Winter timetable effective 28 September 2026 to 1 May 2027, read 21 October 2026. The base list is Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday load by date. The Egilsay and Wyre sailings are not part of the board
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~25 min
Operator
Orkney Ferries
Map – Rousay Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult, single | £3.45 |
| Adult, return | £6.90 |
| Junior, single | £1.75 |
| Junior, return | £3.50 |
| Senior citizen (65+), single | £2.60 |
| Registered disabled or blind, single | £2.60 |
| Adult between Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre, single | £1.75 |
| Car up to 5.5 m, single (vehicle only) | £11.00 |
| Car up to 5.5 m, return (vehicle only) | £22.00 |
| Van up to 5.5 m, single | £11.00 |
| Motorcycle, single | £5.80 |
| Registered disabled vehicle up to 5.5 m, single | £8.25 |
| Mobile home 5.51 m to 8 m, single | £27.25 |
| Mobile home 8.01 m to 10 m, single | £36.35 |
| Other vehicle over 5.5 m, single (first 5.5 m) | £34.70 |
| Bicycle | Free |
Fares are Orkney Ferries' sheet 'South Isles, Shapinsay & Rousay', from 1 April 2026 (the operator gives its fares as running to 31 March 2027). The sheet also covers Egilsay and Wyre among the inner isles, and its 'inter-island' prices apply between Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre. Vehicle prices exclude the driver and passengers, a return is twice the single, and vehicles over 5.5 m are charged by length. The 50-journey books and 10 and 20 journey vouchers are for island residents or larger vehicles and are not listed. Accompanied vehicles are zero-rated for VAT. All fares in pounds sterling (GBP).
Rousay is reached from Tingwall, on the north-west of Orkney's Mainland, by Orkney Ferries' inner isles service, which also calls at Egilsay and Wyre. The operator's online timetable puts the Tingwall to Rousay crossing at 25 minutes, and its fleet page lists MV Eynhallow, a 29-metre ro-ro ferry built in 1987, for this route. Vehicles reverse on board, and the operator asks drivers to be ready 20 minutes before departure.
The winter timetable runs from 28 September 2026 to 1 May 2027. Monday to Saturday there are six crossings each way. Tingwall departures are 08:20, 10:40, 11:50, 14:45, 16:05 and 18:00, with two changes: on Wednesdays the 11:50 becomes 12:40, and on Saturdays the 08:20 becomes 08:40. Rousay departures are 07:45, 10:05, 11:15, 14:10, 15:20 and 17:30. Sundays have three each way: Tingwall 10:40, 14:45 and 16:45, Rousay 10:05, 14:10 and 16:10.
Egilsay and Wyre follow a different logic. The same PDF lists island circuits around Rousay and some Tingwall calls marked A or B. They run on request, in both directions, and need a booking: before 17:00 on the day before for A (15:00 on Saturday for a Sunday), and up to an hour before the Tingwall departure for B. The board on this page shows only the Tingwall and Rousay crossings.
Fares from 1 April 2026 are £3.45 for an adult single, £1.75 for a junior and £2.60 for a senior, with a car up to 5.5 m at £11.00 and bicycles free. Between Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre an adult pays £1.75. Orkney Ferries says you can travel without a booking and pay on board, but it cannot take unbooked passengers once a popular sailing is full, and it recommends booking vehicles.
For the Christmas and New Year dates, the operator's online search shows no sailings on 25 and 26 December or 1 and 2 January, though the printed timetable is silent, so confirm before travelling.
- 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
Orkney Ferries' online timetable gives 25 minutes for most crossings (Tingwall 08:20, Rousay 08:45). The 11:15 from Rousay shows 30 minutes and the 15:20 shows 35, and Sunday's 10:40 from Tingwall shows 35.
Monday to Saturday from Tingwall: 08:20, 10:40, 11:50, 14:45, 16:05 and 18:00; Wednesday's 11:50 is 12:40 and Saturday's 08:20 is 08:40. On Sunday: 10:40, 14:45 and 16:45. The list is effective from 28 September 2026 to 1 May 2027.
The first scheduled crossing is 07:45, then 10:05, 11:15, 14:10, 15:20 and 17:30, Monday to Saturday. Sunday's are 10:05, 14:10 and 16:10. A 06:50 sailing from Rousay that calls at Egilsay and Wyre exists only on request (A).
From 1 April 2026 an adult single is £3.45 (return £6.90), a junior £1.75 and a senior £2.60. A car or van up to 5.5 m is £11.00 single, a motorcycle £5.80, and bicycles are free. Between Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre an adult pays £1.75.
The PDF says bookings must be made at least an hour before departure from Tingwall, except A sailings, which need booking before 17:00 the day before. Orkney Ferries' FAQ says you can still turn up and pay on board, but popular sailings can fill, so it advises booking vehicles. Tingwall office: 01856 751360.
Yes. The same service links Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre, with some scheduled circuits (for example Rousay 09:10, Egilsay 09:30, Wyre 09:50, Monday to Friday) and many calls on request. An adult fare between the three islands is £1.75 single.
Yes. Orkney Ferries says drivers on this route must reverse their vehicles on board, as they must for Shapinsay, Egilsay and Wyre. Vehicles should be ready for boarding 20 minutes before departure and passengers 10 minutes before.
The printed winter timetable does not list an exception, but Orkney Ferries' online timetable search says there are no sailings on 25 and 26 December or on 1 and 2 January. Confirm with Orkney Ferries before travelling.