Aran

Getting to Aran

There are two ferry routes from the mainland, from Rossaveel 40 km west of Galway year round, and from Doolin in County Clare in summer. All ferries sail to

1. 01
   Kilronan on Inis Mór
2. 02
   Inis Oírr

   This may mean a 90 min sailing time to an island that's closer to the mainland.

Things to do

Swim: all the islands have sheltered sandy beaches on their north side. You'll need a hot drink after. The oddest bathing experience is the Serpent's Hole on Inis Mór, a rectangular pool connected to the sea by a submerged passage. Scuba dive at the many dive sites around the islands. There are no support facilities so you'll have to bring a self-sufficient trip. Dry suit recommended.

Getting around Aran the local way

Everything arrives at Kilronan pier on the sheltered north-east side, or at the tiny airfield at Killeany. The workhorse is the Aran Island Ferries boat from Rossaveel in Connemara, 40 minutes, year-round, with a shuttle bus from Galway city that connects to every sailing; from the end of September to Christmas that drops to two crossings a day each way. Doolin in County Clare is the other way in, faster on paper but seasonal. Aer Arann Islands flies nine-seat Islanders from Connemara Airport in about ten minutes, which is the shortest scheduled hop in Ireland and the first thing cancelled when it blows. On the island there are no taxis, no car hire and no scheduled buses. What meets the boat is a line of minibuses whose drivers are islanders, and the bike hire shed by the pier, which is how most visitors actually get around. Everything except the cargo boat can be stopped by the weather.

1. 01
   Aran Island Ferries, Rossaveel to Kilronanboat

   Rossaveel (Ros a Mhíl) ferry terminal, Connemara, to Kilronan pier on Inis Mór, 37 km west of Galway city

   Where

   The terminal is signposted off the R336 coast road at Rossaveel; the pier office is open 09:00 to 18:00 and there is a pier car park at €8 for 24 hours, with a second one opened in high season. Present 30 minutes before sailing if driving, 90 minutes before if you are coming on the company shuttle from Galway. Foot passengers only, no cars go to the islands. One large bag up to 20 kg and one small bag up to 10 kg per person. Bikes are carried but space is limited and must be pre-booked; no e-bikes and nothing over 15 kg. Same-day tickets are sold at the pier but the boats sell out from April to September. The separate seasonal Galway City Docks service (3 April to 27 September 2026, 90 minutes, returning via a Cliffs of Moher cruise) has ended for 2026. No Galway City Docks sailing appears on the current timetable, which covers Rossaveel only.

   When

   Varies by season on the 2026 timetable. 4 July to 30 August: four sailings a day out of Rossaveel at 10:30, 11:45, 13:00 and 18:30, with returns from Inis Mór at 09:00, 12:00, 16:00, 17:00 and 18:30. 3 April to 3 July and 31 August to 27 September: three a day out, at 10:30, 13:00 and 18:00 or 18:30. 28 September to 24 December 2026, the timetable in force now: out from Rossaveel at 10:30 daily and at 18:00 Saturday to Thursday (18:30 on Fridays). Back from Inis Mór at 08:15 Monday to Saturday or 09:00 on Sunday, and at 17:00 daily. The Galway shuttle bus leaves at 09:30 for the 10:30 and 16:45 for the evening boat. 1 January to 2 April 2026 (now past) and 27 to 31 December 2026 use the same pattern. No service on 25 and 26 December

   Fare (2026)

   Adult €34 return, €22 single. Student and senior €29 return, €19 single. Child (5 to 12) €17 return, €12 single. Under 5s free but must be pre-booked. Bicycle €15 return, €8 one way. Over 66s resident in Ireland travel free on the Rossaveel route with a Free Travel Pass

   Takes

   40 minutes

   Season

   Year-round except 25 and 26 December. Sailings can be cancelled in heavy weather

   Booking

   Book online at aranislandferries.com, or at the Galway offices on Forster Street and Victoria Place, or at the Rossaveel pier office. Strongly recommended April to September

   Sources: aranislandferries.com (2026) · aranislandferries.com (2026-10) · aranislandferries.com (2026) · confidence medium

2. 02
   Galway city shuttle bus to Rossaveelminibus

   Victoria Place, just off Eyre Square in Galway city centre, to Rossaveel ferry terminal and back

   Where

   The stop is at Victoria Place, between the Victoria House and Victoria Hotel buildings, postcode H91 KVW0. It is the company's own coach and it connects to every scheduled Rossaveel sailing, so the bus time is printed next to the ferry time on the same timetable. Be at the stop 20 minutes before departure. The buses carry no bicycles, pets or cargo, so if you are bringing a bike you need your own transport to the pier. Free Travel Pass holders have to collect tickets in person at one of the Galway city offices rather than use the emailed confirmation.

