How to Get to the Isle of Skye from Edinburgh

Updated: March 16th, 2020

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If you are like me you might find that Edinburgh is so lovely that you don’t want to leave. But there is more of Scotland to be seen! One of the best places to go in Scotland is the Isle of Skye. You may be wondering how to get to the Isle of Skye from Edinburgh. You can get to Portree on the Isle of Skye from Edinburgh using only public transportation. It requires a full day of traveling and many forms of transportation, but you will have beautiful scenery on the way! Here’s your step by step guide on how to get to the Isle of Skye from Edinburgh using public transportation.

By Train: Edinburgh –> Mallaig

First take the Hogwarts Express! (aka the West Highland Way train route). We took a train from Edinburgh to Glasgow and then switched to another train that took us all the way to Mallaig. It was about a 6 hour journey total, but the time flew by because of the comfortable, spacious ride and the gorgeous scenery. Only bad part was that our train did not have a food trolley so I had to survive on snacks until we arrived in Mallaig at about 2:30pm.

View of the Glenfinnan Viaduct just like in Harry Potter!

Train Tips

Use Trainline to search for the train schedule and to buy tickets. You can select the option to pick up your train tickets for free at the station.
If you want to go from Edinburgh to Portree all in one day you will most likely need to take the first train around 7:00am.
If you want to feel like you are on the Hogwart’s Express you may want to take the Jacobite Steam Train for the last part of the journey between Fort William and Mallaig. The Jacobite only runs between April and October.
As I said above from Edinburgh to Glasgow there was a food trolley, but during the longer journey between Glasgow and Mallaig there was no food available.
There are toilets in each train car.

By Ferry: Mallaig –> Armadale

After arriving in Mallaig take a ferry to Armadale.

We got a quick bite to eat at the cafe in Mallaig. In Armadale we had a little bit of time to spend shopping and walking along the coastline.

Mallaig & Ferry Tips

Buy your ferry tickets online ahead of time. If your train is late they will allow you to take the next ferry. Make sure there is another ferry that day or be prepared to spend the night in Mallaig.
There is a small cafe between the train station and ferry where you can eat in or order something to go. They have toilets.
The ferry station and the ferry itself both have toilets.
A large buffet style restaurant is on-board the ferry.

By Bus: Armadale –> Portree

Finally take a local public bus for the final leg of the journey to Portree.

Portree has a population of about 2,400 out of the total Isle of Skye population of around 10,000. Portree is a charming little seafront town with amazing seafood and colorful houses!

20171018_183104 — View out of our guesthouse window.

Armadale, Bus & Portree Tips

Check the Stagecoach bus schedule online ahead of time. It only runs a few times a day between Armadale and Portree.
Buy tickets for the bus when you board.
Again make sure there is another option if you miss the final bus due to a delayed train or ferry.
There is space beneath the bus to store luggage.
There are no toilets on the bus. There are toilets at the ferry station which is where the bus stops.
There are a couple shops and restaurants around the station.
In Portree there is no bus station. Public toilets are nearby on the street A855 running parallel to the main square.
There are a lot of great restaurants in Portree. My favorite was the Lower Deck Seafood Restaurant along the waterfront.

Let me know in the comments below if you have any additional questions!

Now that you know how to get to the Isle of Skye from Edinburgh, start planning your adventures in the Isle of Skye.

Where to Stay in Portree

I recommend the Coolin View Hotel in Portree on the Isle of Skye where we stayed. It is a cozy guesthouse with lovely views of the water and is in close walking distance to the main town square. A wonderful full Scottish breakfast is served at the restaurant next door.