Port and boarding guidance
If you’re travelling with us soon, use the information below in preparation for boarding including important safety information.
Port and boarding guidanceMobile menu
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:
Where are you travelling to?
We have two types of routes on the network:
Bookable routes – Please 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 only for the season in which you've purchased it - either winter or summer. They can't be used outside the timetable period you have bought them for and they're non-refundable. Your ticket 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 advance purchase tickets for all of our routes online at any time - ahead of travel. 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.
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.
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 - you can print out your tickets at home if you wish, however, to save paper and 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, 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. This applies to all routes.
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. 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. This is subject to availability.
Travelling as a foot passenger with a bike, kayak, paddleboard or similar - Your equipment will need a ticket, which is free. Please add this to your booking when you make your reservation. You can also do this online. Read our guidance on travelling with equipment.
Getting to the port
Getting to your departure port - find the postcode of your departure port and details of facilities 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 information on ScotRail's website.
Check the status of your sailing - find the latest information on your crossing on our service status pages. This gives the latest information, 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 applies to all routes and each leg of your journey.
Preparing for your journey
Need some assistance when you travel? If you need assistance 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 so you are ready to leave your vehicle promptly once on the car deck:
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disable your alarm. Refer to your vehicle manual for more details on how to disable your vehicle alarm.
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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 the destination port.
Now – take a moment to watch our safety video
It gives you an idea of what to expect and how to prepare for your crossing.
Check out our transcript of the passenger safety video.
