Ferries to Orkney from Aberdeen
Your journey begins as you set sail with NorthLink Ferries, who sail from Aberdeen several times each week for passengers and cars travelling to the Orkney Islands .
NorthLink Ferries depart from Aberdeen at 5pm, arriving in Kirkwall in the late evening. Return sailings leave Kirkwall in the late evening, arriving back in Aberdeen in time for breakfast. Ferries from Aberdeen continue overnight to Shetland, returning in the evening from Shetland to call at Kirkwall en route beck to Aberdeen.
Ferries from Scotland’s North Coast
NorthLink Ferries sails 2-3 times daily between Scrabster (near Thurso) and Stromness Harbour. in western Orkney.
Scrabster Ferry Terminal is located in Scrabster on the North coast of Scotland, 1½ miles from Thurso, 22½ miles from Wick and 112 miles from Inverness. Stromness Harbour is in the centre of Stromness town and about 15 miles (25-30 minutes) drive from Kirkwall.
For drivers and passengers booked on the first departure back from Stromness each morning, Northlink Ferries offer Bed & Breakfast onboard MV Hamnavoe for an additional fee
For more than 25 years, Orkney’s own ferry company Pentland Ferries has served the short sea crossing across the Pentland Firth from Gills Bay in Caithness to St Margaret’s Hope in South Ronaldsay.
The service has always operated without public subsidy, and in 2026 Pentland Ferries received the National Transport Award for UK Ferry Operator of the Year.
Inter-Island Ferries
Orkney Ferries has 10 vessels in the fleet serving 13 islands destinations, carrying over 82,000 vehicles and undertaking around 320,000 passenger journeys annually. Since 1987, Orkney Islands Council has assumed responsibility for all inter-island ferry services.
Flying to Orkney from the mainland
There are regular scheduled flights with Loganair from London Heathrow and principal Scottish mainland airports, as well as inter-island flights to Sumburgh (Shetland Islands) Connections are available in Aberdeen with flights to and from many regional airports including Dublin and Belfast.
All Loganair flights to Orkney arrive and depart Kirkwall Airport just 4 miles southeast of Kirkwall.
Inter-Island Flights
Internal flights to the six outer north isles (Eday, North Ronaldsay, Papa Westray, Sanday, Stronsay and Westray) are operated by Loganair under a Public Service Obligation (PSO) Contract by Orkney Islands Council.
Flights depart from Kirkwall Airport to the airstrips in each of the isles.
Flights can be booked on the Loganair website or by calling 01856 872494.
