Pre-travel checklist

If you’re travelling with us soon, take a read through our checklist to help with your travel preparations.

This checklist provides information on:

Buying your ticket
Your tickets
Getting to the port and check-in
Preparing for your journey
Safety video

Where are you travelling to?

We have two types of routes on the network:

Bookable routes – You’ll need to book travel in advance. You'll be purchasing a ticket for a particular sailing / time.

Turn Up and Go routes - Please purchase a ticket in advance of travel. You'll be purchasing an 'open' ticket valid for the season in which you've purchased it - but it won't have a specific sailing time. Plan ahead as your first choice of sailing may not be available.

Book travel in advance - Wherever you’re travelling to – we always encourage you to book or advanced purchase tickets for all of our routes online at any time. Remember to add on pets, bikes, trailers, or roof/bicycle racks you’re travelling with.

Ticket types and validity - Find out more about our ticket types and their validity.

Buy tickets

Alternatively, - you can also buy tickets or via our Customer Engagement Centre or ports, during opening hours.

Now you've booked your travel with us - use our checklist to help you prepare for your journey:

Your tickets

Receiving your eTicket - This will be sent to your email inbox alongside your booking confirmation, ready for you to board.

Have your ticket ready for boarding – Download your eTicket to your device, wherever possible. It’s best to do this instead of printing. We’ll scan the QR at the port. This is the quickest and easiest way to get you on board, especially during busy periods.

Printing your eTicket - If you prefer, you can print out your tickets at home. However, to save paper and some time, present your eTicket on your device, wherever you can.

Turn Up and Go and Bookable route online purchases - If you have purchased tickets online as a group or for any number of travel companions, for use on any of our Turn Up and Go or Bookable routes, the full party must travel on the same sailing. This applies to both legs of your journey. If you are unsure if all members of your group are travelling together, please complete separate transactions online.

Travelling with a pet - they travel for free, but they'll need a ticket too. Find out more and read our pet checklist in our dedicated pets section.You can book this online when you book your own travel or make sure you tell our teams when you arrive that you require a pet ticket and they will issue this, subject to availability.

Travelling as a foot passenger with a bike, kayak, paddleboard or similar - Your equipment will need a zero value ticket, please add this to your booking when you make your reservation. You can also do this online.

Getting to the port

Getting to your departure port - find the postcode of your departure port along with details of any facilities at the port on our port pages.

Travel disruptions on your way to the port – check for traffic issues and roadworks on the Traffic Scotland website. If arriving by train, keep up to date with the latest train information on ScotRail's website.

Check the status of your sailing - find the latest information on your crossing on our service status and information pages. This is where we publish the latest information on our services, especially if a crossing is affected by a weather or technical disruption. Find out how to stay updated with our services.

Check-in

Check-in times - find details of the check in times on the timetable pages for your route. Being late for check in may mean you're unable to travel on your sailing.

Travelling in a group - If you're travelling in a group on the same booking, you'll all need to check-in together and travel on the same sailing, this is for both bookable and Turn Up and Go routes.

Preparing for your journey

Need some assistance when you travel? If you need assistance when you travel with us, please contact us 48 hours or more before your journey. If you need assistance during your journey, please speak to one of our crew or port staff, who will be happy to help.

Travelling on foot with luggage - You have a 40kg of luggage allowance, however, due to passenger counting policy you'll need to be able to take this up/down the gangway in one trip. You can stow luggage in designated areas, where available, alternatively, please always keep bags with you.

Travelling by vehicle – On some of our routes you must leave your vehicle during the crossing. Before travel please prepare for the following so you are ready to leave your vehicle promptly once on the car deck:

disable your alarm. Refer to your vehicle manual for more details on how to disable your vehicle alarm.
make sure you have everything you need for your journey to hand as you will be unable to return to your vehicle until the vessel has arrived at your destination port.