There are 6 ways to get from Manchester to Islay by train, bus, ferry, 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.
Train, bus, ferry
best- Take the train from Manchester Piccadilly to Glasgow Centraltrain
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Ferry Terminalbus 926
- Take the ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
10h 37m£102–214Bus, ferry
cheapest- Take the bus from Shudehill Interchange to Buchanan Bus Stationbus
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Ferry Terminalbus 926
- Take the ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
11h 17m£43–107Train to Birmingham Airport, fly
- Take the train from Manchester Piccadilly to Birmingham Internationaltrain
- Fly from Birmingham Airport (BHX) to Islay (ILY)plane BHX - ILY
9h 36m£312–505Train, bus, ferry via Preston
- Take the train from Manchester Oxford Road to Prestontrain
- Take the train from Preston to Glasgow Centraltrain
- Take the bus from Anniesland Cross to Ferry Terminalbus 926
- Take the ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
10h 59m£78–217Bus, ferry via Manchester Central Coach Station
- Take the bus from Manchester Central Coach Station to Buchanan Bus Stationbus 590 / ...
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Ferry Terminalbus 926
- Take the ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
12h 17m£62–168Train, 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 38m£144–357
Birmingham Airport (BHX) to Islay (ILY) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Manchester to Islay is to bus and ferry which costs £40 - £110 and takes 11h 17m.
The fastest way to get from Manchester to Islay is to train and fly which takes 5h 38m and costs £140 - £360.
The distance between Manchester and Islay is 355 miles.
The best way to get from Manchester to Islay without a car is to train and bus and ferry which takes 10h 37m and costs £100 - £220.
It takes approximately 10h 37m to get from Manchester to Islay, including transfers.
There are 33+ 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 train to Glasgow Central, walk to Waterloo Lane, take the bus to Buchanan Bus Station, take the bus to Ferry Terminal, walk to Kennacraig Ferry Terminal, then take the ferry to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Shudehill Interchange to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal via Buchanan Bus Station, Ferry Terminal, and Kennacraig Ferry Terminal in around 11h 17m.
- Website
- loganair.co.uk
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 30m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £50–280
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Amsterdam Schiphol, Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 45m
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- £75–400
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Belfast (Aldergrove), Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 55m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- £55–280
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Jersey, Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 15m
- When
- Tuesday
- Estimated price
- £70–290
Flights from Glasgow Airport to Islay
- Ave. Duration
- 42 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £85–210
- Phone
- +44 345 600 1671
- tpecustomer.relations@tpexpress.co.uk
- Website
- tpexpress.co.uk
Train from Manchester Piccadilly to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 18m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £75–140
- Website
- https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/
Train from Manchester Oxford Road to Preston
- Ave. Duration
- 33 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £10–19
- Website
- https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/
Train from Preston to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 35m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £65–120
- Website
- https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/
Train from Manchester Piccadilly to Birmingham International
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 47m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £45–65
- 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
- £30–55
- Website
- https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
Train from Preston to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 20m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £65–120
- 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
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £11–22
- 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
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- £45–85
- Website
- https://www.sleeper.scot/
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- info@citylink.co.uk
- Website
- citylink.co.uk
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 17m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £16–23
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
Bus from Anniesland Cross to Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 59m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £15–22
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.fr
Bus from Shudehill Interchange to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 5m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £20–35
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- Phone
- 08717 81 81 81
- Website
- nationalexpress.com
Bus from Manchester Central Coach Station to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 5m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £40–95
- 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
- 5 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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