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 36m£104–229Bus, 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£49–129Train 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 31m£202–388Train, 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
11h£96–230Bus, 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 Ferry Terminalbus 926
- Take the ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
12h 22m£68–191Train, 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 34m£164–357
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 £45 - £130 and takes 11h 17m.
The fastest way to get from Manchester to Islay is to train and fly which takes 5h 34m and costs £160 - £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 36m and costs £100 - £230.
It takes approximately 10h 36m to get from Manchester to Islay, including transfers.
There are 53+ 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 10m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £60–300
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Amsterdam Schiphol, Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 40m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £75–400
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Belfast (Aldergrove), Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 55m
- When
- Tuesday
- Estimated price
- £60–300
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Dublin, Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 25m
- When
- Tuesday
- Estimated price
- £50–240
Flights from Glasgow Airport to Islay
- Ave. Duration
- 42 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £90–210
Train from Manchester Piccadilly to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 18m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £75–140
- Website
- TransPennine Express
Train from Manchester Oxford Road to Preston
- Ave. Duration
- 36 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £10–19
- Website
- TransPennine Express
Train from Preston to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 36m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £65–120
- Website
- TransPennine Express
Train from Manchester Oxford Road to Preston
- Ave. Duration
- 36 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £10–19
- Website
- TransPennine Express
Train from Preston to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 36m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £65–120
- Website
- TransPennine Express
Train from Manchester Piccadilly to Birmingham International
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 47m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £45–70
- Website
- Cross Country
- Phone
- +44 (0)345 528 0253
- Website
- Avanti West Coast
Train from Manchester Piccadilly to Birmingham International
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 53m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £30–55
- Website
- Avanti West Coast
Train from Preston to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 19m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £65–120
- Website
- Avanti West Coast
Train from Preston to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 19m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £65–120
- Website
- Avanti West Coast
Train from Manchester Oxford Road to Preston
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £12–22
- Website
- Northern Trains Limited
Train from Manchester Oxford Road to Preston
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £12–22
- Website
- Northern Trains Limited
- Phone
- +44 330 060 0500
- enquiry@sleeper.scot
- Website
- Caledonian Sleeper
Train from Preston to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 28m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- £60–95
- Website
- Caledonian Sleeper
Train from Preston to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 28m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- £60–95
- Website
- Caledonian Sleeper
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- info@citylink.co.uk
- Website
- Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 17m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £19–40
- Website
- Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd
- Single
- £19–40
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 17m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £19–40
- Website
- Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd
- Single
- £19–40
Bus from Anniesland Cross to Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 59m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £18–35
- Website
- Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd
- Single
- £18–35
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 17m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £19–40
- Website
- Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd
- Single
- £19–40
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Shudehill Interchange to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 5m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £24–40
- Website
- Flixbus
- Phone
- +44 (0)3717 81 81 81
- Website
- National Express
Bus from Manchester Central Coach Station to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 10m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £40–110
- Website
- National Express
- Phone
- +44 (0)1475 650 397
- enquiries@calmac.co.uk
- Website
- Caledonian MacBrayne
Ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 55m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £6–50
- Website
- Caledonian MacBrayne
- Passenger Fare
- £6–9
- Car Fare
- £40–50
Ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 55m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £6–50
- Website
- Caledonian MacBrayne
- Passenger Fare
- £6–9
- Car Fare
- £40–50
Ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 55m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £6–50
- Website
- Caledonian MacBrayne
- Passenger Fare
- £6–9
- Car Fare
- £40–50
Ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 55m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £6–50
- Website
- Caledonian MacBrayne
- Passenger Fare
- £6–9
- Car Fare
- £40–50
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