Passenger information

Due to an issue with MV Isle of Islay's bow ramp, the vessel will operate stern only. This may result in longer turnarounds and vehicles may be required to reverse on/off the vessel.

Due to an issue with the gangway at Kennacraig, passengers will be required to embark and disembark via the car deck on MV Isle of Islay sailings.

Sailings operating to/from Port Askaig only

Due to the closure of Port Ellen from Tuesday 2 June, an amended timetable operates between Kennacraig-Port Askaig.

View the amended timetable operating from Tuesday 2 June.

Read our guide to travelling to Islay during the Port Ellen closure.

Thursday 13 August

In order to provide additional capacity for the Islay, Jura & Colonsay Agricultural show, MV Isle of Arran will operate the following additional sailings:

Depart Kennacraig - 07:00

Arrive Port Askaig - 09:10

Depart Port Askaig - 09:40

Arrive Kennacraig - 11:50

MV Isle of Islay catering information

Please note that hot food will not be served in the Mariners Café on the following MV Isle of Islay sailings:

Wednesdays: 20:30 departure from Port Askaig

Saturdays: 20:20 departure from Kennacraig

A selection of light snacks, as well as hot and cold drinks, are available.

Parking at Kennacraig Port

Please be aware that parking is not guaranteed at Kennacraig port as demand is very high and available spaces are limited.

The car park operates on a first come first served basis and customers should be prepared to find alternative parking where possible.

Port Askaig works from Monday 27 April

Customers are advised of significant ongoing works at Port Askaig by SSEN to support vessel operations. When travelling to and from Port Askaig, you may experience delays, so please allow extra time for your journey. Marshalling lanes within the port and access from the main road will be impacted by the works and caution is advised when approaching the port.

Port Ellen closed from Tuesday 2 June

From Tuesday 2 June, Port Ellen will close for essential infrastructure improvements, expected to complete in 2029.

While the works are underway, all CalMac sailings to Islay will operate between Kennacraig and Port Askaig. We have contacted all customers that had originally booked to/from Port Ellen and amended bookings to/from Port Askaig. If you had previously booked to/from Port Ellen and have been transferred to travel to/from Port Askaig instead, you can claim back taxi or public transport costs through our passenger rights process. Please visit our passenger rights information page for details and access to the claim form.

View Kennacraig – Port Askaig timetable operating from Tuesday 2 June.

From Friday 5 June, port staff will be onsite in a Customer Support vehicle outside the entrance of Port Ellen on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 09:00 – 14:00 to assist with new bookings, amendments and enquiries. Card payments only will be accepted.

Port Askaig is expected to be much busier than normal and additional digital signage will be in place on the way to the port. Customers are advised not to arrive ahead of check-in time as space is very limited and you may be asked to leave the site and return at the correct time.

Read our guide to travelling to Islay during the Port Ellen closure.

Tiree Music Festival - Monday 13 & Tuesday 14 July

Due to Tiree Music Festival, amended timetables will operate on Monday 13 & Tuesday 14 July.

View timetable details for Monday 13 & Tuesday 14 July

Information

CalMac Status app

Our CalMac status app is available to download from your usual Google and Apple app stores. Once downloaded, you can sign up to receive push notifications on your favourite routes. You can also view the timetable files for the route and date you have selected. Please note, the results returned will not be a ‘live’ picture of services at that time – instead, they are an enhanced, easy to read excerpt of the timetable. Please continue to check service status for the most up to date information.

You can also sign up for subscriber texts for your favourite route. View information on how to sign up.

Passenger rights

If your sailing is disrupted or cancelled, read our online guide to find out what you may be entitled to and how to claim.

Pedal Cyclists Please note when travelling as a pedal cyclist in the event of a diversion disruption, transport between Port Ellen and Port Askaig cannot be guaranteed due to limited transport availability. Our staff will do all they can to support this. However, due to the volume of traffic at busier periods a transfer between ports may not be possible.

Passengers travelling by bus  Customers using the connecting bus service to Kennacraig are advised to make themselves known to the bus driver to allow them to inform the Port Office of expected passenger numbers.

Turn Up and Go and Bookable route online purchases. If you have purchased tickets online as a group or for any number of travel companions, for use on any of our Turn Up and Go or Bookable routes, the full party must travel on the same sailing. This applies to both legs of your journey. If you are unsure if all members of your group are travelling together, please complete separate transactions online.

Connecting Services  For customers using connecting services please note these services do not always guarantee a connection, particularly during times of disruption. We advise that you check both CalMac and connecting service websites prior to travel to ensure you can reach your end destination safely.

Stay Safe
When travelling with us, we strongly recommend our customers follow our safer travel guidance. Before travel, take a moment to familiarise yourself with the details.

Subscriber texts

To subscribe to live updates for a particular route text the words CALMAC and SUBSCRIBE along with the route code of your choice to 60030 e.g. "CALMAC SUBSCRIBE 09". This will automatically subscribe you to ongoing service information relating to that route for a six month period.