Changes to public bus and ferry services for Island Games

Orkney Islands Council Transportation Service is advising of changes and suspensions to public bus and ferry services during the Orkney 2025 International Island Games (12 to 18 July inclusive).

Please note Games organisers have arranged additional bus services during the Island Games period. The buses will be marked as ‘G’ followed by the appropriate corresponding route number based on existing scheduled services. This information is now available at www.orkney2025.com

Timetable information during the period of the Games will be available from Kirkwall Travel Centre, the Pickaquoy Centre and Stromness Terminal Building.

It should be noted that services may be capacity constrained at peak times and may also be subject to delays due to road diversions in place during the period of the Games. Please ensure you leave sufficient time to travel to your destination. 

Changes to ferry services during the period of the Games are also outlined below.  Please also note that the additional passenger service to and from the Outer North Isles will also operate during this period, providing additional frequency throughout the Games and the summer period. For further detail, head to the Orkney Ferries website and check the operational updates www.orkneyferries.co.uk

Please note the X1 service between Stromness and Skara Brae will run as normal apart from on Sunday 13 July as detailed below. Follow orange timing columns on Orkney Public Bus Guide or on Orkney.gov.uk/bus 

Saturday 12 July (Opening Ceremony

Bus Service 9 (Town Service): The town service will be suspended to coincide with road closures for the opening ceremony in the evening. Bus services will be suspended from 14:30 - 17:30 (last bus will operate at 13:30 from Kirkwall Travel Centre).

Bus Service 4 (Airport): Bus services will be re-routed from 14:45 for the rest of the day due to road closures. From 14:45 the airport bus will not serve Castle St, Broad St, Palace Road – instead operating to / from the Airport from Kirkwall Travel Centre via Junction Rd, Balfour Hospital, Holm Branch Rd.

Bus Service 7E (West Mainland Evening): The Evening service departing Kirkwall Travel Centre at 22:00 will extend to Tingwall ferry terminal (departing from Stance 4).

Houton Ferry: An additional sailing has been scheduled to depart Houton at 1915 to Lyness following a special request from the community to coincide with the Island Games Opening Ceremony.  Bookings should be made via the Orkney Ferries Kirkwall Office (01856 872044).

Sunday 13 July (Triathlon, Stromness)

Bus service X1 (Kirkwall - Stromness - Kirkwall):  The service departing Kirkwall at 07:36 from Kirkwall to Stromness and returning to Kirkwall will operate as normal. Services to Stromness will then be suspended.  Amended services from Kirkwall Travel Centre direct to and from Skara Brae will run during the road closures in Stromness. Please refer to the orange columns on the X1 route www.orkney.gov.uk/bus . Buses will run to timetabled departures from Kirkwall, with waiting times at Ring of Brodgar. Normal X1 services will resume with the 14:26 departure from Kirkwall Travel Centre to Stromness.

Graemsay Ferry: Note changes to Graemsay (Orkney Ferries) and Hamnavoe (Northlink Ferries) times to connect with amended bus services – visit www.orkneyferries.co.uk and www.northlinkferries.co.uk

Monday 14 July (Cycling, West Mainland)

Bus Service 6 (Tingwall): Services departing Kirkwall Travel Centre at 06:46, 07:03 and 17:07 to operate as normal.  Services suspended for the rest of the day due to road closure from Finstown to Costa. 

Tingwall Ferry: Orkney Ferries first and last sailing to call in to Tingwall – an amended ferry service will then operate direct to Kirkwall– please refer to www.orkneyferries.co.uk..  To make a reservation for the amended service please contact the Orkney Ferries Kirkwall Office (01856 872044).

Tuesday 15 July (Cycling, Market Stance)

Bus Service 9 (Town Service): Kirkwall Town Service bus may be subject to delays due to traffic management and speed restriction measures in place on Old Finstown Road from 13:00 to 18:00.

Wednesday 16 July (Cycling Road Race, West Mainland)

Bus Service 7 (Birsay/Dounby): Services 06:36 and 07:36 departing Stromness Hamnavoe and 17:27 departing Balfour Hospital will operate as normal. All other services will be suspended due to the road closures in Harray/Dounby/Birsay/Sandwick.

Bus Service 8S (Skara Brae): All 8S services suspended due to road closures in Harray/Dounby/Birsay/Sandwick.

Thursday 17 July (Cycling MTB XCO, Binscarth, Finstown)

The following services will be subject to delays, due to traffic management and speed reductions in place from 09:00 to 17:00 on the A965.

• X1 (Stromness to Kirkwall)
• Service 7 (Birsay/Dounby)
• Service 8S (Skara Brae)

Friday 18 July (Half Marathon & Cycling Criterium, Kirkwall)

Bus services will be impacted as follows by extensive road closures across Kirkwall from 08:00 to 18:30: 

X1 (St Margaret's Hope to Kirkwall and Kirkwall to Stromness): Two routes will operate.  St Margaret's Hope to Balfour Hospital (return) and Stromness to Kirkwall Travel Centre (return) - please refer to the Orkney 2025 website for details. There will be no service between The Balfour Hospital and Kirkwall Travel Centre during the road closure period.

Service 2 (Houton): Services to operate to and from the Balfour Hospital instead of Kirkwall Travel Centre.

Service 3 (Deerness): Services to operate to and from the Balfour Hospital instead of Kirkwall Travel Centre.

Service 4 (Kirkwall Airport): Services to operate to and from the Balfour Hospital instead of Kirkwall Travel Centre.

Service 6 (Tingwall): Services to operate via Grainshore Road/Ayre Road/Burgh Road/Great Western Road to/from Kirkwall Travel Centre during the period of road closures.

Service 7 (Birsay/Dounby): Services to operate via Grainshore Road/Ayre Road/Burgh Road/Great Western Road to/from Kirkwall Travel Centre during the period of road closures (i.e. not operating via Old Finstown Road).

Service 8S (Skara Brae): Services to operate via Grainshore Road/Ayre Road/Burgh Road/Great Western Road to/From KTC during the period of road closures.

Service 9 (Kirkwall Town): All services suspended due to road closures.