How to get to the Isle of Skye from Inverness

How to get to the Isle of Skye from Inverness

By Kay Pearson on 24th January 2023

The Isle of Skye is famous for its unique volcanic landscapes, rugged coastal scenery and awe-inspiring mountains. However, with this relatively new-found fame comes transportation challenges, not least due to the island’s remote location in the far north of the Scottish Highlands.  

Since we started running day tours to Skye in 2013, transport and tour options have significantly improved.  However, in order to make the most of your trip, you really need to plan in advance; you can’t just turn up on Skye and expect to be able to explore the island (unfortunately!). As locals who have run hundreds of trips to the Isle of Skye, here is our summary of how you can get to Skye (bear with us, it’s complicated!)

Train

Firstly, it is key to note that there are no train stations on Skye; the nearest one is in Kyle of Lochalsh.  The route from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh is the Kyle Line, and it is very popular, due to the breathtaking views along the way (it is often featured on lists of the top 10 most scenic railway journeys in the UK).  The train journey takes around 2 ¾ hours each way and off-peak return tickets start from around £39.50, if purchased in advance on the Scotrail website.

Upon arrival in Kyle of Lochalsh you need to ensure that you have a plan..you are close to the Isle of Skye, but still have no way of getting there! 

In Kyle of Lochalsh there is one car hire and taxi company.  There is also a car hire company in Portree, who will drop vehicles off elsewhere.  Please note that, in 2021 and 2022, there was a chronic shortage of car rentals in the UK.  We would highly recommend booking well in advance, and directly with the suppliers, as we have heard many tales of woe from guests who have been let down at the last minute by online agents (effectively taking bookings for vehicles which don’t exist).

To explore the island by rental car or taxi can get pricey, particularly if you are travelling as a single or couple.  The only alternative from here is to take a service bus to the main villages on Skye. This requires considerable effort and planning, and a fair bit of flexibility (our bus services don’t have the best reputation for being on time, or for being user-friendly!).  

The 917 Stagecoach service runs around three times per day and takes you to Portree (see timetable here). From Portree you can take the 57A circular service up to the north of the island (see timetable here). However, please note that bus services don’t generally link up, so you may need to leave yourself a few days to see Skye, if travelling by train then service bus.  We don’t want to put you off but, even as locals who has run Skye tours for years, we would find it very challenging to try and see Skye this way!

There are no private or scheduled Skye tours operating from Kyle of Lochalsh.

Citylink Bus

There is a direct Citylink bus service which runs from Inverness Bus Station to Portree twice daily (currently at 0840 and 1745).  The journey takes around 3 ¼ hours and costs £36 return, if booked in advance.  If you wish to travel to Skye, see the sights and return to Inverness by bus then would recommend staying overnight on the island, as the last return bus to Inverness is at 1745 (giving you just 5 ½ hours on the island, if you take the first bus over).

Once you arrive in Portree we would recommend spending around an hour exploring this pretty coastal village, which is famous for its pastel-coloured houses by the sea.  From here, you would need to take a taxi (make sure you book in advance) or service bus to other sights on the island.  

If staying overnight you could take a tour from Portree the next day, as tours depart from Portree early in the morning.  Real Scottish Journeys offer tours from Portree.

Hire a car

This is a fairly popular option, as there are a number of car hire companies in Inverness, both in the city itself and at Inverness Airport (you could take a look at Arnold Clark or Europcar).  

To drive from Inverness directly to the Isle of Skye directly takes around two hours, and you can either go via Loch Ness (see route here on Google Maps) or via Achnasheen (see route here).  However, there are so many beautiful spots along the way, and these roads can be quite tedious due to slow-moving vehicles in the summer, so we would allow at least 3 – 4 hours to get over to Skye.  

We would only recommend driving to Skye if you are confident driving on single track roads.  If you are not, it can be pretty stressful, particularly when you add other international drivers, lots of campervans, sheep and ferrel goats to the mix! It is also tricky to try and make the most out of your day, as it can be tempting to stop at every viewpoint..not knowing whether there is a better one just around the corner!