   When

   One bus per scheduled sailing. Year-round the 09:30 bus meets the 10:30 boat and the 16:45 bus meets the 18:00 boat; in the 4 July to 30 August peak there are also 10:45, 12:00 and 17:00 departures. Inbound, buses leave Rossaveel at 09:00, 09:45, 13:00, 17:00, 17:45 and 19:15 depending on season

   Fare (2026)

   Adult €10 return, €6 single. Student and senior €9 return, €5 single. Child €7 return, €4 single

   Takes

   50 minutes

   Season

   Year-round, matching the ferry timetable

   Booking

   Must be booked at least 12 hours in advance. Normally added to the ferry booking

   Sources: aranislandferries.com (2026) · aranislandferries.com (2026) · aranislandferries.com (2026) · confidence high

3. 03
   Doolin Ferry, County Clare to Inis Mórboat

   Doolin Pier, County Clare, to Kilronan, with calls at Inis Oírr and Inis Meáin on some sailings

   Where

   Doolin Pier is about 2 km down from Doolin village, with a large car park and the ticket office on the pier itself. Bus Éireann route 350 from Galway runs six times a day via Ballyvaughan and Lisdoonvarna to Doolin village and pier. Foot passengers only, no cars to the islands. The operator's selling point is the crossing time: 15 minutes to Inis Oírr, 25 to Inis Meáin, 35 to Inis Mór. This is also the practical way to do an island hop, since the Doolin boats call at the other two islands on the way to or from Inis Mór, though not on every sailing.

   When

   Peak, 4 April to 30 August: three a day, leaving Doolin at 09:00, 11:00 and 15:00, returning from Inis Mór at 09:50, 12:00 and 16:15. Shoulder, 28 February to 3 April and 31 August to 1 November: two a day, Doolin 11:00 and 15:00, back from Inis Mór 12:00 and 16:15. Nothing from November to late February

   Fare (2026)

   Not published on the operator's public pages; prices appear only in the booking flow. Phone +353 65 707 5555

   Takes

   35 minutes direct; longer on sailings that call at the other islands

   Season

   Late February to early November only, with the fullest timetable in April to August

   Booking

   Book ahead in summer. Cars are not carried. Rain alone does not cancel a sailing

   Sources: doolinferry.com (2026) · doolinferry.com (2026) · en.wikivoyage.org (2025) · confidence medium

4. 04
   Aer Arann Islands, Connemara Airport to Inis Mórchartered flight

   Connemara Airport at Inverin (Indreabhán), 31 km west of Galway city, to Inis Mór airfield (IOR) at Killeany near the east tip of the island

   Where

   Connemara Airport is on the R336 coast road, past Spiddal. The aircraft are three Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders taking nine passengers each, so the terminal is small and the boarding process is short. The airfield on Inis Mór is at Killeany, about 3 km from Kilronan by the paved lane. Aer Arann Islands also flies Connemara to Inis Meáin and Inis Oírr, but every flight turns round at the mainland, so there are no island-to-island flights. Weather cancels flights often.

   When

   At least two flights a day year-round, rising to about eight a day at the August peak

   Fare

   Not confirmed. No fare could be retrieved from the airline

   Takes

   About 10 minutes

   Season

   Year-round

   Booking

   Through aerarannislands.ie or by phone. A day trip is always feasible on the timetable, and Irish Rail's partner runs a day tour from Dublin Heuston at 07:30 that connects to a flight

   Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2025) · en.wikipedia.org (2026) · confidence medium

5. 05
   Kilronan minibus toursminibus

   A loop west from Kilronan pier along the Main Road to Kilmurvey and Dún Aonghasa, and back, with stops at the Seven Churches and the forts on some tours

   Where

   Step off the ferry and the minibuses are lined up along the pier; the drivers introduce themselves as you walk past. Several separate companies run them and many operate year-round, so there is no single number to call and no need to book ahead. Drivers are islanders and the commentary is the point of the tour as much as the transport. The stop at Dún Aonghasa is about an hour and a half, which is the time it takes to walk the 1 km uphill from the visitor centre to the fort and back; the trail is bare rock and slippery when wet, and there is no fence at the 100 m cliff edge.

   When

   They meet every arriving boat, so effectively two to five times a day depending on season

   Fare (2026)

   €20 to €25 per person. Dún Aonghasa entry is separate: adult €5, concession €4, child €3

   Takes

   2.5 to 3 hours including the Dún Aonghasa stop

   Season

   Year-round, though numbers thin out with the winter ferry timetable

   Booking

   None. Agree the price with the driver at the pier

   Sources: aranislandferries.com (2026) · en.wikivoyage.org (2025) · confidence high

6. 06
   Bicycle hire, and walking the island roadbicycle hire

   Kilronan pier west to Kilmurvey and Dún Aonghasa, by the Main Road, the coastal Low Road or the meandering Back Road

   Where

   Aran Bike Hire is beside the ferry pier, open daily 09:00 to 17:00, and you can buy the ticket on the boat and be riding within a few minutes of landing. They have city and mountain bikes, e-bikes, tandems, child seats, tag-alongs, dog buggies and trailers. Pick up the free self-guided map they hand out; Dún Aonghasa is about a 30-minute ride west. The island is roughly 12 square miles and three lanes run the length of it, so you cannot get very lost. There are some hills and usually a stiff Atlantic wind, which is the argument for the e-bike. On foot the roads are fine but everything off them is bare, fissured limestone.

