Visiting Orkney Islands

To get to the Orkney Islands, you can either drive or take a train.

Driving Directions:

From Edinburgh:

1. Take the M90 north towards Perth.
2. At the end of the motorway, take the A9 to Thurso.
3. In Thurso, take the ferry from Scrabster to Stromness.

From Inverness:

1. Take the A9 north to Thurso.
2. In Thurso, take the ferry from Scrabster to Stromness.

Train Directions:

If you prefer to take the train:

From Edinburgh:

1. Take the train from Edinburgh to Inverness.
2. In Inverness, take the train to Thurso.
3. In Thurso, take the ferry from Scrabster to Stromness.

From Glasgow:

1. Take the train from Glasgow to Inverness.
2. In Inverness, take the train to Thurso.
3. In Thurso, take the ferry from Scrabster to Stromness.

If you are already in the area, some nearby landmarks to visit before heading to the Orkney Islands are the Shetland Islands and the Cairngorms National Park.

The closest airport to Orkney Islands is Kirkwall Airport, which is located on the main island of Orkney. From the airport, the capital town of Kirkwall is just a 5-minute drive away. Alternatively, visitors can take a taxi or public bus to reach their final destination on the islands. The airport is well connected to major Scottish cities such as Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. The distance from Aberdeen to Kirkwall is approximately 175 miles, while the distance from Edinburgh to Kirkwall is approximately 307 miles. Visitors can reach Kirkwall from Aberdeen by taking the A96 and then the A920 until they reach the A960, which leads to the town. From Edinburgh, visitors should take the A90 towards Dundee, then take the A92 towards Stonehaven, before finally taking the A952 and the A960 to reach Kirkwall.