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Isle of Skye
Island of the Inner Hebrides, Scotland

Isle of Skye

The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye, is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland.

Plan a trip to Isle of Skye→From Glasgow

The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated by the Cuillin, the rocky slopes of which provide some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the country. Although Sgitheanach has been suggested to describe a winged shape, no definitive agreement exists as to the name's origin.

Get in

Getting to Isle of Skye

Skye has no air service. The nearest mainland airports are Inverness, Glasgow and Edinburgh. The main road to Skye is the A87, which branches off A82 (Fort William-Inverness road) at Invergarry, to run west via Shiel Bridge (for Glenelg), Dornie (for Eilean Donan Castle) and Kyle of Lochalsh, crossing the toll-free bridge to Kyleakin. It follows Skye's north coast via Broadford and Portree to Uig.

  1. 01
    Kyle of Lochalsh
  2. 02
    Mallaig

    From London they're both about 11 hours by daytime train, 13 hours via sleeper.

See

Worth seeing

Trotternish, the peninsula north of Portree, was distorted by a huge landslip 10,000 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age. The ice had been supporting the mountainside, which collapsed leaving strange exposed rock formations. The Old Man of Storr is a rock pinnacle seen from the road, and Kilt Rock is a dolerite sea cliff that doesn't much resemble a kilt.

Do

Things to do

Learn Scottish Gaelic at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Skye's Gaelic college. Attend one of their short courses or do a full degree. The Cuillin are Skye's most famous group of mountains, and there are coastal treks. Visit Walkhighlands (Isle of Skye walks), a free and independent guide to walks on the island. Bag all the Munros, the mountains over 3000 ft / 914.4 m in Scotland.

How locals move

Getting around Isle of Skye the local way

Most people drive or bus straight onto Skye across the toll-free Skye Bridge from Kyle of Lochalsh, which replaced the Kyleakin ferry in 1995 and stopped charging tolls at the end of 2004 after a long protest campaign; nothing is charged to cross it now. The other road-linked way in is the CalMac car ferry from Mallaig to Armadale, 45 minutes, booking essential on this route even for foot passengers, running roughly hourly April to October and a couple of times a day in winter. Citylink coaches reach Skye from Glasgow (about 6h25m, up to three a day in winter) and Inverness, and the railheads at Kyle of Lochalsh and Mallaig connect to those coaches and to CalMac. Stagecoach Highlands runs the island's local buses out of Portree and Broadford, thin on Sundays and in winter and partly reliant on school-term-only routes. Sconser to Raasay is a frequent CalMac 'turn up and go' service; the Glenelg to Kylerhea run is a different animal entirely: a community-owned, hand-turned turntable ferry that only operates April to October and carries six cars at a time. From Elgol, small operators run seasonal boat trips to Loch Coruisk, weather permitting and with no fixed timetable. Car hire exists in Portree, Armadale and at Kyle of Lochalsh but fleets are small and need booking well ahead, and single-track roads with passing places, plus new charged and metered parking at hotspots like the Fairy Pools and the Quiraing, are now as much a part of getting around as any timetable.

  1. 01
    Skye Bridge – toll-free crossingservice status

    A87, Kyle of Lochalsh (mainland) to Kyleakin (Skye), via Eilean Bàn

    Where
    The bridge carries the A87 and needs no ticket or stop; it replaced the Caledonian MacBrayne Kyle of Lochalsh to Kyleakin ferry when it opened on 16 October 1995
    When
    Always open, no toll booth or barrier
    Fare
    None. The private operator charged a toll from 1995; the Scottish Executive bought out the concession and tolls were abolished on 21 December 2004 (undated as a number, since there is no fare)
    Takes
    under 5 minutes to cross
    Season
    Year-round
    Booking
    none

    Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · en.wikipedia.org (2026-09) · confidence high

  2. 02
    CalMac Mallaig – Armadaleferry

    Mallaig railhead and pier, mainland, to Armadale, Sleat, south Skye

    Where
    Armadale terminal is at the end of the A851 in Sleat; Mallaig terminal is beside the West Highland Line station. Vehicles check in 20 minutes before departure, foot passengers 10 minutes; the operator says to book online in advance even as a foot passenger
    When
    Summer timetable (2 May to 18 October 2026) roughly hourly in the day; winter timetable (19 October 2026 to 25 March 2027) a few sailings a day. No sailings 16–18 October 2026 for vessel maintenance
    Fare (2026)
    Adult £4.00 single / £8.00 return; car £13.25 single / £26.50 return; motorcycle £6.65 single; pedal cycles free (2026)
    Takes
    45 minutes
    Season
    Year-round, reduced winter timetable; summer tidal and maintenance amendments on specific dates
    Booking
    Booking is essential on this route, calmac.co.uk, even for foot passengers; eTickets can be scanned from a phone

    Sources: calmac.co.uk (2026-09) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence high

  3. 03
    Glenelg – Skye Ferry (Kylerhea turntable ferry)cable ferry

    Glenelg, Glenelg peninsula on the mainland, to Kylerhea on Skye, a minor road south of Kyleakin