   When

   Any time during opening hours

   Fare (2026)

   €20 per person for a mountain or city bike, €25 with a child seat or dog buggy, €30 with a tag-along and buggy, €40 for an e-bike or tandem. Hire is available for up to seven days

   Takes

   About 30 minutes by bike from Kilronan to Dún Aonghasa; a full day to walk it there and back

   Season

   Year-round

   Booking

   Walk up, or book online at aranislandsbikehire.com. Bringing your own bike on the Rossaveel ferry costs €15 return and must be pre-booked

   Sources: aranislandferries.com (2026) · aranislandsbikehire.com (2026) · en.wikivoyage.org (2025) · confidence high

7. 07
   Pony and traphorse cart

   Kilronan pier to Dún Aonghasa and around the eastern half of the island

   Where

   Traps wait at the pier alongside the minibuses when the boats come in. Carts take between two and eight people and the drivers are islanders. Thomas Faherty Tours is the operator listed by both the ferry company and Wikivoyage; phone +353 99 61292 or +353 85 285 9777. This was the islanders' own transport before the minibuses and is now a slower, open-air version of the same circuit.

   When

   On demand, meeting the boats

   Fare

   Not published. Agree with the driver before setting off

   Takes

   Roughly the same circuit as the minibus, at walking pace

   Season

   Mainly the ferry season; ask at the pier in winter

   Booking

   None needed at the pier; phone or aranponytrap.com to arrange ahead

   Sources: aranislandferries.com (2026) · aranponytrap.com (2026) · en.wikivoyage.org (2025) · confidence medium

8. 08
   Lasta Mara cargo boat from Galway Dockscargo boat

   Galway Docks to the Aran Islands

   Where

   The passenger ferries carry no cars and no freight, so everything that cannot be hand-carried, including vehicles, building material and shop stock, goes on a separate cargo boat run by Lasta Mara Teo out of Galway Docks. It is not a passenger service and there is no public timetable; Aran Island Ferries direct enquiries to Lasta Mara on +353 91 562900.

   When

   Three days a week

   Fare

   Quoted on enquiry

   Takes

   Not published

   Season

   Year-round

   Booking

   By phone, +353 91 562900

   Sources: aranislandferries.com (2026) · confidence medium

Not yet confirmed: Aer Arann Islands fares, exact daily departure times and the Galway city connecting coach could not be confirmed. aerarannislands.ie returns 403 to every automated request and the Internet Archive was offline during this research. The frequency and the ten-minute flight time come from Wikivoyage (2025), the fleet from Wikipedia. Phone the airline for fares.; Doolin Ferry publishes no fares on its public pages; they appear only inside the booking widget. Crossing time is also disputed: the operator says 35 minutes direct to Inis Mór, Wikivoyage says 75 minutes, and the seed note said 40. The likely explanation is that the fast direct boat takes 35 minutes and the sailings that call at Inis Oírr and Inis Meáin take much longer, but this was not confirmed.; Doolin's season dates come from the operator's own Inis Mór page as read on 22 September 2026 (28 February to 1 November 2026). Wikivoyage says March to October and the seed said March to October. Treat the shoulder edges as approximate.; Inter-island travel: both the Rossaveel and the Doolin boats call at Inis Oírr and Inis Meáin, but not on every sailing, and no operator publishes a single inter-island timetable. Wikivoyage notes day trips between islands are possible most days in summer and seldom in winter. Ask at the pier office the day before.; No pony and trap fare could be found on any operator site. Negotiate at the pier.; Lasta Mara Teo has no website that could be found and no published schedule beyond three days a week. The only reference is the Aran Island Ferries FAQ.; Weather cancellation policy: Doolin Ferry says only that rain alone does not cancel a sailing. Neither ferry operator publishes a refund rule for weather cancellations, and Aer Arann's could not be retrieved. Wikivoyage warns the nine-seat Islanders are often cancelled in bad weather.; Fares for the seasonal Galway City Docks sailing (3 April to 27 September 2026, 90 minutes, returning via a Cliffs of Moher cruise) are on a separate page that did not render the price table. The ferry company quotes a range of €12 to €22 one way and €17 to €34 return for the Rossaveel route only.; Aran Island Ferries' timetable page (aranislandferries.com/times_mor.php) was read on 9 October 2026. Its tables carry only the headings Outbound Bus, Ferry, Ferry, Bus and Inbound, so which time belongs to which day label is read from column order and from the bus-to-boat gaps (45 minutes inbound); the 08:15 Monday to Saturday and 09:00 Sunday returns follow that logic. The Galway City Docks service is listed on the operator's own tour page as daily departures from 3 April to 27 September, and its page now advertises the next season from 26 March 2027.; The aranislandferries.com timetable page for the Rossaveel shuttle gives 12 hours' advance booking for the bus; the rules for the Galway City shuttle stop are on the same page..

The field note on Inis Mór (Inishmore) reads this entry in full, one option at a time, with every source beside it.