Operator's last 2026 timetable, Friday 4 September to Monday 28 September (Friday to Monday only); the season has ended · Representative sailings only — check the operator for today's full timetable
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~90 min
Operator
Kintyre Express
Map – Ballycastle - Campbeltown Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Per person, single | £84.00 |
| Per person, return | £158.00 |
The operator states that all tickets must be booked in advance and gives one price per person for either route: £84 single and £158 return, on the Campbeltown-Ballycastle and Ballycastle-Port Ellen crossings. Bikes, golf clubs and luggage are carried free. These are the 2026 season fares; the page carries no date, and 2027 prices have not been announced. All fares in pounds sterling (GBP).
Kintyre Express is a fast passenger boat that crosses the North Channel between Campbeltown, in Argyll, and Ballycastle on the Antrim coast of Northern Ireland, and also links Ballycastle with Port Ellen on Islay. The operator describes a 13.25-metre boat with an enclosed, heated cabin and 12 airline-style seats, with a toilet and a USB charging point at each seat. It carries 12 passengers, wears life vests throughout, and takes no cars, so drivers are directed to the Cairnryan route to Belfast or Larne.
The 2026 season is over. The operator says its season runs from the beginning of April until late September, and the last timetable on its website ran from Friday 4 September to Monday 28 September. A Facebook post seen on 21 October 2026 says the boat will mostly be docked over winter, with news of the 2027 timetable to follow on its social media. Its website still says bookings and the timetable for 2026 are live, which is out of date, and no 2027 timetable or fares have been announced.
While it ran, the service was a single through boat rather than a shuttle. On the Friday to Monday timetables of April, May and September it left Campbeltown at 07:30, reached Ballycastle at 09:10, went on to Islay, and came back to leave Ballycastle at 16:30 for Campbeltown at 18:10. From 22 May to 31 August it ran daily, leaving Campbeltown at 06:30. The operator's page gives the crossing as 1 hour 30 minutes, though its September table allows 100 minutes between the two ports, and the FAQ says journey times depend on the weather.
The fare on the operator's page is one price per person: £84 single or £158 return, on either route. All tickets must be booked in advance through the booking link on the operator's website, and its telephone number is +44 1586 555 895. Bicycles, golf clubs and luggage travel free, and the operator recommends telling it when booking that you are bringing a bike. If it cancels for weather, it offers a full refund or an alternative departure.
- Arrive at the slipway a few minutes before departure; vehicle queues build quickly in summer.
- Check the operator's notices before travelling — tides, weather and maintenance affect sailings.
- Confirm accepted payment methods: several crossings are contactless-only.
Frequently asked questions
No. The operator's season runs from the beginning of April until late September, and its last 2026 timetable finished on Monday 28 September. Its Facebook page says the boat will mostly be docked over winter. No 2027 dates have been published, and the operator says it will share the 2027 timetable on its social media.
The operator published three timetables for 2026: Friday to Monday from 3 April to 18 May, daily from 22 May to 31 August, and Friday to Monday from 4 September to 28 September. It lists nothing for Tuesday to Thursday outside the daily summer spell.
In the April, May and September timetables the boat left Ballycastle at 16:30 and arrived in Campbeltown at 18:10. In the daily summer timetable (22 May to 31 August) it left at 16:30 and arrived at 18:00. In the other direction it left Campbeltown at 07:30 (06:30 in summer).
The operator's fare is £84 per person single and £158 per person return, on the Campbeltown-Ballycastle crossing and the Ballycastle-Port Ellen crossing. All tickets must be booked in advance. These are the 2026 prices, and the operator has not announced 2027 fares.
The operator's tickets page says 1 hour 30 minutes between Campbeltown and Ballycastle, and about 1 hour between Ballycastle and Port Ellen. Its FAQ adds that journey times depend on the weather, and its September timetable allowed 100 minutes.
No cars: it is a 12-passenger fast ferry, and the operator points drivers to the Cairnryan to Belfast or Larne route. Bikes, golf clubs and luggage are carried free, and the operator recommends telling it when booking that you are bringing a bike.
The operator says it cancels only on a combination of high wind speed, direction and tidal state, and that late cancellations are possible. When it cancels for weather, it offers a full refund or an alternative departure.
All tickets must be booked in advance, using the booking link on the operator's website. The operator's telephone number is +44 1586 555 895. The boat serves no refreshments, though you may bring your own snacks.