There are 8 ways to get from Scotland to Mainland 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 Aberdeen Airport
best- Fly from Aberdeen Airport (ABZ) to Kirkwall (KOI)plane ABZ - KOI
2h 14m£155–337Bus, ferry
cheapest- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Bus Station Stance 3bus
- 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
10h 44m£47–80Train, ferry
- Take the train from Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeentrain Glasgow Queen Street - Aberdeen / ...
- Take the ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminalferry Nl2
10h 29m£80–136Bus, ferry via Inverness
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Bus Station Stance 3bus
- Take the bus from Inverness Union Street to Scrabster Vehicle Terminalbus
- Take the ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminalferry Nl1
10h 33m£58–97Train, ferry via Inverness
- Take the train from Glasgow Queen Street to Perthtrain
- Take the train from Perth to Invernesstrain
- Take the train from Inverness to Wicktrain
- Take the ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminalferry Nl1
14h 1m£133–252Fly from Edinburgh Airport
- Fly from Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Kirkwall (KOI)plane EDI - KOI
2h 47m£170–420Fly from Inverness Dalcross Airport
- Fly from Inverness Dalcross Airport (INV) to Kirkwall (KOI)plane INV - KOI
2h 19m£165–607Fly from Glasgow Airport
- Fly from Glasgow Airport (GLA) to Kirkwall (KOI)plane GLA - KOI
2h 35m£214–495
Aberdeen Airport (ABZ) to Kirkwall (KOI) flights
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Scotland to Mainland is to bus and ferry which costs £45 - £85 and takes 10h 44m.
The fastest way to get from Scotland to Mainland is to fly which takes 2h 14m and costs £150 - £340.
The distance between Scotland and Mainland is 132 miles.
The best way to get from Scotland to Mainland without a car is to train and ferry which takes 10h 29m and costs £75 - £140.
It takes approximately 2h 14m to get from Scotland to Mainland, including transfers.
There are 214+ hotels available in Mainland.
What companies run services between Scotland and Mainland, Orkney Islands, Scotland?
Loganair flies from Aberdeen Airport (ABZ) to Kirkwall (KOI) twice daily.
- Website
- loganair.co.uk
Flights from Aberdeen Airport to Kirkwall
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £150–330
Flights from Edinburgh Airport to Kirkwall
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £160–410
Flights from Inverness Dalcross Airport to Kirkwall
- Ave. Duration
- 45 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £140–600
Flights from Glasgow Airport to Kirkwall
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £240–490
Flights from Glasgow Airport to Kirkwall via Lerwick
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 25m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- £240–490
- Phone
- +44 (0)344 811 0141
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £55–100
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Glasgow Queen Street to Perth
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £24–40
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Perth to Inverness
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 23m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £45–75
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Inverness to Wick
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 22m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- £65–110
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Perth to Inverness
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 12m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £35–55
- Website
- London North Eastern Railway Limited (LNER)
- Phone
- +44 330 060 0500
- Website
- Caledonian Sleeper
Train from Perth to Inverness
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 52m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- £26–40
- Website
- Caledonian Sleeper
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Bus Station Stance 3
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 35m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £19–29
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Bus Station Stance 3
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 35m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £19–29
- Website
- Flixbus
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- info@citylink.co.uk
- Website
- Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Bus Station Stance 3
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 45m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £30–60
- Website
- Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd
- Single
- £30–60
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Bus Station Stance 3
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 45m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £30–60
- Website
- Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd
- Single
- £30–60
- Phone
- +44 (0)131 510 4007
- ride@ember.to
- Website
- Ember
Bus from Inverness Union Street to Scrabster Vehicle Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 28m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £13–19
- Website
- Ember
- Phone
- 0345 241 8000
- Website
- Stagecoach North Scotland
Bus from Bus Station Stance 3 to Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 39m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- £2
- Website
- Stagecoach North Scotland
- Phone
- +44 845 600 0449
- info@northlinkferries.co.uk
- Website
- NorthLink Ferries
Ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £20–36
- Website
- NorthLink Ferries
- Low
- £20–25
- Peak
- £31–36
Ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £13–19
- Website
- NorthLink Ferries
- Low
- £13–17
- Peak
- £16–19
Ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £13–19
- Website
- NorthLink Ferries
- Low
- £13–17
- Peak
- £16–19
Ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £13–19
- Website
- NorthLink Ferries
- Low
- £13–17
- Peak
- £16–19
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