Ardrossan to Brodick ferry: times, fares and the Troon diversion
The CalMac ferry from Ardrossan is how almost everyone reaches Arran. It takes 55 minutes, costs £5.30 for an adult on foot, and lands you in Brodick. The complications are the weather and the boats.
Checked October 2026 at the sources named on the page.
The basics, checked October 2026
| Route | Ardrossan (North Ayrshire) to Brodick (Arran) |
| Operator | CalMac (Caledonian MacBrayne) |
| Crossing | 55 minutes; 1 hour 20 from Troon when diverted |
| Adult foot passenger | £5.30 single, £10.60 return |
| Child | £2.65 single |
| Car | £21.20 single, driver extra |
| Winter timetable | 19 October 2026 to 25 March 2027 (two parts: to 6 March, then 7 to 25 March) |
| Summer timetable | 26 March to 17 October 2027 |
| Check-in | 10 minutes before for foot passengers, 30 minutes for vehicles |
Fares, timetable dates and check-in times are from CalMac’s Ardrossan to Brodick route page; the crossing times from CalMac’s Troon FAQ. Concession fares (SPT ferry cards, blue badge) are lower and can be applied when you book.
Booking as a foot passenger
CalMac’s advice is to book online in advance even on foot. If you turn up without a booking you may still be carried, but on a busy summer sailing or a sunny Saturday the boat can fill, and the ticket office cannot sell what is not there.
If you are staying on Arran, book the return when you book the outward sailing. The last boat back is the one people miss.
Troon: why your sailing might not leave from Ardrossan
The Ardrossan berth is exposed, and in strong easterly winds sailings are moved to Troon, further down the Ayrshire coast. The crossing from Troon takes 1 hour 20 minutes. In January and February 2026, while the vessels were in overhaul, the Arran service ran from Troon only, with a free shuttle bus from Troon station.
The practical points:
- Check CalMac’s service status page on the morning you travel, and the evening before in winter.
- Troon has its own railway station; if you are coming by train from Glasgow and the boat is at Troon, you need the Ayr line rather than the Ardrossan Harbour line.
- Brodick is always the Arran end. Diversions change the mainland port, not where you land.
The boats
CalMac’s route page listed MV Caledonian Isles on Ardrossan to Brodick in October 2026. The newer MV Glen Sannox entered service on Arran in January 2025, and the second new Arran ferry, MV Glen Rosa, was listed by CalMac as expected in service in the first quarter of 2027. CalMac posted several Arran service updates in 2026 as vessels moved between routes and overhauls, so read the latest one before you travel, and leave a spare evening at the end of a trip if you can.
Getting to Ardrossan by train
ScotRail runs direct trains from Glasgow Central to Ardrossan Harbour, about 51 minutes on average, with up to 17 a day. Ardrossan Harbour station is unstaffed, so buy a ticket before you travel or from the conductor. The station is a short walk from the ferry terminal.
The other way in: Claonaig to Lochranza
A small CalMac ferry crosses from Claonaig on the Kintyre peninsula to Lochranza at Arran’s north end. It is not summer-only: it runs a winter timetable from 19 October 2026 to 25 March 2027, with “Turn Up and Go” tickets valid on any sailing on your chosen date, and no sailings on five Thursdays that winter for maintenance (5 November, 3 December, 7 January, 4 February and 4 March), according to CalMac’s Claonaig route page. It suits people driving on to Kintyre or the Islay ferry, and it is why Lochranza makes a good last night.
Arriving in Brodick
The ferry terminal is in the village. CalMac’s port page puts the Co-op about 250 m away, with a taxi rank and the bus stops right by the terminal. All three island bus routes leave from the pier, most timed to meet the boats, so you can be on your way to Lamlash, Blackwaterfoot or Lochranza without walking anywhere. The bus guide has the routes, and where to stay in Brodick the beds near the pier.