    Where
    Signposted from both the Glenelg shore station and the turning on Skye; the operator updates the sign and its own site and social media when weather stops sailings. It is the world's last manually operated turntable ferry, running the vessel MV Glenachulish
    When
    Every 20 minutes or as required, seven days a week, 10:00 to 18:00
    Fare (2026)
    Car with up to 4 passengers £20 single / £30 return; motorbike £10 single; foot passenger £5 single; bicycle and cyclist £6 single; minibus (up to 12 passengers) £50 (2026, from the operator's own tariff)
    Takes
    under 15 minutes; the crossing itself is about 800 m
    Season
    April to mid-October only; closed in winter. Bad weather can stop sailings on any day within the season
    Booking
    It is not necessary to pre-book; pay on board by cash or card. Non-standard or oversized vehicles must contact the operator first

    Sources: skyeferry.co.uk (2026-09) · skyeferry.co.uk (2026-09) · confidence high

  4. 04
    CalMac Sconser – Raasayferry

    Sconser, on Skye's main coast road, to Raasay

    Where
    Sconser pier is on the A87 between Sligachan and Broadford; there is no other public transport link to Raasay
    When
    Multiple sailings a day both directions, summer and winter timetables; a 'Turn Up and Go' service, meaning a ticket bought for one date and timetable period is valid for any sailing in that period
    Fare (2026)
    Adult £2.65 single / £5.30 return (summer 2026 tariff, vehicle pricing does not include the driver)
    Takes
    25 minutes: CalMac's own summer 2026 timetable pairs the 08:25 departure from Sconser with an 08:50 arrival at Raasay
    Season
    Year-round, separate summer (27 March–18 October 2026) and winter (19 October 2026–25 March 2027) timetables
    Booking
    Advance purchase online recommended; ticket is valid for any sailing within the chosen timetable period, not just the booked one

    Sources: calmac.co.uk (2026-09) · assets.calmac.co.uk (2026-09) · confidence high

  5. 05
    Elgol boat trips to Loch Coruiskboat

    Elgol pier, Minginish, to Loch Coruisk beneath the Cuillin

    Where
    Boats leave from Elgol pier at the end of the B8083; operators include Bella Jane Boat Trips (also running AquaXplore RIBs and the Island Cruiser). Book by phone or email; the operator posts weather cancellations on its own site
    When
    On demand within the season, several sailings a day, weather dependent; sailings are cancelled outright in poor weather (the operator was noting no trips on windy days in late September 2026)
    Fare
    no current fare found on the operator's own pages; ask when booking
    Takes
    typically a half-day round trip with time ashore at Coruisk; exact duration not confirmed
    Season
    2026 season trips run seven days a week until the end of October, per the operator; wind and sea state cancel individual sailings
    Booking
    phone or email ahead; the operator's site is updated in-season with weather-based trip advice

    Sources: bellajane.co.uk (2026-09) · confidence medium

  6. 06
    Scottish Citylink Glasgow – Skyebus

    Glasgow Buchanan Street bus station via Loch Lomond, Fort William, Invergarry and Kyle of Lochalsh, across the bridge to Broadford, Portree and Uig

    Where
    Book at citylink.co.uk; the coach uses the Skye Bridge, not a ferry
    When
    Up to three services a day during the winter timetable (2026), on the operator's own current route page
    Fare
    not confirmed here; check citylink.co.uk for current fares
    Takes
    about 6 hours 25 minutes fastest
    Season
    Year-round
    Booking
    advance booking recommended, citylink.co.uk or the app

    Sources: citylink.co.uk (2026-09) · confidence high

  7. 07
    Scottish Citylink Inverness – Skyebus

    Inverness via Loch Ness and Kyle of Lochalsh to Broadford, Sligachan and Portree

    Where
    Book at citylink.co.uk
    When
    Twice daily, Bus 916/917 via Loch Ness and Kyle, per Wikivoyage; not re-confirmed against the operator's own current timetable page in this pass
    Fare
    not confirmed here; check citylink.co.uk
    Takes
    around 3h30m per Wikivoyage; not re-confirmed against the operator's current timetable
    Season
    Year-round
    Booking
    advance booking recommended

    Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence low

  8. 08
    Kyle of Lochalsh railheadtrain

    ScotRail Far North branch, Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh, connecting onward by bus or coach across the Skye Bridge

    Where
    Kyle of Lochalsh station is beside the harbour, a short walk or bus connection from the bridge crossing to Skye
    When
    not independently confirmed in this pass; several trains a day from Inverness per long-standing ScotRail service
    Fare
    not confirmed here
    Takes
    about 2.5 hours Inverness to Kyle (typical, not independently confirmed here)
    Season
    Year-round
    Booking
    scotrail.co.uk

    Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence low

  9. 09
    Mallaig railheadtrain

    West Highland Line, Glasgow Queen Street and Fort William to Mallaig, connecting to the CalMac ferry to Armadale

