In season: seven days a week, 10:00-18:00, every 20 minutes or as required (operator's wording); no fixed departure times · Sailings shown by frequency — exact times from the operator. · Representative sailings only — check the operator for today's full timetable
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~15 min
Operator
Isle of Skye Ferry CIC (Glenelg-Skye Ferry)
Map – Glenelg Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Foot passenger | £5.00 |
| Bicycle (and cyclist) | £6.00 |
| Bicycle (and cyclist), return | £10.00 |
| Motorbike | £10.00 |
| Motorbike, return | £15.00 |
| Car with up to 4 passengers | £20.00 |
| Car with up to 4 passengers, return | £30.00 |
| Six-journey ticket book | £75.00 |
| Small camper-van | £25.00 |
| Motorhome | £40.00 |
| Minibus including up to 12 passengers | £50.00 |
| Minibus, each additional passenger | £5.00 |
Tickets are bought on the ferry, during the crossing, and no advance booking is needed. The operator says it accepts cash and all major credit and debit cards through a wireless card reader. It lists return fares only for a car, a motorbike and a bicycle; the other fares are listed with no return price. The car fare covers up to four passengers, and a minibus fare includes up to 12 passengers. A six-journey ticket book is sold at £75.00. The page carrying these fares was last modified on 3 July 2026, but it states no effective date for the prices. All fares in pounds sterling (GBP).
The Glenelg-Skye ferry is a small vehicle ferry across the Kylerhea narrows, linking Glenelg on the Highland mainland with Kylerhea on the Isle of Skye. It is run by the Isle of Skye Ferry CIC, a community interest company that has owned the boat since 2007, and the operator describes the MV Glenachulish as the last manually operated turntable ferry in the world. The boat was built in 1969, is almost 18 metres long, and the operator gives its capacity as six cars and a maximum of 12 passengers.
This is not the Skye Bridge, and it is not the Mallaig to Armadale ferry; it is a separate, short crossing that the operator puts at 800 metres. Crossing time is stated as no longer than fifteen minutes, although boarding can be delayed, so the operator calls its timings approximate. It publishes no departure table. Its timetable page says the ferry runs seven days a week between 10am and 6pm, every 20 minutes or as required, and you pay on the boat by cash or card.
The point that matters most for planning is the season. The operator says the ferry runs from April until mid-October and promises to keep the website updated with the opening and closing dates each year. When checked on 15 October 2026 it had published no 2026 closing date, and the banner at the top of its homepage read that the ferry was running as normal that day, 10:00 to 18:00. Before driving to the slipway late in the season, read that banner again. Weather can also stop sailings, with closure signs posted at the junctions on the approach roads.
The ferry carries cars, minibuses, motorhomes, motorbikes, bicycles and foot passengers, and there is no need to book. Heavy or oversized vehicles should contact the operator first. The operator's site also carries a campaign about a land-law payment of 5% of its annual income to a landowner, which it says threatens the community ferry.
- 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
Look at the banner at the top of skyeferry.co.uk. On 15 October 2026 it said 'Ferry is running as normal today: 10:00 - 18:00'. The operator says weather can stop sailings and that it updates its website and social media when that happens.
The operator says it runs annually from April until mid-October and will update its site with the dates each season. It had published no exact 2026 closing date when checked on 15 October 2026, and no 2027 opening date.
In season it runs seven days a week between 10am and 6pm, every 20 minutes or as required. The operator publishes no fixed departure times and says the timings are approximate.
A car with up to four passengers is £20.00, or £30.00 return. A foot passenger is £5.00, a bicycle with its cyclist £6.00 and a motorbike £10.00. A small camper-van is £25.00, a motorhome £40.00, a minibus with up to 12 passengers £50.00, and a six-journey book is £75.00.
The operator says the crossing takes no longer than fifteen minutes and covers 800 metres. Boarding can be delayed, and it adds that detours to see wildlife are not uncommon.
You do not need to book or buy a ticket before boarding. Payment is taken during the crossing, and the operator says it accepts cash and all major credit and debit cards using a wireless card reader.
Contact the operator before you arrive if your vehicle is non-standard or oversized. Its rule of thumb is 3 tonnes per axle, no more than 10 tonnes, a maximum length of 13 metres and a maximum width of 4 metres.
From the mainland, go to the Shore Station and slipway, Glenelg, by Kyle, IV40 8JZ. From Skye, use the slipway by Kylerhea, IV42 8NH. The operator's phone number is 01599 522700.