Ferry from Scrabster to Stromness

Ferry from Scrabster to Stromness at a glance

Here is what the Scrabster to Stromness ferry looks like: roll-on roll-off car and passenger ferry (MV Hamnavoe) run by NorthLink Ferries, about 1 hour 30 minutes from port to port, several sailings a day, fewer in winter. You board at Scrabster ferry terminal, near Thurso and step off at Stromness ferry terminal, Orkney. Haqqi Tours checks the sailings for your dates and tells you the cost before anything is booked.

• Route: Scrabster to Stromness (about 48 km by sea)
• Operator: NorthLink Ferries
• Crossing time: about 1 hour 30 minutes
• Vessels: roll-on roll-off car and passenger ferry (MV Hamnavoe)
• Frequency: several sailings a day, fewer in winter
• Departure port: Scrabster ferry terminal, near Thurso
• Arrival port: Stromness ferry terminal, Orkney
• Vehicles: cars and motorbikes carried on the car ferries
• Booking: form on this page, confirmation by WhatsApp, e-ticket by message

The main Orkney crossing leaves Scrabster, about three hours by road from Inverness, passes the Old Man of Hoy sea stack and docks at Stromness; it carries cars and the Thurso train or a bus connection from Inverness is the usual way to reach the terminal.

Cheapest ferry ticket from Scrabster to Stromness: how to pay less

The cheapest ferry ticket from Scrabster to Stromness is typically on the conventional ferry, booked early, on a weekday outside the peak weeks. These are the rules our team applies:

• Book the return with the outbound - open returns and round-trip fares are cheaper on many operators
• Ask about children's, student and resident fares, and about vehicle offers outside high season
• Choose the conventional ferry over the high-speed boat when time allows - it is cheaper, steadier and often more scenic
• Book early for July, August, Easter and holiday weekends, when sailings sell out and fares rise
• Travel on a weekday - Friday and Sunday sailings carry the highest fares
• Tell us if your dates are flexible; moving by a day often changes the fare

Send us the form with your dates and we tell you which sailing is the cheapest ferry from Scrabster to Stromness that day and how much a different day would save.

How to book ferry tickets from Scrabster to Stromness with Haqqi Tours

Booking a ferry from Scrabster to Stromness with us takes minutes and one conversation. Complete the form on this page with your date, one-way or return, the number of adults and children and whether you bring a vehicle. Our team messages you through WhatsApp to check your booking: we finalise the sailings that day, the vessel, the seats or cabin and the cost. You choose, we book, and the e-ticket arrives in the same chat.

• Step 1 - send the form: date, one-way or return, adults and children
• Step 2 - we message you in the WhatsApp chat with the sailings, vessels, seats or cabins and the cost
• Step 3 - you confirm the sailing you prefer and we arrange payment in the same chat
• Step 4 - we issue the e-ticket and send it; we stay in touch until you land in Stromness

Haqqi Tours also provides what happens around the ferry: a private transfer from your accommodation to Scrabster ferry terminal, near Thurso with the bags, a driver waiting at Stromness ferry terminal, Orkney, and tours in Stromness. Mention it on WhatsApp and it goes on the same confirmation.

Timetable and season of the Scrabster to Stromness ferry

Several sailings a day, fewer in winter - that is how frequently the ferry from Scrabster to Stromness runs, with more departures in summer and fewer, sometimes weather-dependent, in winter. Allow about 1 hour 30 minutes at sea plus check-in at the port. Timetables change between seasons, so we send the exact departures for your travel date rather than a list that may be out of date.

If a sailing is cancelled by the shipping line for weather, you are rebooked on the next available or refunded; our WhatsApp desk handles that for you on the day.

Departure: Scrabster ferry terminal, near Thurso

Your crossing starts at Scrabster ferry terminal, near Thurso. Large ports have several gates and the boarding gate is announced on the boards and on the ticket; we send the gate and the check-in time with your confirmation. A private transfer with Haqqi Tours takes you and the luggage to the right gate.

