Getting Here

Travelling to the Outer Hebrides - it's easy to get here... (image © Donnie Morrison)

By Ferry

We recommend the following three routes run by Caledonian Macbrayne:

Ullapool to Stornoway - Caledonian MacBraynes operate regular car ferry services from Ullapool to Stornoway. Ferries run daily from Mon to Sat throughout the year, sometimes running 3 times a day during the summer.

The journey is usually around 2hrs 30mins. The scenery on leaving Ullapool and going through Loch Broom is breathtaking. It isn't unusual to see whales and dolphins in the Minch.

Tarbert - Uig (Isle of Skye) - Caledonian MacBraynes run a car ferry service between Tarbert and Uig on Skye . It runs up to three times a day in the summer months and once a day in winter.

Latest check-in before departure for vehicles is 30 minutes and passengers is 10 minutes. The journey time is 1hr 45mins.

Leverburgh- Otternish (North Uist) - Caledonian MacBraynes run a car ferry service between Leverburgh and Otternish in North Uist. It runs up to five times a day in the summer months and twice in winter.

Latest check-in before departure for both vehicles and passengers is 10 minutes. The journey time is 1hr 10mins. There are Sunday sailings between Leverburgh and North Uist.

By Air

Stornoway Airport is approximately four miles east of the town and is the main airport for flights to the Western Isles. Flights to Stornoway (SYY) run direct from Inverness (INV), Glasgow (GLA) and Edinburgh (EDI). Eastern Airways operate daily flights, Monday to Friday, to Stornoway from Aberdeen. Inter-island flights to Benbecula also fly from Stornoway. All four airports have excellent connections within the UK and internationally.

Approximate Flying times from:

Glasgow - Stornoway 50 mins with Flybe
Edinburgh - Stornoway 1hr 05mins with Flybe
Aberdeen - Stornoway 55 mins with Eastern Airways
Inverness - Stornoway 40 mins with Flybe or Highland Airways

Car Hire

Hiring a car is the easiest way to explore, giving you the freedom to wander and delight in all that the Islands have to offer. There are four main vehicle hire firms in Lewis:

Lewis Car Rentals
Stornoway Car Hire
Mackinnnon Self Drive
Arnol Motors