Pentland Ferries ferry routes
Every route operated by Pentland Ferries at a glance, with current crossing times, timetables and ticket prices.
Pentland Ferries is a privately run family business that has operated a ferry service between Gills Bay in Caithness, Scotland and St Margaret's Hope on South Ronaldsay in Orkney since May 2001. The company was founded in 1997 by its current managing director, Andrew Banks, who was appointed OBE in 2014 for services to transport and the community in Orkney.
The crossing takes about an hour through the Pentland Firth into the Orkney archipelago. This is the shortest and fastest sea route by car from the mainland to Orkney, and also the most sheltered crossing. From Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, Gills Bay is reached in 2.5 hours. The ferries run around 6 times a day and up to 46 times a week.
The fleet comprises the MV Pentalina (since 2009), a catamaran ferry for 350 passengers, 32 cars and 8 articulated lorries with a service speed of 18 knots. The MV Alfred joined in November 2019 - an 85-metre catamaran built by Strategic Marine Vietnam.
Pentland Ferries is one of only two major vehicle ferry companies in Scotland that are neither owned by nor contracted to the Scottish Government. The company takes pride in its environmental commitment: the MV Alfred is regarded as one of the cleanest and most environmentally friendly ferries of its kind, with over 60% lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions than comparable ferries.
Route map
Every route operated by Pentland Ferries at a glance