You can choose to travel to Orkney by ferry or flight from a variety of destinations, with plenty of options available when you’re planning your visit.

We’ve included links to most transport companies but also recommend using the Orkney.com website for more detail.

Ferries

There are three main ferry routes to and from Orkney.

  1. NorthLink Ferries sail between Aberdeen and Kirkwall, with an onward connection to Lerwick in Shetland too. The company also operates a shorter crossing between Scrabster and Stromness. Accept foot passengers and push bikes too.
  2. Pentland Ferries run sailings between Gills Bay and St Margaret’s Hope, with its purpose-built catamaran the most environmentally-friendly passenger ferry of its type in Scotland. Accept foot passengers and push bikes too.

The table below highlights the routes available and approximate crossing times.

Route

Time

Contact
Scrabster (near Thurso) - Stromness 90 minutes www.northlinkferries.co.uk
Aberdeen - Kirkwall 6 hours www.northlinkferries.co.uk
Lerwick (Shetland) - Kirkwall 6 hours www.northlinkferries.co.uk
Gills Bay - St Margaret's Hope 60 minutes www.pentlandferries.co.uk

Flights

There are opportunities to charter flights to Kirkwall Airport, which has a maximum capacity of ATR 72. Or for larger aircraft, charter flights are available to Aberdeen airport with onwards travel to Orkney with Northlink ferries, which is how the Orkney delegation travelled to Guernsey 2023.

Flights to and from Orkney are operated by Loganair. The airline manages scheduled flights to Kirkwall from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, and now London Heathrow. These airports all have excellent links to the rest of the country and the wider world. The table below shows approximate flight times.

Route

Journey Time (approx)
Aberdeen to Kirkwall 50 minutes
Dundee to Kirkwall 50 minutes
Edinburgh/Glasgow to Kirkwall 60 minutes
Inverness to Kirkwall 45 minutes
London Heathrow to Kirkwall (with connections) 3-4 hours
Sumburgh (Shetland) to Kirkwall 35 minutes

Car Hire

There are a range of hire car companies in Orkney. We recommend booking as soon as possible:

Shearers Orkney

Orkney Car Hire

Drive Orkney

Avis

Motor Home Hire

A great way to make the most of your visit to Orkney, especially for competitors in individual sports, could be to hire a motor home. They are available both on-island and on the Scottish mainland and we recommend booking as soon as possible.

Hire in Orkney:

Northern Lights Motor Homes

Staycation Scotland

Camperbug

Hire on the Scottish Mainland and drive to Orkney:

Highland Campers

Aberdeen Motor Home Rentals

Camper Ceilidh

If hiring the motorhome from the Scottish mainland, please also see the Ferry's information. When booking the ferry, be sure to select the correct size of vehicle for your crossing.

Campsites

There are several campsites that welcome motorhomes; a selection are listed here:

Orkney Caravan Park - You’ll be right at the heart of the action with the Picky Centre hosting the Opening Ceremony as well as several sports.

Kirkwall Bay - A peaceful spot a short drive from many of the events

Stromness Point of Ness Campsite - A lovely campsite and right next door to part of the Golf competition. Also well placed for Triathlon, Gymnastics and some Football matches.

Delivery of Equipment

We are partnered with Streamline Shipping Group who specialise in the delivery of freight and equipment worldwide – and to the Orkney Islands. With a freight and logistics depot on the islands, you can send unaccompanied equipment or other cargo in advance to Orkney, and returned after the Orkney 2025 Island Games have finished.

  • Worldwide collections and deliveries
  • Parcels, boxes, pallets, full trailer loads, projects and heavy cargo
  • Daily services by sea and air to the Orkney Islands
  • Short-term storage on the islands until you/your team arrive and depart
  • Drop off goods at Streamline depots on the UK mainland for onward delivery to Orkney

Request a quotation from Streamline Shipping Group and mention Orkney 2025 for a 25% discount on shipping costs between the UK Mainland and Orkney for the 20th International Island Games.