By Sea

Travel from Ireland to Scotland by ferry

Travelling by ferry from the major ports of Belfast and Larne to Cairnryan or Troon in SW Scotland, is a popular option for Irish visitors. Fast, modern ferries take around 2 hours, depending on the route and service.

The port of Troon in Ayrshire is 35 miles from Glasgow while Loch Ryan Port, Cairnryan, in Dumfries & Galloway, is 80 miles away. Both enjoy good road, rail and bus links with Glasgow.

Stenaline runs up to 6 daily crossings between Cairnryan and Belfast. The crossing takes 2 ¼ hours. Travel from Cairnryan to Glasgow is provided by Scottish Citylink or a shuttle bus can take passengers to Stranraer railway station, which offers an hourly service to Ayr.

P&O Ferries run up to 9 sailings per day on the shortest, fastest crossing between Larne & Cairnryan. The marginally longer Troon-Larne service has 2 crossings per day & operates between March and October.

Travel to Scotland from overseas 

Travelling to Scotland by ferry is popular from a number of European countries. Ferries run from the Netherlands to Hull in the north east of England, around 4 hours drive from the Scottish border, and from Amsterdam to Newcastle, around 2 hours 40 minutes drive from Glasgow.

From Rotterdam and Zeebrugge to Hull: P&O Ferries
(Hull is 265 miles from Glasgow)

From Amsterdam to Newcastle: DFDS Seaways
(Newcastle is 150 miles from Glasgow)

You can find information on timetables, ferry operators and make bookings at Ferrysavers.