Timetable in force from Monday 5 October 2026. Shetland Islands Council no longer publishes the timetable running before that date, so these times apply only from 5 October. · Representative sailings only — check the operator for today's full timetable
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~20 min
Operator
Shetland Islands Council Ferry Services
Map – Yell Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult foot passenger, return | £2.80 |
| Over 60s (with SIC Pass), return | £0.80 |
| Disabled concessionary SIC Pass holder, return | Free |
| Adult foot passenger, book of 10 return journeys | £28.00 |
| Over 60s (SIC Pass), book of 10 return journeys | £8.00 |
| Car and driver (up to 5.50m), return, standard rate | £16.50 |
| Car and driver, return, discount card rate | £10.60 |
| Car (up to 5.50m), book of 10 return journeys, discount card rate | £106.00 |
| Motorcycle and driver, return, standard rate | £13.00 |
| Motorcycle and driver, return, discount card rate | £8.50 |
| Motorcycle, book of 10 return journeys | £85.00 |
| Motorhome, 5.5-9m, return | £23.50 |
| Motorhome, 9-12m, return | £27.50 |
| Motorhome, over 12m, return | £32.00 |
| Trailer or caravan, under 3.5m, return (added to towing vehicle fare) | £8.00 |
| Trailer or caravan, 3.5-5.5m, return (added to towing vehicle fare) | £11.50 |
| Trailer or caravan, over 5.5m, return (added to towing vehicle fare) | £15.50 |
All fares below are return fares, payable in full on the outbound journey only (nothing more to pay on the way back). Payment is taken at the time of travel, but booking in advance is strongly recommended, especially for vehicles, to guarantee space — book online at ferry.shetland.gov.uk or by phone with the Booking Office (Monday-Sunday, 07:45-18:00; 07:45-13:00 on Sundays from 5 October 2026 to 31 March 2027). Vehicle loading starts at least 5 minutes before the advertised sailing time and booked vehicles must be present by then, or their space cannot be guaranteed. The 'on Production of Card' vehicle rates are for regular users with a Shetland ferry discount card, and match the per-journey price of the 10-journey (book of tickets) options, which are bought as a single upfront block. All fares in pounds sterling (GBP).
The Yell Ferry is the vehicle and passenger crossing of Yell Sound, run by Shetland Islands Council between Toft on the Shetland Mainland and Ulsta on the island of Yell. It is the busiest of the Council's inter-island routes and the main road link to Yell, Unst and Fetlar — anyone driving north from Lerwick to any of the three northern isles has to cross here first, since the A968 simply stops at the water on both sides.
The crossing takes about 20 minutes, and on a normal weekday the council runs around 26 sailings a day from each side, roughly every 30 minutes through the morning and evening peaks and a little less often in the early afternoon. Friday evenings run later than the rest of the week, and the weekend pattern thins out the daytime sailings while keeping similar early and late departures. The very first and very last sailings of the day are bookable-only: they only go ahead if someone has actually booked a space, rather than running on a fixed 'turn up and go' basis like the rest of the timetable.
Fares are charged as a single return payment on the outbound crossing, with a flat adult foot-passenger fare of £2.80 and vehicle fares that scale with size, from a standard car at £16.50 return down to £10.60 for drivers who hold a Shetland ferry discount card. The same discounted rate is available to anyone as a 10-journey book of tickets, worth considering for regular commuters or contractors working across the Sound. Vehicles should be booked ahead of travel — either online through the Council's ferry booking portal or by phone with the Booking Office — since loading starts just five minutes before departure and unbooked vehicles are not guaranteed a space, particularly at peak commuting times or during the Shetland Folk Festival and other island events.
- 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
About 20 minutes, according to Shetland Islands Council's published journey times for the route.
An adult foot passenger return is £2.80. A standard car and driver return is £16.50, dropping to £10.60 for drivers with a Shetland ferry discount card (the same rate as buying a 10-journey book of tickets for £106). Motorcycles are £13 return standard or £8.50 with a discount card.
On the Monday-Thursday pattern there are 26 sailings a day from each side, roughly every 30 minutes at busy times of day and a bit less frequently in the early afternoon and late evening. Friday finishes later, and Saturday/Sunday run a slightly different, thinner daytime pattern.
Most sailings are turn-up-and-go, but the very first and very last sailing of the day on each side only run if someone has booked ahead. For any vehicle, booking in advance online (ferry.shetland.gov.uk) or by phone (01595 745804) is strongly recommended, since loading starts just 5 minutes before departure and unbooked vehicles aren't guaranteed space.
Yes, every day of the year, though Saturday and Sunday follow a slightly different, less frequent daytime pattern than weekdays. From 5 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, the Booking Office's Sunday hours also shorten, to 07:45-13:00.
Yes. Motorhomes are charged by length: £23.50 return for 5.5-9m, £27.50 for 9-12m and £32 for anything over 12m. Bicycles aren't listed as a separate charged category on the Council's domestic fares table; contact the Booking Office if you're unsure how your vehicle or trailer will be classified.
No — they're separate onward crossings. To reach Unst or Fetlar you cross Yell Sound (Toft-Ulsta) first, then drive across Yell to Gutcher for the separate Bluemull Sound ferry to Unst (Belmont) or Fetlar (Hamars Ness), which the Council times to connect with each other.
Shetland Islands Council runs a recorded Voicebank information line for the route on 01595 743972, and the online booking portal at ferry.shetland.gov.uk shows current sailing availability; there is no public live-departures data feed.