What options are available for travel to South Uist?
If you are planning a trip to South Uist, we have several routes to get you there.
Main route
The main route to our Lochboisdale port in South Uist operates between Mallaig – Lochboisdale and Oban – Lochboisdale. Check our timetable pages to find out which dates operate from Mallaig and Oban.
For a limited period – between Thursday 3 April to Wednesday 14 May, the Oban-Lochboisdale service will be operated by MV Isle of Mull which has a reduced capacity. We encourage all customers, including foot passengers, to prebook travel.
Should you find that your preferred date and time of travel is not available on this service, we do have multiple other options to get you to South Uist, where space allows.
Before travel, always check our service status page for the latest information on your sailing.
Alternative routes to South Uist
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North Uist – via our Uig (Skye) to Lochmaddy (North Uist) route, and then onto South Uist.
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Barra – via our Oban-Castlebay route, then Ardmhor (Barra) to Eriskay and then onto South Uist.
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Harris – via Uig (Skye) to Tarbert (Harris) then Leverburgh to Berneray and then into South Uist.
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Lewis – via our Ullapool to Stornoway (Lewis) route, then via Leverburgh to Berneray and then onto South Uist. Please note this is an alternative option but depending on your starting point, can mean a longer drive to/from the mainland port at Ullapool.
If you do plan to travel on one of the alternative routes to South Uist, depending on your starting point and due to the nature of the roads to our ports on the network, you’ll find that journeys and transport connections can vary. Use the details below to guide on what suits you best. Where possible, please always book your ticket prior to travel.
To help plan your journey, a helpful starting point is to check the getting here section of our destination pages.
Helpful tips
If you're not a regularly driving on Scotland’s rural roads - we want to make sure you’re feeling informed and confident. From passing places to parking etiquette, we’ve created a short guide to driving on the (occasionally) challenging roads of Scotland.
Our port pages will help with understanding how far services like fuel, cash dispensers and grocery stores might be from the ports on your journey – helping you to prepare and plan ahead.
If you need further assistance, please do contact our team at our Customer Engagement Centre, or any of the ports above – our team are always ready to provide information and any help where you need it. You can also read our island-hopping guide.