Getting to the Isle of Man – Visitor guide by Visit IOM
If you are a first time visitor to the Isle of Man we have created a handy guide on how to get to the island including getting to the Isle of Man TT by aeroplane or sea ferry.
The Isle of Man (also known as IOM) is located between England, Scotland and Ireland in the middle of the Irish Sea, therefore the most popular ways to get to the IOM is by air or sailing.
Flying to the Isle of Man
Geographically the nearest international airports to the Isle of Man are Liverpool Airport and Manchester International Airport in the Northwest UK. There are also excellent flight links from London Gatwick, London City and London Luton airports too. Checkout our page on Flights to the Isle of Man for a list of airlines that fly into the Isle of Man and the airports they depart from but it is also easier to search for all of these airlines using our search form on the left hand side of this page.
The main airlines that fly to the Isle of Man are:
- Aer Lingus
- British Airways
- Easyjet
- Logan Air
Sail to the Isle of Man - How to get to the Isle of Man by ferry
If you are travelling to the Isle of Man by Ferry you can sail as a foot passenger or with a vehicle from any of the following departure ports:
- Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Dublin, Ireland
- Heysham, Northwest England
- Liverpool, Northwest England
The Isle of Man Steam Packet is the only ferry operator to the island and you can search for ferry sailings using our search form. The operator has 2 main vessels, the Manxman (approximately 3.5 hours) and the faster Manannan boat. All sailings dock at the sea terminal in Douglas, the capital of the island (Sea Terminal, Douglas, IM1 2BX Tel: +441624 686801).
If you are bringing your dog to the Isle of Man then there are 2 dog lounges available on the Manxman however if you are travelling on the Manannan your dog will need to remain in your vehicle. Lounge passes and private cabins can also be booked with us online.
| Port | Country | Address | Sailings | Check-In Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast | Northern Ireland | Albert Quay, Belfast, BT3 9HY | Twice per week (Not during winter) | 45 minutes before departure |
| Dublin | Ireland | Terminal No 1, Terminal Road South, Dublin Port, Dublin 1 | Twice per week (Not during winter) | 45 minutes before departure |
| Heysham | England | South Quay, Lancashire, LA3 2XE | Up to 2 per day | 45 minutes before departure |
| Liverpool | England | 1 Triskelion Way Liverpool, L3 0BN | Up to 2 per day | 45 minutes before departure |
Travelling to the Isle of Man by motorbike:
If you are travelling from Europe to the Isle of Man for the TT you will need to travel via the UK or Ireland.
Ferries from France:
| Depart from | Sail to | Operator |
|---|---|---|
| Calais | Folkestone | Eurotunnel Le Shuttle |
| Caen | Portsmouth | Brittany Ferries |
| Calais | Dover | P&O Ferries |
| Cherbourg | Poole | Brittany Ferries |
| Cherbourg | Portsmouth | Brittany Ferries |
| Dieppe | Newhaven | DFDS Seaways |
| Dunkirk | Dover | DFDS Seaways |
| Le Havre | Portsmouth | Brittany Ferries |
| Roscoff | Portsmouth | Brittany Ferries |
| St Malo | Portsmouth | Brittany Ferries |
| St Malo | Plymouth | Brittany Ferries |
Sail from The Netherlands to the UK:
| Depart from | Sail to | Operator |
|---|---|---|
| The Hook of Holland | Harwich | Stena Line |
| Amsterdam | Newcastle | DFDS Seaways |
| Rotterdam | Hill | P&O Ferries |