There are 5 ways to get from Ayr to Kirkwall by train, plane, bus, ferry, or car
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Train to Glasgow Airport, fly
best- Take the train from Ayr to Paisley Gilmour Streettrain
- Fly from Glasgow Airport (GLA) to Kirkwall (KOI)plane GLA - KOI
4h 4m£231–509Bus, ferry
cheapest- Take the bus from Ayr Bus Station to Buchanan Bus Stationbus X77
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Stn to Inverness Union Streetbus
- Take the bus from Inverness Union Street to Scrabster Vehicle Terminalbus
- Take the ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminalferry Nl1
13h 56m£55–78Train, ferry
- Take the train from Ayr to Glasgow Centraltrain
- Take the train from Glasgow Queen Street to Invernesstrain
- Take the train from Inverness to Wicktrain
- Take the ferry from Gills Bay Ferry Terminal to St Margarets Hope Ferry Terminalferry Pf1
14h 49m£261–386Train, train to Edinburgh Airport, fly
- Take the train from Ayr to Glasgow Centraltrain
- Take the train from Glasgow Queen Street to Haymarkettrain
- Fly from Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Kirkwall (KOI)plane EDI - KOI
5h 23m£195–477Drive to Campbeltown, fly
- Drive from Ayr to Campbeltown (CAL)car
- Fly from Campbeltown (CAL) to Kirkwall (KOI)plane CAL - KOI
21h 7m£302–910
Ayr to Kirkwall by bus and ferry
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Ayr to Kirkwall is to bus and ferry which costs £55 - £80 and takes 13h 56m.
The fastest way to get from Ayr to Kirkwall is to train and fly which takes 4h 4m and costs £230 - £550.
The distance between Ayr and Kirkwall is 262 miles.
The best way to get from Ayr to Kirkwall without a car is to bus and ferry which takes 13h 56m and costs £55 - £80.
It takes approximately 4h 4m to get from Ayr to Kirkwall, including transfers.
There are 212+ hotels available in Kirkwall.
What companies run services between Ayr, Scotland and Kirkwall, Scotland?
There is no direct connection from Ayr to Kirkwall. However, you can take the train to Paisley Gilmour Street, walk to New Sneddon Street, take the bus to Sanderling Road, walk to Glasgow Airport (GLA) airport, fly to Kirkwall (KOI), walk to Airport Terminal, then take the bus to Supermarkets. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Ayr Bus Station to West Tankerness Lane via Buchanan Bus Station, Buchanan Bus Stn, Inverness Union Street, Scrabster Vehicle Terminal, Scrabster Ferry Terminal, Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminal, and Travel Centre in around 13h 56m.
- Website
- loganair.co.uk
Flights from Glasgow Airport to Kirkwall
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £240–470
Flights from Edinburgh Airport to Kirkwall
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £160–410
Flights from Edinburgh Airport to Kirkwall via Lerwick
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 47m
- When
- Wednesday
- Estimated price
- £160–410
Flights from Campbeltown to Kirkwall via Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 21h 25m
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- £260–850
Flights from Campbeltown to Kirkwall via Glasgow Airport, Lerwick
- Ave. Duration
- 25h 15m
- When
- Tuesday
- Estimated price
- £290–900
- Phone
- +44 (0)344 811 0141
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Ayr to Paisley Gilmour Street
- Ave. Duration
- 39 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £13–22
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Ayr to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £16–26
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Glasgow Queen Street to Inverness
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 17m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £70–120
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Inverness to Wick
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 22m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- £65–110
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Ayr to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £16–26
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Glasgow Queen Street to Haymarket
- Ave. Duration
- 45 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £17–29
- Website
- ScotRail
- Phone
- 0345 528 0409
- [email protected]
- Website
- Lumo
Train from Glasgow Queen Street to Haymarket
- Ave. Duration
- 45 min
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- £7–13
- Website
- Lumo
- Phone
- 0345 810 1000
- [email protected]
- Website
- Stagecoach West Scotland
Bus from Ayr Bus Station to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 7m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £11–15
- Website
- Stagecoach West Scotland
- Phone
- +44 (0)131 510 4007
- [email protected]
- Website
- Ember
Bus from Buchanan Bus Stn to Inverness Union Street
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 50m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £16–23
- Website
- Ember
Bus from Inverness Union Street to Scrabster Vehicle Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 28m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £13–19
- Website
- Ember
- Phone
- +44 845 600 0449
- [email protected]
- Website
- NorthLink Ferries
Ferry from Scrabster Ferry Terminal to Stromness Orkney Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £13–19
- Website
- NorthLink Ferries
- Low
- £13–17
- Peak
- £16–19
- Phone
- +44 (0)800 688 8998
- [email protected]
- Website
- Pentland Ferries
Ferry from Gills Bay Ferry Terminal to St Margarets Hope Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- £28
- Website
- Pentland Ferries
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