Ferries to Scrabster

Ferries from Scrabster to Stromness, operated by Northlink Ferries.

Ferry routes from Scrabster

Every route from Scrabster at a glance.

Ports and terminals

Scrabster

Town port

Terminals: Scrabster Ferry Terminal, Queen Elizabeth Pier
Location: Scrabster, Highland, Schottland
Waters: Nordsee

The ferry port of Scrabster lies on the north coast of Scotland in the United Kingdom. From here you can reach Stromness on Orkney. Ferries leave up to 6 times a day. The crossing takes around 1.5 hours. The port is served by Northlink Ferries.

Getting there and the terminal

The terminal stands at Queen Elizabeth Pier, around a mile and a half west of Thurso. By car you come along the A9 from Inverness: about 115 miles and a good three hours' drive. By train the Far North Line runs from Inverness to Thurso, likewise just under four hours; from the station it is another two miles to the port. The X99 coach from Inverness takes a similar time but does not always stop at the terminal, sometimes only in the centre of Thurso.

Short-stay parking at the terminal is free, accessible bays included. For longer stays there is a paid long-stay car park run by the Scrabster Harbour Trust 400 metres away.

One point that matters for foot passengers: their terminal is not at the vehicle check-in but at the berth on the new pier, around 800 metres away. Allow for the walk.

Check-in

Check-in opens 90 minutes before departure and closes 30 minutes before departure. Northlink Ferries advises drivers to be there an hour beforehand. Once check-in has closed, nobody else is processed or let on board.