The other thing to pay careful attention to is the opening hours of the car rental companies.  To drive to Skye, see the sights and return to Inverness you will need at least 11 hours (believe us, we know it can’t be done in less).  Arnold Clark in Inverness opens at 8am but closes at 4/5pm every day, so you will most likely need to rent a car overnight to see Skye.

Rental prices start at £156 per day.  This is based on renting a Vauxhall Corsa through Arnold Clark on a Saturday in mid-July.

Day Tour

Since we founded the Skye Day Tour in 2013, a plethora of other companies have expanded their operations from Glasgow/Edinburgh to include Inverness.  These include Rabbies, Highland Explorer, Highland Experience,Timberbush and Tour Skye.

On paper, all of these companies are offering a similar thing; a one day tour to see the sights of Skye, departing from Inverness at around 8am and returning at around 8pm, priced from £72 – 99pp in July.  However, the company you choose can have a huge impact on your overall experience, so choose wisely!

A few things to consider when deciding which company to choose;

Reviews – for tours, TripAdvisor is still the most-used platform for reviews, closely followed  by Google. These sites are arguably the best source of accurate information about the various providers.

Itinerary – this is where there is a lot of variation, and tour companies certainly count on many guests knowing only that they want to go to Skye.  When you are doing your research ensure that the company offer a detailed itinerary, and that they visit the must-see sights, which include the Fairy Pools, Trotternish Peninsula and Old Man of Storr.

Local company – there are not many local companies offering this tour but, by choosing one, you are ensuring that your money goes back into the fragile local economy.

Guaranteed departures – some companies will only run the tour if they reach a minimum number of people.  Make sure that you find out in advance whether this is the case as, if they cancel, it can be very tricky to find an alternative tour at the last minute.

Additional services – here at WOW Scotland we offer a number of unique services, such as the opportunity to purchase upgrades, and a lunch ordering service to save you sightseeing time.  We really feel that these benefits can make a huge difference to your day on Skye.

Multi-day tour

If you are keen to spend a bit more time on Skye then you may wish to consider a multi-day tour.  

The main advantage of this option is that the tour company will generally provide or assist with accommodation, which is notoriously difficult to come by, and expensive, on Skye.  Companies providing multi-day tours from Inverness are Highland Explorer or Tour Skye.

What about accommodation?

If you do decide to take the bus or train to Skye, or rent a car to go there for a few days, please ensure that you book your accommodation before booking anything else (we really cannot stress this enough).  Demand far surpasses the supply of accommodation on Skye, even in the shoulder months, and we would really recommend booking at least six months in advance.  Even booking well in advance, value-for-money options are extremely difficult to find.

Today (23rd January 2023) I searched on a booking platform for a three star hotel for two people in Portree for two nights in mid-July.  There was only one option (twin room only) and it cost £432.  In contrast, doing the same search for Inverness yielded six reasonable options, starting from £241. 

In order to avoid disappointment we would recommend basing yourself in Inverness to visit Skye, in order that you can find accommodation which suits you, and have plentiful dining, shopping and transportation options too.

The conclusion from the WOW experts

Over the last 13 years we have spoken to thousands of customers, and looked into every possible way of getting guests to and from Skye, linking their trips up etc etc.  Consequently, our conclusion is that tours are the most enjoyable option, particularly for anyone who is coming from outside of Scotland.  Of course, we are a tour company, so you may think we are biased..but…  

We started WOW Scotland because we are passionate about sharing the very best of the Scottish Highlands with visitors.  We don’t feel that any of the above methods of transportation are conducive to having a world-class experience, as they all require too many compromises.  Consequently, we recommend seeing Skye with the people who know it best, our highly experienced WOW guides, on one of our day tours from Inverness.

We hope that you will join us to explore the stunningly dramatic beauty of the Isle of Skye.

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