Mull is one of the easiest Hebridean islands to reach — and the ferry is still the part of the trip that deserves the most planning. We watch guests arrive off the boats every day of the season, and we answer ferry questions at the bar most evenings. This is what we actually tell people.
The main route: Oban to Craignure
The workhorse crossing, and the one most of our guests use. Oban is around two and a half hours' drive from Glasgow (three from Edinburgh), the crossing takes about 50 minutes, and boats sail roughly hourly through the season. From Craignure it is a 21-mile, 45-minute drive up the Sound of Mull to Tobermory — or the bus, more on that below.
If you are bringing a car in summer, book the moment your dates are fixed. Vehicle spaces on this route genuinely sell out in July and August, and you should check in at the port at least 30 minutes before sailing. Foot passengers have it easier — you can normally just turn up.
The "sold out" tip nobody tells you
Here is the thing we have learned from years of watching guests book: ferry availability never stops moving. People cancel, plans change, and CalMac releases space right up to sailing day. If the crossing you want shows full, do not give up — check daily while your trip is still weeks away, and several times a day once it is close. Spaces appear constantly, and persistence wins far more often than you would expect.
Plan B — and the better drive: Lochaline to Fishnish
If Oban is booked solid, or the weather is making the open crossing doubtful, the Lochaline–Fishnish ferry is the one to know about. It is a short, sheltered crossing of around 18 minutes, and it keeps running reliably in weather that can disrupt the bigger boats.
For anyone driving from the south it comes with a genuine bonus: the road to Lochaline takes you up the A82 through Glen Coe — one of the great drives in Scotland. Our recommendation: stop at the Kingshouse Hotel at the head of the glen for refreshments and the views, then carry on over the Corran ferry (a five-minute hop across the narrows) and down through Morvern to Lochaline. Slower than the Oban route, and better for it.
Kilchoan to Tobermory: at our door, but be honest with yourself
The third route sails from Kilchoan on the Ardnamurchan peninsula straight into Tobermory harbour — a 35-minute crossing that lands you two minutes' walk from our front door. Sounds perfect. The honest truth: Kilchoan is a long way from anywhere, at the end of a slow single-track road, and the only reason to arrive this way is if you are already exploring Ardnamurchan and it is on your route. If you are, it is a lovely way to arrive. If you are not, take the Oban boat.
Doing it without a car
Tobermory works well car-free, and the journey is straightforward: the train from Glasgow Queen Street to Oban (around three hours, and one of Britain's most scenic railways) or the Ember electric coach, then walk onto the ferry at Oban — no booking needed on foot — and pick up the West Coast Motors 95 bus at Craignure. It meets most sailings and takes about 45 minutes up the coast to Tobermory, where the main stop at Ledaig car park is 300 metres from our door. Once you are here, the village, the harbour, the distillery and the waterfront are all on foot anyway.
When the weather has other ideas
This is the west coast of Scotland: sailings do occasionally get cancelled, and it is part of the deal with island life. Two practical points. First, travel disruption does not change accommodation cancellation policies — ours is in our Terms & Conditions, and we strongly recommend travel insurance that covers ferry disruption. Second, if your sailing is cancelled you may be able to claim compensation directly from CalMac. And remember the Lochaline route — when the forecast looks wild, it is often still running.
One last opinion: do not overnight in Oban
We are plainly biased here, but the arithmetic is simple: a night in Oban is a night not on Mull. With sailings running into the evening, you can be across the water, checked in, and sitting down to dinner at 75 West the same day — then wake up to the harbour instead of queueing for it. Book your room direct for our best rates, and we will have the bar open when you land.