There are 7 ways to get from Manchester to Orkney Islands 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 Manchester Airport
best- Fly from Manchester Airport (MAN) to Kirkwall (KOI)plane MAN - KOI
5h 57m£174–459Bus, ferry
cheapest- Take the bus from Shudehill Interchange to Buchanan Bus Stationbus
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Stn to Inverness Union Streetbus
- Take the bus from Inverness Union Street to Scrabster Ferry Terminalbus
- Take the ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminalferry Nl1
17h 5m£38–147Train, ferry
- Take the train from Manchester Piccadilly to Edinburgh Waverleytrain
- Take the train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeentrain
- Take the ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminalferry Nl2
14h 7m£89–303Bus, train, ferry
- Take the bus from Manchester Central Coach Station to Leeds City Bus & Coach Stationbus 170 / ...
- Take the train from Leeds to Aberdeentrain
- Take the ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminalferry Nl2
15h 39m£176–522Train to Birmingham Airport, fly
- Take the train from Manchester Piccadilly to Birmingham Internationaltrain
- Fly from Birmingham Airport (BHX) to Kirkwall (KOI)plane BHX - KOI
7h 23m£244–604Train to Edinburgh Airport, fly
- Take the train from Manchester Oxford Road to Haymarkettrain
- Fly from Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Kirkwall (KOI)plane EDI - KOI
6h 53m£199–492Train, bus, ferry
- Take the train from Stockport to Invernesstrain
- Take the bus from Bus Station Stance 3 to Ferry Terminalbus X99
- Take the ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminalferry Nl1
18h 3m£113–197
Manchester Airport (MAN) to Kirkwall (KOI) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Manchester to Orkney Islands is to bus and ferry which costs £35 - £150 and takes 17h 5m.
The fastest way to get from Manchester to Orkney Islands is to fly which takes 5h 57m and costs £170 - £460.
The distance between Manchester and Orkney Islands is 404 miles.
The best way to get from Manchester to Orkney Islands without a car is to train and ferry which takes 14h 7m and costs £85 - £310.
It takes approximately 5h 57m to get from Manchester to Orkney Islands, including transfers.
There are 195+ hotels available in Orkney Islands.
What companies run services between Manchester, England and Orkney Islands, Scotland?
Loganair and Aer Lingus fly from Manchester Airport (MAN) to Kirkwall (KOI) once daily.
- Website
- loganair.co.uk
Flights from Manchester Airport to Kirkwall via Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 51m
- When
- Tuesday to Friday
- Estimated price
- £210–450
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Kirkwall via Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 25m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- £200–490
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Kirkwall via Edinburgh Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 20m
- When
- Tuesday
- Estimated price
- £55–340
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Kirkwall via Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- When
- Wednesday
- Estimated price
- £60–340
Flights from Edinburgh Airport to Kirkwall
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £150–390
Flights from Edinburgh Airport to Kirkwall via Lerwick
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 35m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- £150–390
- Phone
- +44 345 600 1671
- tpecustomer.relations@tpexpress.co.uk
- Website
- tpexpress.co.uk
Train from Manchester Piccadilly to Edinburgh Waverley
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 17m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £35–95
- Website
- https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/
- Standard
- £35–60
- 1st Class
- £75–95
Train from Manchester Oxford Road to Haymarket
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 7m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £35–95
- Website
- https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/
- Standard
- £35–55
- 1st Class
- £75–95
- Phone
- +44 344 811 0141
- Website
- scotrail.co.uk
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 28m
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- £30–75
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
- Standard
- £30–45
- 1st Class
- £50–75
- Phone
- +44 345 722 5333
- customers@lner.co.uk
- Website
- lner.co.uk
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 32m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £75–110
- Website
- https://www.lner.co.uk/
- Anytime Day Single
- £75–110
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 27m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £60–170
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
- Standard
- £60–90
- 1st Class
- £120–170
Train from Leeds to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 31m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £140–460
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
- Standard
- £140–220
- 1st Class
- £330–460
Train from Manchester Piccadilly to Birmingham International
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 47m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £45–120
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
- Standard
- £45–70
- 1st Class
- £80–120
- Phone
- +44 330 060 0500
- enquiry@sleeper.scot
- Website
- sleeper.scot
Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 6m
- 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
- £250–290
Train from Stockport to Inverness
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 26m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- £65–90
- Website
- https://www.sleeper.scot/
- Sleeper Berth Classic
- £210–240
- Sleeper Seat
- £65–90
- Sleeper Berth Club Solo
- £310–360
- 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
- £30–110
- Website
- https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
- Anytime Single
- £30–50
- Anytime Single 1st Class
- £70–110
- Phone
- 08717 81 81 81
- Website
- nationalexpress.com
Bus from Manchester Central Coach Station to Leeds City Bus & Coach Station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £16–22
- Website
- https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
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
- £18–35
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- Phone
- +44 (0)131 510 4007
- ride@ember.to
- Website
- ember.to
Bus from Buchanan Bus Stn to Inverness Union Street
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 42m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £1–50
- Website
- https://www.ember.to/
Bus from Inverness Union Street to Scrabster Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 28m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £1–40
- Website
- https://www.ember.to/
- Phone
- 01224591381
- bluebird.enquiries@stagecoachbus.com
- Website
- stagecoachbus.com
Bus from Bus Station Stance 3 to Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 39m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £29–40
- Website
- https://www.stagecoachbus.com/
- Phone
- +44 845 600 0449
- info@northlinkferries.co.uk
- Website
- northlinkferries.co.uk
Ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £20–36
- Website
- https://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/
- Low
- £20–25
- Peak
- £31–36
Ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney 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
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