Ferry To From South Uist | Visit South Uist

More about South Uist

Ideal for:

Nature & wildlife Culture

Neolithic mummies and a near-continuous beach

South Uist is the only place in Britain where prehistoric mummies have been found, and it's covered in evidence of a thriving Neolithic community. Archaeology not your thing? Although you won't see it from the ferry, the west coast is a near-continuous sandy beach. The island's nature reserve has one of the UK's most important breeding population of waders: redshank, dunlin, lapwing, and ringed plover. The west coast is mostly flat, but you'll find Beinn Mhòr on the east side - worth a climb for the spectacular views from the summit ridge.

Delve into the island's history at the Kildonan museum, which also has a craft shop showcasing the work of around 40 local artists and craft producers. South Uist is connected by causeways to Benbecula, North Uist, and Berneray, so it's a great base from which to explore the surrounding islands.

For more information on this destination visit the Visit Outer Hebrides website.

How to get here

You can get to South Uist by ferry from Mallaig and Oban, which arrives at Lochboisdale. This crossing from Mallaig takes 3 hours 30 minutes. The crossing from Oban takes 5 hours 10 minutes. Vehicle reservations are recommended. Oban-Lochboisdale is a winter service only.

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South Uist is also accessible via causeways from Benbecula and North Uist.

Looking for the best form of travel to and from our ports? Traveline can help you find the way that best suits you for making your journey using the most up to date information from around the UK for all transport companies.

We have listed some travel information below that you may find useful:

Getting to Mallaig

By train

If you're coming from the east coast, Edinburgh, or the South, you'll need to travel through Glasgow. There's a regular direct train to Mallaig from Glasgow Queen Street Station, along the stunning West Highland Line, and it takes 5 hours and 30 minutes. Check Scotrail for train times.

By bus

Citylink operates bus links from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness to Fort William, and from there you can take the Shiel Buses connection to Mallaig. The journey from Fort William to Mallaig takes 1 hour and 25 minutes, traffic permitting. The bus from Inverness to Mallaig takes roughly 4 hours, with a change at Lochybridge. Check Traveline for more details.

By car

It takes 3 hours 35 minutes to drive to Mallaig from Glasgow, 4 hours 15 minutes from Edinburgh, 4 hours 35 minutes from Aberdeen, and 2 hours 35 minutes from Inverness.

Postcode for sat nav

Mallaig Port: PH41 4QD

Getting to Oban

By train

If you're coming from the east coast, Edinburgh, or the South, you'll need to travel through Glasgow. There's a regular direct train to Oban from Glasgow Queen Street Station, and it takes just over 3 hours. Check ScotRail for train times.

By bus

The bus route to Oban from Glasgow takes just under 3 hours, traffic permitting. The bus from Inverness to Oban takes 3 hours 30 minutes, with a change at Fort William. Check Citylinkfor more details.

By car

It takes 2 hours 30 minutes to drive from Glasgow, 3 hours from Edinburgh, 4 hours from Aberdeen, and 2 hours 45 minutes from Inverness.

Postcode for sat nav

Oban Port: PA34 4DB

Have you thought about alternate routes to get to your chosen destination?

With 5 routes to and from the Outer Hebrides and great connectivity throughout the island chain the travel options available have never been greater.

Whether you are looking to explore on an Hopscotch® holiday or find a different route home we offer a variety of daily sailings to ensure that you can reach your ideal destination.

Here are the 5 route options to the Outer Hebrides

Castlebay (Barra) from Oban
Lochboisdale (Uists) from Mallaig and Oban
Lochmaddy (Uists) from Uig (Skye)
Tarbert (Harris) from Uig (Skye)
Stornoway (Lewis) from Ullapool