Larne to Cairnryan Ferry

The Larne Cairnryan ferry route connects Northern Ireland with Scotland and is operated by P&O Irish Sea. The Larne Cairnryan ferry crossing time is 2 hours and sails 6 times daily.

Larne Cairnryan sailing durations and frequency may vary from season to season so we’d advise doing a live check to get the most up to date information.

Larne to Cairnryan is the fastest ferry route from Northern Ireland to Scotland. There is approximately 32 miles in distance between Larne port and Cairnryan port.

Cairnryan port is a small port on the north west coast of Scotland, just 10 minutes from the town of Stranraer. Stranraer offers a variety of hotels, restaurants and cafes for people looking to stay close to the port. Why not visit some of Scotland's greatest cities? Glasgow, Scotland's most popular city is just a 2 hour drive from Cairnryan and Edinburgh, Scotland's capital city is a 3 hour drive.

Traveling as a foot passenger and with a vehicle is permitted on the Larne to Cairnryan ferry route with all operators, P&O Irish Sea and Stenaline.

Is there duty free on the Larne to Cairnryan ferry? Yes, you will be able to shop and enjoy World Duty Free prices onboard the ferry.

Larne to Cairnryan Ferry Alternatives

For more information, please visit our Ferries from Northern Ireland to Scotland page.

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Larne - Cairnryan Route summary
Departure Country	UK
Destination Country	UK
No. of Operators	1
Operators	P&O Irish Sea
Average Price	£281*
Average Daily Sailings	5
Average Weekly Sailings	37
Average Sailing Duration	2h 0m
First Ferry	04:00
Last Ferry	23:59
Distance	47 nautical miles

* Prices subject to change, pricing is taken from last 30 days, last updated 2023-08-01.

Larne Cairnryan Ferry reviews

"Rough journey "

Wonderful staff

'European Highlander' travelled on European Highlander
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"First time on this ferry crossing"

On time, lucky with the weather, facilities good for our 2 hour journey. Staff friendly.

'European Causeway' travelled on European Causeway
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"PO FERRY "

Sailing

'European Highlander' travelled on European Highlander
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"Excellent service"

Brilliant staff and excellent service in club lounge Was a pleasure to sail P&O

'European Highlander' travelled on European Highlander
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Larne Guide

Larne is Northern Ireland's busiest passenger and car ferry port, handling around one million people and 200,000 vehicles every year. The town itself is located on the east coast of County Antrim, with its maritime history dating back over 1,000 years.

The port’s passenger facilities include excellent lounge areas, a restaurant, cash machines, shops, tourist information and a rail and bus station. The main ferry boat service operating out of the port to mainland Britain is to Cairnryan, run by P&O Irish Sea, with a crossing time of around two hours, while there is also ferry operating between Larne and Fleetwood, in the north west of England.

The town is only around 25 miles from the Scottish mainland, lying on the western side of a narrow inlet linked to the sea. The eastern side is the Magee Peninsular, and to the west is the ancient volcanic formation of Antrim Plateau. Due to Larne’s proximity to Scotland, there are magnificent views to be had towards the Mull of Kintyre, Rhins of Galloway, Islay and Paps of Jura.

Cairnryan Guide

Cairnryan is a small Scottish port village sitting on the eastern shore of Loch Ryan in Dumfries and Galloway. The harbour has two ferry terminals providing services to and from Larne and Belfast: the Larne terminal, opened in 1973 and now operated by P&O Ferries, and the second is run by Stena Line, taking ferries from Belfast.

The village can trace its origins back to 1701 when it was established to house the workers on the Lochryan Estate, which has a deer park and bowling green. The village has a long and important seafaring history and today is home to one of the most popular ferry routes in the United Kingdom.

There isn't a great deal of things to do and see in the village and its facilities include a hotel, some bed and breakfast guest houses, a caravan site which has been built on the site of an old war camp area, a village shop and the Merchant's House Restaurant.

Larne to Cairnryan Ferry Timetables

Ferry Timetables between 04/12/2023 and 10/12/2023

Operator	Departure Time	Arrival Time	Duration	Sailing Days
P&O Irish Sea	04:00	06:00	2 hours	Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
P&O Irish Sea	08:00	10:00	2 hours	Everyday
P&O Irish Sea	12:00	14:00	2 hours	Everyday
P&O Irish Sea	16:00	18:00	2 hours	Everyday
P&O Irish Sea	20:00	22:00	2 hours	Everyday
P&O Irish Sea	23:59	01:59	2 hours	Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat