Your guide to ticket changes and how Road Equivalent Tariff will benefit you
What is RET (road equivalent tariff)?
RET is a distance based fares structure, which underpins the Scottish Government commitment to providing one single overarching fares policy across Scotland's entire ferry network. RET bases ferry fares on the cost of travelling the equivalent distance by road.
The RET formula for calculating fares is a combination of a fixed element (to ensure services remain sustainable and to cover fixed costs such as maintaining harbour infrastructure and vessels) and a rate per mile (calculated by analysts using contemporary independent research by RAC). The RET formula will be monitored and reviewed annually by Transport Scotland.
What is the main benefit to you?
RET will bring significant reductions in fares along with a simple and transparent fares structure which is fantastic news for not only the communities which we serve but also the customers we take to the destinations.
When does RET come into effect?
Following the phased roll out of RET pilots to parts of our network in recent years, all remaining routes will benefit from fare reductions when the Winter Timetable opens on 26 October 2015. All fares are listed in the Table below.
Island | Route | RET passenger fare | RET car fare |
Bute | Wemyss Bay / Rothesay | £3.05 | £10.95 |
Colintraive / Rhubodach | £1.10 | £5.75 | |
Mull | Oban / Craignure | £3.45 | £13.00 |
Lochaline / Fishnish | £2.30 | £6.90 | |
Fionnphort / Iona | £1.65 | £6.05 | |
Tobermory / Kilchoan | £2.65 | £8.40 | |
Small Isles | Mallaig / Eigg | £3.85 | £15.65 |
Mallaig / Muck | £4.45 | £19.25 | |
Mallaig / Rum | £4.15 | £17.15 | |
Mallaig / Canna | £5.25 | £24.45 | |
Sound of Barra | Castlebay / Lochboisdale | £5.40 | £23.25 |
Barra / Eriskay | £2.95 | £10.25 | |
Sound of Harris | Berneray / Leverburgh | £3.45 | £13.15 |
Tarbert Harris / Lochmaddy | £6.35 | £31.50 | |
Skye | Mallaig / Armadale | £2.80 | £9.40 |
Raasay | Sconser / Raasay | £1.85 | £6.10 |
Cumbrae | Largs / Cumbrae | £1.60 | £6.10 |
Lismore | Oban / Lismore | £2.65 | £11.50 |
Mainland | Tarbert / Portavadie | £2.60 | £8.15 |
Which routes will be included?
Routes currently with RET
Ardrossan to Brodick
Ardrossan to Campbeltown
Campbeltown to Brodick
Claonaig/Tarbert to Lochranza
Coll to Tiree
Coll/Tiree to Castlebay
Tayinloan to Gigha
Kennacraig to Colonsay
Kennacraig to Port Ellen/Port Askaig
Oban to Colonsay
Oban to Coll
Oban to Port Askaig
Oban to Tiree
Port Askaig to Colonsay
Mallaig to Lochboisdale
Uig to Lochmaddy
Oban to Castlebay
Oban to Lochboisdale
Uig to Tarbert
Stornoway to Ullapool
Routes with RET from 26 October 2015
Barra to Eriskay
Berneray to Leverburgh
Castlebay to Lochboisdale
Colintraive to Rhubodach
Eigg to Canna/Muck/Rum
Fionnphort to Iona
Largs to Cumbrae
Lochaline to Fishnish
Mallaig to Armadale
Mallaig to Canna/Eigg/Muck/Rum
Muck to Canna/Rum
Oban to Craignure
Oban to Lismore
Rum to Canna
Sconser to Raasay
Tarbert to Portavadie
Tarbert Harris to Lochmaddy
Tobermory to Kilchoan
Wemyss Bay to Rothesay
How will this affect your tickets?
Certain ticket types which we currently offer will be withdrawn. These include:
• Multi Journey tickets on certain routes
• Saver Return and 5 and 9 Day Saver Return
• Islander Return
• Island Rover
More information on ticket types can be found below.
Multi Journey Tickets
Multi journey tickets are being removed to simplify the fares structure. However, steps have been taken to ensure that no one will pay any more for an RET ticket than the single equivalent of a standard multi journey ticket. Multi journey tickets will only be valid until
25 October 2015 so please bear this in mind when purchasing these tickets. If you currently have a book and haven't used all the tickets, we will provide a refund on the unused portion on receipt of the tickets. The current Refund Policy will apply.
50 Journey Tickets
The only two routes that will retain their 50 journey car and driver books are Wemyss Bay to Rothesay and Colintraive to Rhubodach. These tickets are being retained as it is cheaper than the equivalent RET fare.
30 Journey Tickets
30 Journey tickets for our Berneray to Leverburgh and Ardmhor to Eriskay routes are no longer available. RET is cheaper than these tickets.
Island Hopscotch Tickets
Island Hopscotch tickets will still be available under RET.
Season Tickets
Our Wemyss Bay to Rothesay, Largs to Cumbrae and Oban to Craignure (6 and 12 months)
Season tickets will remain and be valid for 1, 3, 6 and 12 months.
Electric Car Fares
The discounted electric car fares on Mull and Bute will be removed when RET is introduced on these routes.
Blue Badge Holders
From 26 October 2015, any customer who holds a blue badge will receive a 25% discount on the vehicle in which they are travelling. The discount will be available on car, motorhome and motorbike fares. In cases where the new discounted RET fares are more expensive than the previously available discount, the fares will be capped at the lower level. The discount will be open to both islanders and non-islanders that hold a Blue Badge.
Concessionary Travel
There will be no change to concessionary travel.
Rail and Sail
Rail and Sail tickets will still be available and will be updated to reflect the reduced RET fare.
Coaches
There will no longer be the option to purchase one ticket for a coach and all its passengers.
Coaches will be charged at a fixed price and a rate per 1/2m. This charge includes the driver.
All passengers will need to have a valid ticket for travel.
Group Tickets
Group tickets will not be available under RET as the passenger ticket is already discounted.
Commercial Vehicles
There will be no change to the fares for commercial vehicles, however small CVs up to 6m in length (rather than the previous 5m) will now qualify for the RET car fare.