Skye has no railway and no airport with scheduled flights, but it is joined to the mainland by a free road bridge and by a short ferry. The journey is long from the central cities and is best treated as part of the trip, with a night in Glencoe, Fort William or Inverness on the way.
Routes at a glance
| From | How | Time | Rough cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inverness | Car by Loch Ness and the A87 to Portree | about 2½ hours | fuel |
| Inverness | Citylink coach to Portree | about 3¼ hours | around £25–30 |
| Inverness | Train to Kyle of Lochalsh, then bus to Portree | about 2¾ hours + 1 hour | train from around £15–25 |
| Fort William | Car to Mallaig and CalMac ferry to Armadale | about 1 hr + 30–45 min crossing | ferry fare for car and passengers; book ahead |
| Glasgow | Citylink coach via Glencoe and Fort William to Portree | about 6½–7 hours | around £45–55 |
| Glasgow / Edinburgh | Car via Glencoe and the Skye Bridge | about 5–5½ hours to Portree | fuel |
Times and prices are approximate and change with season and booking date — check operators for current timetables and fares.
By car over the bridge
The Skye Bridge crosses from Kyle of Lochalsh to Kyleakin and has been free since tolls were abolished in 2004. From Inverness, follow the A82 down Loch Ness and the A87 through Glen Shiel, passing Eilean Donan Castle just before the bridge. From Glasgow or Edinburgh, drive through Glencoe and Fort William and join the A87 at Invergarry. Once across, it is another 35 miles and 50 minutes to Portree.
By ferry from Mallaig
The romantic approach: drive or take the train along the Road to the Isles from Fort William to Mallaig and sail to Armadale in the south of Skye. The crossing takes 30–45 minutes. Vehicle space sells out in summer and should be reserved with CalMac well ahead; sailings are less frequent in winter and can be cancelled by weather or technical problems — check the service status before you set off. In summer a tiny community-run turntable ferry also crosses the narrows from Glenelg to Kylerhea.
By coach and train
Citylink coaches run from Glasgow (through Fort William) and from Inverness to Broadford, Portree and Uig; reserve seats in summer. The railway from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh is one of the most scenic in Britain and connects with buses over the bridge. The West Highland Line from Glasgow reaches Mallaig for the ferry; a bus meets it at Armadale, though not every sailing.
Getting around Skye
A car is by far the most practical way to explore, and hire cars on the island itself are few — rent in Inverness, Fort William or the cities. Many roads are single-track with passing places; read our driving etiquette, pull in to let locals pass and never park in a passing place. Local buses link Portree with Uig, Dunvegan, Broadford and (a few times a day) the Trotternish loop, but do not serve the Fairy Pools or Neist Point usefully. Taxis are limited and must be booked. Fill up in Portree or Broadford; other pumps are few.
