Summer timetable, 27 March 2026 to 10 January 2027
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~20 min
Operator
Western Ferries (Clyde) Limited
Map – Western Ferries (Gourock–Dunoon)
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult passenger, single, bought on board | £6.60 |
| Adult passenger, 2 journeys, bought on board | £12.60 |
| Adult passenger, 2 journeys, advance ticket | £7.90 |
| Adult passenger, 10 journeys, advance ticket | £32.40 |
| Child (5-16), single, bought on board | £3.30 |
| Child (5-16), 2 journeys, advance ticket | £4.20 |
| Child (5-16), 10 journeys, advance ticket | £16.20 |
| Concession passenger (Cowal SPT card or blind card), single | £2.00 |
| Vehicle up to 5 m including driver, single, bought on board | £25.00 |
| Vehicle up to 5 m including driver, 2 journeys, bought on board | £46.90 |
| Vehicle up to 5 m including driver, 2 journeys, advance ticket | £26.40 |
| Vehicle up to 5 m including driver, 10 journeys, advance ticket | £118.30 |
| Motorcycle (rider extra), single | £6.60 |
| Motorcycle (rider extra), 10 journeys, advance ticket | £32.40 |
Western Ferries is a turn-up-and-go car ferry with no booking and no check-in: you pay the purser on board at standard fares, or buy cheaper multi-journey tickets in advance. The fares below were issued from 1 April 2026. A vehicle fare covers a car, motorhome, small van, caravan or trailer up to 5 m including the driver, and passengers pay separately; motorhomes, caravans and trailers up to 10 m can use several 5 m tickets. Advance tickets are open tickets with no expiry, valid on any crossing in either direction, and are posted for a £4.20 delivery charge. Concession fares are for Cowal Peninsula SPT card holders and blind or partially sighted National Entitlement Card holders. Children under 5, pedal cycles, guide dogs and domestic pets travel free. All fares in pounds sterling (GBP).
Western Ferries is the car ferry across the Firth of Clyde between McInroy's Point, near Gourock, and Hunter's Quay on the Dunoon side. It is a private company, Western Ferries (Clyde) Limited, which says it has run the 20-minute crossing since 1973 and operates a fleet of four roll-on roll-off passenger and vehicle ferries. The crossing links the central belt with the Cowal peninsula and beyond, and it is the route to use if you are taking a car, motorhome, caravan or trailer. The other Gourock to Dunoon service, run by CalMac, is a foot-passenger-only boat, so the two do not overlap for vehicles.
There is no booking and no check-in. The company calls it a turn-up-and-go service: drive aboard, and the purser collects your fare. Passengers may stay in their vehicles during the crossing. The published timetable runs from 27 March 2026 to 10 January 2027 and is pitched as a summer timetable, with no separate winter table published yet. It covers very early starts and late finishes, from 06:00 from Hunter's Quay on Monday to Friday to a midnight boat from McInroy's Point on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Sailings leave each terminal every 20 minutes through most of the day and every 15 minutes at peak times, and the company says extra peak sailings and shuttle workings can be added.
Fares were reissued from 1 April 2026. An adult single bought on board is £6.60, and a car up to 5 metres including the driver is £25.00. Buying ahead is cheaper: a book of ten adult journeys is £32.40, and ten car journeys with driver are £118.30. These open tickets never expire and can be used on any crossing in either direction, but they are posted out for a £4.20 delivery charge, so allow five working days. Two and ten journey tickets are also sold by agents across Argyll and Inverclyde. Children under five, bicycles, guide dogs and pets travel free.
There is a ticket office at Hunter's Quay, open Monday to Friday, 09:10 to 17:00, but none at McInroy's Point. The company's status notice for 6 October 2026 said the service was operating to timetable.
- 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
The company says sailings leave each terminal every 20 minutes through most of the day and every 15 minutes at peak times. On a Monday to Thursday the timetable runs from 06:00 from Hunter's Quay and 06:30 from McInroy's Point to 22:00 and 22:30 respectively.
No. It is turn up and go, with no booking and no check-in. You can pay on board, or buy an open advance ticket that is valid on any crossing in either direction and has no expiry date.
A vehicle up to 5 m including the driver is £25.00 single on board, from 1 April 2026. Advance tickets cost £26.40 for two journeys and £118.30 for ten. Each additional adult passenger pays £6.60 single, or £32.40 for ten journeys in advance.
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday the last boat from McInroy's Point is at midnight and the last from Hunter's Quay is 23:30. On Monday to Thursday the last departures are 22:30 from McInroy's Point and 22:00 from Hunter's Quay.
The company describes it as a 20 minute crossing between Hunter's Quay and McInroy's Point.
No. Western Ferries carries vehicles and foot passengers between McInroy's Point and Hunter's Quay. CalMac's Gourock to Dunoon service is a separate foot-passenger-only route.
Yes. Pedal cycles, guide dogs and domestic pets are carried free of charge, as are children under 5. A motorcycle costs £6.60 single, not including the rider.
The terminals are McInroy's Point on Cloch Road, Gourock (PA19 1BA, no ticket office) and Marine Parade, Hunter's Quay, Dunoon (PA23 8HJ). The ticket office at Hunter's Quay is open Monday to Friday, 09:10 to 17:00, on 01369 704452.