Summer timetable, 27 March to 18 October 2026 (Monday to Thursday shown; Friday, Saturday and Sunday differ), then winter from 19 October
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~20 min
Operator
Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac)
Map – Gigha Ferry (Tayinloan)
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult (16+), single | £3.70 |
| Adult (16+), return | £7.40 |
| Child (5-15), single | £1.85 |
| Child (5-15), return | £3.70 |
| Infant (0-4) | Free |
| Adult with SPT Ferry Card concession, single | £1.85 |
| Pedal cycle | Free |
| Car, single (driver's own fare extra) | £10.45 |
| Car, return (driver's own fare extra) | £20.90 |
| Blue Badge car, single (driver's own fare extra) | £7.84 |
| Motorcycle, single | £5.25 |
| Campervan or motorhome up to 6 m, single | £10.45 |
| Campervan or motorhome over 6 m to 8 m, single | £26.15 |
| Small van (light goods vehicle) up to 6 m, single | £14.15 |
| Trailer up to 2.5 m, single | £5.25 |
Fares come from CalMac's summer 2026 fares list (valid from 27 March 2026, printed 12/25) and its route page, and are set under the Road Equivalent Tariff. Vehicle fares cover the vehicle only, so the driver and every passenger also pay their own fare. Tickets are turn up and go: the chosen date is only a preference, and the ticket works on any sailing in the summer or winter period it was bought for. Pedal cycles are free (groups of six or more must tell the port office beforehand). Caravans are not carried to Gigha. No separate winter fares list was found, so the figures here are the summer ones. All fares in pounds sterling (GBP).
CalMac runs the Tayinloan-Gigha crossing all year, joining the west coast of the Kintyre peninsula, in Argyll, to the island of Gigha, which CalMac describes as community-owned. The vessel listed for the route is MV Loch Ranza and the operator gives the crossing time as 20 minutes; the route as mapped on OpenStreetMap is about 4.5 km long. Neither slipway has a ticket office. CalMac lists both as unattended, with tickets sold online or on board, and on the Gigha side on board only.
This is a turn-up-and-go service, so you cannot reserve a particular sailing. You pick a preferred date when buying online, but the ticket is valid for any sailing within the timetable period it was bought for, summer or winter, and CalMac says such tickets cannot be amended or refunded. Advance purchase is still recommended, and check-in closes ten minutes before departure. Fares follow the Road Equivalent Tariff, which Transport Scotland's own timeline says reached Gigha in October 2012: an adult single is £3.70, a car £10.45, and bicycles are carried free. The car fare does not include the driver.
The pattern is roughly hourly. Between 27 March and 18 October 2026 the boat leaves Tayinloan on the hour from 08:00 to 18:00 on weekdays, with an extra 19:00 on Fridays, and from 10:00 to 17:00 on Sundays. From 19 October the winter timetable brings the last confirmed weekday sailing forward to 16:35, thins out Sundays, and drops five named Sundays for vessel maintenance, plus 25 December and 1 January. Several sailings, including the first boat on Saturdays, run only if you ask for them by 14:00 the day before.
Visitors with a campervan should know that CalMac asks you to arrange a pitch at the Gigha campsite, or a private arrangement, before you sail, and that caravans are not allowed on the island at all. Motorhomes over 7 m cannot be accommodated at the campsite. Foot passengers arriving by Citylink coach get off in Tayinloan village, about half a mile from the slipway, and CalMac points to a local taxi firm to bridge the gap, bookable in advance and paid on the day.
- 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
CalMac gives the crossing time as 20 minutes in each direction, on the vessel MV Loch Ranza. Allow ten minutes more for check-in, which closes ten minutes before departure.
A car costs £10.45 single or £20.90 return on CalMac's 2026 summer fares list, and the driver and any passengers pay their own fares on top (adult £3.70 single, child 5-15 £1.85, infants free). Blue Badge holders pay £7.84 for the car single. Fares are only published for the summer period; CalMac has not listed separate winter fares.
No sailing can be reserved, because the route is turn up and go. CalMac still recommends buying your ticket online before travelling, and says it may be able to carry you without one if there is room. Tickets bought online are valid on any sailing in that summer or winter timetable period.
On Monday 19 October 2026, running to Thursday 25 March 2027. Weekday departures from Tayinloan end at 16:35 instead of 18:00, and Sunday has four confirmed sailings each way instead of seven.
Yes, all year, but with a shorter day. In summer the first boat leaves Gigha at 09:30 and the last one back at 16:30. In winter there are four confirmed sailings each way, and none on 8 November, 13 December, 10 January, 21 February or 14 March, which are maintenance days.
Caravans are not permitted on Gigha. Campervans and motorhomes are carried (up to 6 m costs £10.45 single) but CalMac asks you to have a Gigha campsite booking or a private arrangement first, because there is no other parking or facilities, and motorhomes over 7 m cannot be accommodated at the campsite.
A Citylink coach from Glasgow stops in Tayinloan village, about half a mile from the slipway. CalMac lists a local taxi firm, McDonald Mini Buses on 07799 845464, for the transfer, bookable in advance and paid at the time of travel. CalMac warns that coach connections are not guaranteed.
CalMac gives PA29 6XG for Tayinloan and PA41 7AB for the Gigha terminal. Both are described as unattended slipways.