    Where
    Mallaig station is beside the ferry terminal
    When
    not independently confirmed in this pass
    Fare
    not confirmed here
    Takes
    not confirmed here
    Season
    Year-round; the Jacobite steam service also runs Fort William–Mallaig in summer, tourist-only
    Booking
    scotrail.co.uk

    Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence low

  10. 10
    Stagecoach Highlands island buses (Portree hub)bus

    Local routes fanning out from Portree, including Bus 57/57A/57C round Trotternish via Uig and Staffin, and Bus 56 Portree–Dunvegan

    Where
    Buses leave from Portree; Stagecoach's own timetable pages returned a 403 to every fetch attempted in this research pass, including a browser user-agent over HTTP/1.1, so this entry rests on Wikivoyage rather than the operator
    When
    on demand pattern per Wikivoyage: the Trotternish circuit runs roughly every 3 hours Monday–Friday plus Saturday in summer; Dunvegan bus 3–5 times Monday–Saturday. Many rural routes are effectively school buses, running only early morning and late afternoon in term time and not at all in school holidays or on Sundays
    Fare
    not confirmed here
    Takes
    varies by route, not confirmed here
    Season
    Year-round but sparse; several routes described locally as thin to nonexistent on Sundays and in winter
    Booking
    none, pay the driver or use the Stagecoach app

    Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence low

  11. 11
    Stagecoach Highlands Bus 51/52 and 55, Armadale/Kyle corridorbus

    Bus 51/52 from Armadale ferry pier to Broadford and Portree; Bus 55 from Kyle of Lochalsh to Kyleakin, Broadford and (some journeys) Torrin and Elgol

    Where
    Bus 51/52 meets the Armadale ferry; Bus 55 starts at Kyle of Lochalsh, on the mainland side of the bridge
    When
    Bus 51/52 several times a day per Wikivoyage; Bus 55 three times Monday–Friday, with two continuing to Elgol
    Fare
    not confirmed here
    Takes
    not confirmed here
    Season
    Year-round; not confirmed whether these run on Sundays
    Booking
    none, pay the driver

    Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence low

  12. 12
    Car hire, Kyle of Lochalsh and Armadalevehicle hire

    Skye Car Hire / Kyle Taxi Company, based at Kyle of Lochalsh on the mainland with a pickup/drop-off point at Armadale ferry terminal on Skye

    Where
    Office at Kyle of Lochalsh; the operator can also arrange taxi collection from the local airport, train or bus station, or ferry terminal
    When
    on demand, by advance booking
    Fare
    not published on the operator's own front page; the operator directs current pricing to a separate site (carhireskye.co.uk)
    Takes
    n/a
    Season
    Year-round; small fleet, book well ahead especially in summer
    Booking
    phone or email in advance; fleets on Skye and at Kyle are small and sell out in peak season

    Sources: skyecarhire.co.uk (2026-09) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence medium

Not yet confirmed: The Fairy Pools got a new car park with a charge (widely reported by Scottish press as around £5) and the Quiraing car park has since had parking meters installed and vandalised, per West Highland Free Press headline 'VANDALISM: Parking meters damaged at Isle of Skye beauty spot' and Press and Journal's 'Skye parking fines top £400,000 as wardens tackle tourist hotspots' (2 July 2025) and BBC's 'Visitors significant factor in rising Skye parking fines' (2 July 2025) - none of these pages could be reached directly in this research pass (Google News redirect links did not resolve to the publisher, and whfp.com returned a genuine 403 to every user-agent and HTTP version tried), so no fare or scheme detail from them is stated as fact above; ask locally or check Highland Council's roads and parking pages before relying on a number.; Stagecoach Highlands' own timetable site (stagecoachbus.com) returned 403 to every fetch attempted, including a browser user-agent over HTTP/1.1, so the bus entries above rest on the Wikivoyage article rather than the operator; current frequencies, Sunday service (if any) and winter timetables should be checked at a local visitor centre or via Traveline Scotland before relying on them.; The brief describes 'Raasay and Small Isles ferries from Sconser and Elgol'; that is not accurate. Sconser serves Raasay only. The Small Isles (Eigg, Rum, Muck, Canna) are served by CalMac from Mallaig, not from Elgol or Sconser - Elgol's boats go to Loch Coruisk, a sea loch on Skye itself, not to any of the Small Isles. This is corrected here rather than followed as given.; No current fare could be found on Bella Jane's own site for the Elgol to Loch Coruisk boat trip; ask when booking by phone.; ScotRail timetables and fares for the Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh and West Highland Line-Mallaig services were not independently fetched in this pass; only Wikivoyage's summary is behind those two entries.; Citylink's Inverness-Skye route frequency and duration were not re-confirmed against the operator's own current page in this pass, unlike the Glasgow-Skye route, which was re-fetched and corrected.; Citylink Glasgow-Skye: wikivoyage's raw article (fetched 2026-09-28) says Citylink 914/915 runs 'twice daily... about 7 hours in total'; the operator's own current page instead gives up to 3 winter departures and 6h25m fastest, so the Wikivoyage figure is stale and the operator page is used here.

The field note on Isle of Skye reads this entry in full, one option at a time, with every source beside it.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Colin (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.