Lerwick Kirkwall Ferry

The Lerwick Kirkwall ferry route connects Shetland Islands with Orkney Islands. Currently there is just the 1 ferry company operating this ferry service, Northlink Ferries. The crossing operates up to 2 times each week with sailing durations from around 5 hours 30 minutes.

Lerwick Kirkwall 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.

For more information, please visit our Ferries from Shetland Islands to Orkney Islands page.

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Lerwick - Kirkwall Route summary
Departure Country	UK
Destination Country	UK
No. of Operators	1
Operators	Northlink Ferries
Average Price	£121*
Average Weekly Sailings	2
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 2024-09-04.

How long is the ferry from Lerwick to Kirkwall?

The ferry crossing time from Lerwick to Kirkwall is approximately 5h 30m. Sailing durations may vary from season to season and by operator so we’d advise doing a live check.

Which ferry companies operate between Lerwick to Kirkwall?

There is 1 ferry operator for Lerwick to Kirkwall and this is

Northlink Ferries

How can I book ferry tickets from Lerwick to Kirkwall?

Book ferries from Lerwick to Kirkwall through our deal finder and check our offers page to view the latest ferry offers.

Lerwick Guide

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.

Kirkwall Guide

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.

Lerwick to Kirkwall Ferry Timetables

Ferry Timetables between 21/10/2024 and 27/10/2024

Operator	Departure Time	Arrival Time	Duration	Sailing Days
Northlink Ferries	17:30	23:00	5 hours 30 minutes	Tue, Thu, Sat

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