Lerwick – Kirkwall
Ferry to Orkney Islands
Lerwick – Kirkwall
Ferry to Orkney Islands
Northlink Ferries provides the ferry from Lerwick to Kirkwall. Lerwick Kirkwall ferries cost between £43 and £317, depending on ticket details. Prices exclude any service fees. Ferry timetables change seasonally, use our Deal Finder to get live pricing and availability for Lerwick Kirkwall ferries.
Lerwick Kirkwall ferries typically depart at 17:30.
The Lerwick Kirkwall ferry trip can take around 5 hours 30 minutes. Sailing times can vary between ferry operators and can be impacted by weather conditions.
There are 3 weekly sailings from Lerwick to Kirkwall provided by Northlink Ferries. Timetables can change from season to season.
Lerwick Kirkwall ferry prices typically range between £43* and £317*. The average price is typically £144*. The cheapest Lerwick Kirkwall ferry prices start from £43*. The average price for a foot passenger is £52*. The average price for a car is £165*.
Pricing will vary depending on number of passengers, vehicle type, route and sailing times. Pricing is taken from searches over last 30 days and exclusive of service fees, last updated April 25.
The distance between Lerwick to Kirkwall is approximately 148.7 miles (239.3km) or 129 nautical miles.
Yes, Northlink Ferries ferries allow cars on board ferries between Lerwick and Kirkwall. Use our Deal Finder to get live pricing for car ferries between Lerwick and Kirkwall.
Yes, foot passengers can travel with Northlink Ferries ferries between Lerwick and Kirkwall.
Pets are allowed on ferries travelling from Lerwick to Kirkwall with Northlink Ferries. Please also note that your pet may have to stay in the vehicle during the journey unless the ferry operator supplies pet accommodation.
More routes than anyone else.
Compare fares, times & routes in one place.
Change plans easily with flexi tickets.
Book e-tickets & manage trips in-app.
Live ship tracking & real-time updates.
Top-rated customer support when you need it.
| Lerwick - Kirkwall Route summary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Departure Country | UK | |
| Destination Country | UK | |
| No. of Operators | 1 | |
| Operators | Northlink Ferries | |
| Average Price | £94* | |
| Average Weekly Sailings | 1 | |
| Average Sailing Duration | 5h 30m | |
| First Ferry | 17:30 | |
| Distance | 129 nautical miles | |
* Prices subject to change, pricing is taken from last 30 days, last updated 2024-11-05.
The town of Lerwick is the main port, and capital, of the Shetland Islands in Scotland. The town which is located on the east coast of Shetland is roughly 160 km off the north east coast of Scotland, 340 km to the north of the city of Aberdeen and 370 km to the west of Bergen in Norway. The town has many amenities which one would normally expect to see in much larger towns on the British mainland which include leisure and entertainment facilities with a good selection of restaurants, bars and nightclubs. The town is centred around its busy harbour while Hay’s Dock was once the centre of Shetland’s fishing industry and boatbuilding and is now home to the splendid Shetland Museum and Archives.
The port, which lies at the crossroads of the North Sea and the north east Atlantic, is the UK's most northern port. The port has a new elevated passenger walkway to facilitate the new roll-on, roll-off ferries. There are daily ferry services operating between Lerwick and Aberdeen, regularly calling at Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands. The Shetland Islands Council also operate a ro-ro ferry service to Out Skerries and Bressay from a terminal in the centre of the town.
The town of Kirkwall is located in the Orkney islands and is the island's largest town and capital. The town's name is taken from the Norse name Kirkjuvage (Church Bay) which was later changed to Kirkvoe, Kirkwaa and then finally to Kirkwall. The Orkney's are located off the north east coast of Scotland and one of Kirkwall's most popular attractions is the sandstone St Magnus Cathedral, regarded as the finest medieval building in the north of Scotland. Other sites of interest in one of the best preserved examples of an ancient Norse town include the Bishop's Palace and Earl's Palace.
Kirkwall is now a thriving market town and has a busy centre with many shops and restaurants. Visitors will find a wide range of accommodation on the island that caters for long and short stays, bed and breakfast or self-catering. Ferry services from Orkney depart to Aberdeen (6 hours), Scrabster (90 minutes) and John O'Groats.
