Information For Visitors
Despite our northern location, Shetland is well-connected to the rest of the United Kingdom. Once you are here, travelling around the islands is extremely easy, and there are plenty of accommodation options for all budgets.
External Travel
The overnight ferry service between Shetland and Aberdeen runs every night of the week in both directions. Some crossings call en route at Kirkwall in Orkney. Direct crossings take twelve hours southbound and twelve and a half hours northbound. Crossings via Orkney take thirteen and a half hours southbound and fourteen and a half hours northbound. NorthLink Ferries Ltd operates the ships.
Most air traffic to and from Shetland passes through Aberdeen, which is served by up to five flights per day. There are also air links twice daily to Orkney, Inverness and Edinburgh and once daily to Glasgow, with a wide choice of onward connections. Loganair operates most air services on behalf of FlyBe and flights are code-shared with British Airways. The FlyBe website has full information on flights. However, bookings can be made not only on the FlyBe website, but – if you’re travelling from, to, or through London – on the British Airways website.
For June, July and August Loganair, on behalf of FlyBe, will also operate a twice weekly service from Bergen to Shetland direct. For further information please visit the FlyBe website.
Sumburgh, 25 miles south of Lerwick, is Shetland’s main airport.
Internal Travel
It is also extremely easy to travel around Shetland and to the outer islands via the network of inter-island ferries. You can find out more about the inter-island ferries on the Shetland Islands Council ferries webpage. Bus services run to and from Lerwick; more details are available on the ZetTrans website.
A number of car hire companies also exist in Shetland and include Bolts Car Hire, Grantfield Garage, Star Rent-a-Car and Shetland Car Hire.
Accommodation
From camping bods to hotels, Shetland offers a range of accommodation to suit every need. Guest houses, B&Bs and self-catering cottages and apartments are available in almost every part of Shetland.
Accommodation is graded using the Visit Scotland Quality Assurance Star Grading Scheme. This is a 5-star grading system based on visitor research which indicates what a potential guest can expect from their accommodation, from cleanliness and food to ambience and hospitality.
Please visit the Visit.Shetland.org website for a list of accommodation.
