Travel Around Arran

Once on the island, if travelling by car turn left on exiting the ferry terminal at Brodick for Lamlash, Whiting Bay and the south or right for Brodick, Blackwaterfoot and Lochranza in the north.

The island has good bus services that serve all the major communities and attractions.  

A current bus timetable for Arran can be found on the Stathclyde Partnership for Transport web site, www.spt.co.uk.  

Getting to Arran

Arran is the southernmost of the Western Isles and is easily accessible from the mainland.

All journeys to Arran end with a ferry trip. There are two ferry services, the principal route from Ardrossan on the Ayrshire coast to Brodick on the island, and a second summer service from Lochranza to Claonaig on the Kintyre Peninsula. The crossing to Brodick takes just 55 minutes.

Both ferries are operated by Caledonian MacBrayne.  You can find timetables and fare information on their web site www.calmac.co.uk or by phone +44 (0) 8000 665000.  Advanced booking is advisable.

If travelling by train, Ardrossan Harbour station offers a rail service to Glasgow Central in around one hour, with trains timed to meet the ferry schedule.  Timetables at www.scotrail.co.uk.

By road there are a number of possible routes.  Coming from the south, one favourite is to leave the M74 at junction 8 and take the A71 to Kilmarnock.  After the Kilmarnock bypass, turn right to head up the coast on the A78 to Ardrossan.  The ferry port is well signed across the North Ayrshire region.