Customer Update - Winter timetables 2024-2025
Customer Update - Winter timetables 2024-2025
Update 11 September
Bookings and advance purchases for our winter timetable period, 21 October 2024 - 27 March 2025*, are now open online, and via our telephone lines and port offices.
*Information on bookings and advance purchases for Mallaig/Oban - Lochboisdale, Oban - Craignure and Fionnphort - Iona routes
As per our previous customer update below, exceptions are in place for bookings on routes to/from South Uist, Mull and Iona from 5 January onwards.
Bookings and advance purchases for these three routes are open for the period 21 October 2024 up to 4 January 2025. We will publish the timetables, and release bookings for the period beyond 5 January, after 4 October.
As previously communicated - we are still working on vessel deployment plans connected to these services. We've shared more context on vessel deployment in our previous update. Given the required connections with Oban - Craignure, this also affects Fionnphort - Iona.
*Tickets for Turn Up and Go routes - including 10-journey passes
*Single and return tickets for Turn Up and Go routes for the Winter 2024-2025 timetable period are now on sale and can be used from 21 October 2024 - 27 March 2025. 10-journey tickets for this period will be available from 15 October 2024 and can be used from 21 October 2024 - 27 March 2025.
An important reminder on the validity of your Turn Up and Go tickets
With our winter timetable beginning on 21 October, we're keen to remind you about some key dates around our Turn Up and Go tickets purchased in the summer season, and arrangements on 10-journey tickets.
When purchasing a ticket for a Turn Up and Go route - specifically single, return and 10-journey tickets, please keep in mind that these tickets are valid for the season in which you've purchased them. They cannot be amended and cannot be used outside the timetable period you have bought them in. They are also non-refundable. Please do keep this in mind as we approach the winter timetable period on 21 October 2024.
Thank you for being patient
We do expect our telephone lines to be busy over the next few days - we know you'll be patient, particularly with our teams.
When you make a booking or advance purchase, you should receive your booking confirmation and eTicket within one hour of the transaction, however, during busy periods there may be some delays. If you haven't received yours within 24 hours of making your booking, please contact our Customer Engagement Centre for assistance.
Customers who have an online account should see new bookings and advance purchases appearing on their account straight away. Please visit our online account guide for details on how to set up a customer account, if you've not done so already.
Thank you for your patience whilst our teams have worked towards opening our winter bookings for 2024 / 2025 and we are looking forward to welcoming you on board.
Update 10 September
Bookings and advance purchases for our winter timetable period beginning 21 October 2024 will open this Wednesday 11 September*.
Timings for bookings and advance purchases
Bookings and advance purchases for the winter timetable period beginning 21 October 2024 will open on our website, on a route-by-route basis, from 6.00am on 11 September, with all routes available to book or purchase on our website by 8.00am.
Bookings and advance purchases will open via our telephone lines and at our port offices from 9.00am on the same day.
As per our previous update below, exceptions are in place for bookings on routes to/from South Uist, Mull and Iona from 5 January onwards. This means bookings for Mallaig/Oban - Lochboisdale and Oban - Craignure, and advance purchases for Fionnphort - Iona, are open for the period 21 October 2024 up to 4 January 2025.
As previously communicated - we are still working on vessel deployment plans for these routes. We've shared more context on vessel deployment in our previous update below - and we will publish the timetables, and release bookings for the period beyond 5 January, after 4 October. Given the required connections between Fionnphort - Iona with Oban - Craignure, we will release timetables and advance purchases from 5 January 2025 for this route at the same time.
*Tickets for Turn Up and Go routes
*Single and return tickets for Turn Up and Go routes for the Winter 2024-2025 timetable period will be on sale from 11 September 2024. 10-journey tickets for this period will be available from 15 October 2024, and can be used from 21 October 2024.
An important reminder on the validity of your Turn Up and Go tickets
With our winter timetable beginning on 21 October, we're keen to remind you about some key dates around our Turn Up and Go tickets purchased in the summer season, and arrangements on 10-journey tickets.
When purchasing a ticket for a Turn Up and Go route - specifically single, return and 10-journey tickets, please keep in mind that these tickets are valid for the season in which you've purchased them. They cannot be amended and cannot be used outside the timetable period you have bought them in. They are also non-refundable. Please do keep this in mind as we approach the winter timetable period on 21 October.
Thank you for being patient
We do expect our telephone lines to be busy - we know you'll be patient, particularly with our teams. When you make a booking or advance purchase, you should receive your booking confirmation and eTicket within one hour of the transaction, however, during busy periods there may be some delays. If you haven't received yours within 24 hours of making your booking, please contact our Customer Engagement Centre for assistance.
Customers who have an online account should see new bookings and advance purchases appearing on their account straight away. Please visit our online account guide for details on how to set up a customer account, if you've not done so already.
Thank you for your patience whilst our teams have worked towards opening our winter bookings for 2024 / 2025 and we are looking forward to welcoming you on board.
Update 23 August
We are pleased to let our customers know that our winter timetables for the period 21 October 2024 - 27 March 2025 are now available to view online.
Bookings and advanced purchases for Turn Up and Go routes will open on 11 September 2024.
Timetable information for Mallaig/Oban - Lochboisdale, Oban-Craignure and Fionnphort - Iona
Timetables for Mallaig/Oban -Lochboisdale, Oban-Craignure and Fionnphort-Iona have been published for the period 21 October 2024 up to 4 January 2025 only - we are still working on vessel deployment plans for these routes. We've shared more context on vessel deployment below - and we will release bookings beyond 5 January after 4 October. Given the required connections between Fionnphort-Iona with Oban-Craignure, we will release timetables from 5 January 2025 for this route at the same time.
Annual overhaul and maintenance plans
The timetables have been developed in consultation with local communities and stakeholders. They also factor in the time each vessel must spend off service undergoing yearly maintenance. This annual maintenance schedule, which has been planned with a focus on maintaining capacity, resilience, and lifeline services, has also now been published on our website.
The annual overhaul and maintenance period will be a challenging time. Although we know there is an increased likelihood of disruption as we await additional vessels to join the fleet, we want to assure customers and communities that we have planned it with as much detail and consideration as possible - incorporating our knowledge of the vessels and lessons from previous years. However, we must acknowledge that essential work which emerges later can lead to over-runs and delays, and our teams will monitor this closely as always.
Further vessel information
We anticipate that both MV Glen Sannox and MV Isle of Islay will enter service during the winter timetable period, and we are currently planning timetables for both. They will boost resilience when they enter the fleet, however, we are publishing timetables based on current vessel deployment to ensure that bookings can open at the earliest opportunity. Winter is a complex time to introduce new vessels. We'll continue to consult with communities on winter deployment plans as they develop.
As previously confirmed, MV Hebridean Isles will be retired this year - and she does not feature in the published timetables after 13 November 2024.
Also, the charter of the MV Alfred has now been extended until March 2025, providing additional resilience to the fleet.
Thank you to communities and local stakeholders for their support and input to this year's timetable planning.
We are pleased to be able to release as many of the timetables as we can at the earliest opportunity - and we appreciate your patience while this work was underway. We will also be in touch shortly with communities to commence consultation for summer 2025 timetables.