
best- Take the bus from Shudehill Interchange to Buchanan Bus Stationbus
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Argyll Arms Hotelbus 926
- Take the ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
12h£39–114Train, bus, ferry
- Take the train from Manchester Oxford Road to Haymarkettrain
- Take the bus from Haymarket Station to Station Roadbus 978
- Take the ferry from Oban Ferry Terminal to Colonsay Ferry Terminalferry
- Take the ferry from Colonsay Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
13h 40m£57–186Train to Birmingham Airport, fly
- Take the train from Manchester Piccadilly to Birmingham Internationaltrain
- Fly from Birmingham Airport (BHX) to Islay (ILY)plane BHX - ILY
10h 35m£53–352Bus, ferry via Manchester, Shudehill Interchange
- Take the bus from Manchester, Shudehill Interchange to Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station Stance 57bus
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Argyll Arms Hotelbus 926
- Take the ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
12h 5m£40–98Bus, ferry via Manchester Central Coach Station
- Take the bus from Manchester Central Coach Station to Buchanan Bus Stationbus 181
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Argyll Arms Hotelbus 926
- Take the ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
13h 5m£51–124Train, train to Glasgow Airport, fly
- Take the train from Manchester Oxford Road to Prestontrain
- Take the train from Preston to Glasgow Centraltrain
- Fly from Glasgow Airport (GLA) to Islay (ILY)plane GLA - ILY
5h 41m£101–327
Manchester to Islay by bus and ferry
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Manchester to Islay is to bus and ferry via Manchester, Shudehill Interchange which costs £40 - £100 and takes 12h 5m.
The fastest way to get from Manchester to Islay is to train and fly which takes 5h 41m and costs £100 - £330.
The distance between Manchester and Islay is 346 miles.
The best way to get from Manchester to Islay without a car is to bus and ferry which takes 12h and costs £35 - £120.
It takes approximately 12h to get from Manchester to Islay, including transfers.
There are 46+ hotels available in Islay.
What companies run services between Manchester, England and Islay, Scotland?
There is no direct connection from Manchester to Islay. However, you can take the bus to Buchanan Bus Station, take the bus to Argyll Arms Hotel, take the line 448 bus to Ferry Terminal, walk to Kennacraig Ferry Terminal, then take the ferry to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal. Alternatively, you can take a train from Manchester Oxford Road to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal via Haymarket, Haymarket Station, Station Road, Oban Ferry Terminal, and Colonsay Ferry Terminal in around 13h 40m.
- Website
- loganair.co.uk
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 10m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £40–260
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Belfast (Aldergrove), Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 20m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- £45–260
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Derry, Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 55m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- £45–270
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Amsterdam Schiphol, Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 40m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £75–400
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Dublin, Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 40m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- £60–250
Flights from Glasgow Airport to Islay
- Ave. Duration
- 42 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £80–200
- Phone
- +44 345 600 1671
- tpecustomer.relations@tpexpress.co.uk
- Website
- tpexpress.co.uk
Train from Manchester Oxford Road to Haymarket
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 8m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £26–70
- Website
- https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/
Train from Manchester Oxford Road to Preston
- Ave. Duration
- 44 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–18
- Website
- https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/
Train from Preston to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 34m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £17–95
- Website
- https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/
Train from Manchester Piccadilly to Birmingham International
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 47m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £12–70
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 345 528 0253
- Website
- avantiwestcoast.co.uk
Train from Manchester Piccadilly to Birmingham International
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 53m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £55–95
- Website
- https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
Train from Preston to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 21m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £16–110
- Website
- https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 800 200 6060
- enquiries@northernrailway.co.uk
- Website
- northernrailway.co.uk
Train from Manchester Oxford Road to Preston
- Ave. Duration
- 52 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £5–17
- Website
- https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 330 060 0500
- enquiry@sleeper.scot
- Website
- sleeper.scot
Train from Preston to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 28m
- 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
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- flixbus.fr
Bus from Shudehill Interchange to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 5m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £15–40
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- info@citylink.co.uk
- Website
- citylink.co.uk
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Argyll Arms Hotel
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 44m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £14–20
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
Bus from Haymarket Station to Station Road
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 2m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- £19–26
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- enquiries@megabus.com
- Website
- uk.megabus.com
Bus from Manchester, Shudehill Interchange to Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station Stance 57
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 10m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £17–24
- Website
- https://uk.megabus.com
- Phone
- 08717 81 81 81
- Website
- nationalexpress.com
Bus from Manchester Central Coach Station to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 10m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £28–50
- Website
- https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
- Phone
- +44 (0)1475 650 397
- enquiries@calmac.co.uk
- Website
- calmac.co.uk
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
Ferry from Oban Ferry Terminal to Colonsay Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 30m
- 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
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