• Foot passengers: at the port 45-60 minutes before departure; vehicles 60-90 minutes
• Keep the e-ticket and the ID or passport used for booking together
• Luggage is carried free within the ferry company's limits; large bags go on the racks or the car deck
• Cafés, kiosks and waiting halls at Scrabster ferry terminal, near Thurso; some fast boats board only minutes before sailing

Arrival: Stromness ferry terminal, Orkney

You step off at Stromness ferry terminal, Orkney. Taxis and buses meet the boats. If you would rather not think about it, we book a driver to meet the ferry and take you to the door of your hotel.

Onward journeys from Stromness - another ferry, a flight or a train the same day - can be added to the booking; let us know and we time the crossing to fit.

On board the Scrabster to Stromness ferry: seats, cabins, cars and luggage

What is the Scrabster to Stromness ferry like on board? Roll-on roll-off car and passenger ferry (MV Hamnavoe), with airline-style seats, lounges, a café or restaurant and open decks on the larger ships; overnight vessels add cabins with beds and showers. Cars, motorbikes and bicycles travel on the vehicle deck and you go up to the passenger decks for the crossing. Luggage is not weighed; you keep it with you or on the racks. Haqqi Tours explains the seat and cabin options for the exact ship you are booking so you pay for what you will use.

• Seats: economy, airline-style, lounge and business on the fast boats; deck seats on the slow ferries
• Cabins with beds and showers on overnight sailings - two to four berths
• Café, bar or restaurant on most vessels; open decks on the conventional ferries
• Vehicles on the car deck - give us the car's length and height when booking

Things to do in Stromness after the ferry

The reasons travellers take the ferry to Stromness are the old harbour lanes, the Pier Arts Centre, Skara Brae nearby and the Ring of Brodgar nearby. Stromness is Orkney's second town, a stone-built harbour with flagged lanes, the ferry terminal for Scrabster and the Pier Arts Centre.

Haqqi Tours arranges guided tours, tickets, transfers and private drivers in Stromness; ask when you book the ferry and we send the options.

Best time to take the ferry from Scrabster to Stromness

For the ferry itself, late spring and early autumn bring calm seas, full timetables and reasonable fares; July and August are the busiest and the most expensive, and the windiest weeks can cancel the fast boats. Winter schedules are thinner on many crossings, so we look up before you plan.

Ferry or flight from Scrabster to Stromness?

For most passengers on this route the ferry is the better way: it leaves from the port in Scrabster and lands you in Stromness itself, carries as much luggage as you can wheel and the car, and turns the journey into part of the holiday. A flight only wins when the crossing is long and time is short. Haqqi Tours can provide flights too, and says honestly which is better for your dates.

Return ferry from Stromness to Scrabster

We book the return crossing from Stromness to Scrabster just as easily, usually on the same confirmation. Round-trip fares and open returns are cheaper on many operators, so booking both directions together saves money. Tell us the day you want to come back on the form and we send both directions with the cost.

How much does the ferry from Scrabster to Stromness cost?

The cost of the ferry from Scrabster to Stromness depends on the shipping line, the type of vessel, the date, whether you travel as a foot passenger or with a car, and the seat or cabin you choose. A conventional ferry is cheaper than a high-speed one; a summer Saturday costs more than a weekday in May; a car adds a vehicle fare; a cabin on an overnight sailing adds more. That is why Haqqi Tours does not print a price: we check the live fares for your exact date and send the real cost by WhatsApp, with the options side by side.

What we include in the price we send: the ticket for each passenger, the vehicle if you bring one, any reserved seat or cabin you asked for, port taxes, and our service - checking the timetable, booking, sending the e-ticket and answering questions before and during the crossing.

Why book your Scrabster to Stromness ferry ticket with Haqqi Tours

Booking with Haqqi Tours means the ferry ticket from Scrabster to Stromness is one message away, not one website away. We compare, we book, we send the ticket, and we stay reachable. Add a transfer or a tour and the whole journey sits on one confirmation. Fill out the form to start.